If you’ve just bought a fixer-upper, or taken the plunge into the real estate market as a first-time buyer, the chances are you want to make some immediate improvements to your new home.
You can go big and start to plan a rip-and-replace strategy for your kitchen or bathroom, or call in an architect to do a complete renovation. But those large-scale works require yet another chunk of cash, and they can disrupt your new home life for weeks.
As experienced local real estate agents, we’ve found most owners enjoy their new homes more by achieving some small renovation wins as they settle in.
To help you think through the renovation challenge, we’ve pulled together a list of ideas. They will also help if you’re in the market currently, and you’ve found a great property that needs some TLC.
- Stroke of inspiration – There are few more straightforward improvements than painting the interior. It’s safest to stay away from bright or fashionable colours. Instead, opt for neutral whites and creams as these help make rooms feel larger.
- Kitchen makeover – You don’t have to take out your entire kitchen to give it a makeover. If the underlying structure is solid, you can replace the cabinetry doors, handles and the fascia of drawers. A new benchtop can be expensive but will lift the work area. If the budget stretches, consider new appliances. Buy them from the same manufacturer and in the same style to give a sense of uniformity.
- Bathroom blitz – It’s relatively inexpensive to update the vanities. Toilet and basin combinations are also good value. Full-glass shower screens are a little more expensive but are popular right now. If you hate the tiles, your cheapest option is to use experts to paint them.
- Light it up – It’s incredible what new light fixtures will do for a home. Many modern lights are reasonable in price but might require an electrician to install them. Don’t make your lights too fancy or fussy. Clean, classical lines are always best. Update the switches and sockets, too.
- Reject old fashion – Take a sledgehammer to anything that might date your home, such as glass-brick walls, deep shagpile carpets, and those awful, fake wooden panels that were all the rage in the 70s. Decorative room dividers are making a comeback, but you need an expertly-styled home to pull those off. If in doubt, knock ’em out.
- Floor them – Undertake all the other improvements before laying a new floor. There are countless options for timber, carpets, tiles – and even tiles that look like timber! Many people are turning their backs on carpet because they collect dust, whereas floorboards and laminates are seen to be healthier and easier to clean but the result can be a little cold in winter.