6 Simple Home Updates for a Weekend
Got a few hours to spare this weekend? Make the most of them with these easy home updates
Amanda Pollard
11 April 2017
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
Long weekends and Bank Holidays are the perfect time to fit in a spot of decorating. Check out these ideas for some simple projects that will give a spring boost to your home.
Update your front door
Give the entrance to your home a fresh new look by painting your front door. It’s a simple idea, but it will completely transform the appearance of your property. Choose a colour that you love, and one that will complement the rest of your home, too. It might also be a good idea to invest in some new door hardware, such as a new knocker and letterbox.
Start by removing the door furniture and sanding the whole surface. If there are holes, use the appropriate filler to carefully touch up any imperfections. Once this is done, make sure you give it another sand to achieve a smooth finish.
Cover areas you don’t want to paint with masking tape and you’re ready to go. Depending on the type of paint you’re using, you can either apply an undercoat or start with your colour. Keep the door open and paint recessed areas first, then fill in the rest. If you need to apply another coat, wait until the first one is completely dry.
Looking for more advice on how to refresh your home? Find an interior stylist in your area
Give the entrance to your home a fresh new look by painting your front door. It’s a simple idea, but it will completely transform the appearance of your property. Choose a colour that you love, and one that will complement the rest of your home, too. It might also be a good idea to invest in some new door hardware, such as a new knocker and letterbox.
Start by removing the door furniture and sanding the whole surface. If there are holes, use the appropriate filler to carefully touch up any imperfections. Once this is done, make sure you give it another sand to achieve a smooth finish.
Cover areas you don’t want to paint with masking tape and you’re ready to go. Depending on the type of paint you’re using, you can either apply an undercoat or start with your colour. Keep the door open and paint recessed areas first, then fill in the rest. If you need to apply another coat, wait until the first one is completely dry.
Looking for more advice on how to refresh your home? Find an interior stylist in your area
Refresh a piece of furniture
Got a piece of old furniture that’s just taking up space? Before you put it on Freegle, think about revamping it instead. A lick of paint can work wonders and turn a lacklustre item into something special.
Remove all the knobs and handles before you begin, and prepare for some sanding. It’s a time-consuming task, but worth it for a beautifully smooth surface.
The best paints to use are semi-gloss or satin finishes, but there are some lovely chalky furniture paints on the market, too. Apply two coats of your paint with a mini roller, which will give you a flawless look. Once dry, apply a couple of coats of varnish to prevent damage later.
Got a piece of old furniture that’s just taking up space? Before you put it on Freegle, think about revamping it instead. A lick of paint can work wonders and turn a lacklustre item into something special.
Remove all the knobs and handles before you begin, and prepare for some sanding. It’s a time-consuming task, but worth it for a beautifully smooth surface.
The best paints to use are semi-gloss or satin finishes, but there are some lovely chalky furniture paints on the market, too. Apply two coats of your paint with a mini roller, which will give you a flawless look. Once dry, apply a couple of coats of varnish to prevent damage later.
Revamp some drawers
Paint isn’t the only way to transform a piece of furniture – check out this gorgeous chest of drawers for inspiration. The designer, EB Interiors, added some gold sticky-back plastic to the recessed areas of some plain Ikea drawers. It’s a very easy project, but has completely lifted the piece of furniture and turned it into a special feature in the room.
Check out more Ikea hacks that are borderline genius
Paint isn’t the only way to transform a piece of furniture – check out this gorgeous chest of drawers for inspiration. The designer, EB Interiors, added some gold sticky-back plastic to the recessed areas of some plain Ikea drawers. It’s a very easy project, but has completely lifted the piece of furniture and turned it into a special feature in the room.
Check out more Ikea hacks that are borderline genius
Put up some shelves
To combat clutter in a child’s bedroom, storage is key. If your wall space is too tight for large shelves, think small instead. These two ledges are actually spice racks that have been repurposed. Grab yourself a couple of similar items and paint them in a fun colour to match the rest of the room. Hang them in line with each other, as they’ve done here, or go for an asymmetrical arrangement for a more quirky look.
Looking for more design tips? Discover an interior designer in your area
To combat clutter in a child’s bedroom, storage is key. If your wall space is too tight for large shelves, think small instead. These two ledges are actually spice racks that have been repurposed. Grab yourself a couple of similar items and paint them in a fun colour to match the rest of the room. Hang them in line with each other, as they’ve done here, or go for an asymmetrical arrangement for a more quirky look.
Looking for more design tips? Discover an interior designer in your area
Spruce up your kitchen cabinets
Fancy a cheap update for your kitchen without a complete overhaul? It’s possible to change the look of the room with some well-chosen door handles. Leather ones like these are on-trend right now, and are simple enough to be changed when you fancy something different.
Hunt online for a leather door pull to match your interior. For a long-handled version you might need to drill an extra hole in your cupboard doors, so bear this in mind if you think you might want to change them later. The ones on this Ikea cabinet only require one hole, so there’s no need to even drill.
Considering a new kitchen? Search for a kitchen designer in your area.
Fancy a cheap update for your kitchen without a complete overhaul? It’s possible to change the look of the room with some well-chosen door handles. Leather ones like these are on-trend right now, and are simple enough to be changed when you fancy something different.
Hunt online for a leather door pull to match your interior. For a long-handled version you might need to drill an extra hole in your cupboard doors, so bear this in mind if you think you might want to change them later. The ones on this Ikea cabinet only require one hole, so there’s no need to even drill.
Considering a new kitchen? Search for a kitchen designer in your area.
Organise your hallway
Spend some time over the weekend restoring order to your home’s entranceway. If your hallway is small you can achieve organisational bliss with just a few key items. Essentially, you need somewhere to hang coats, a surface to dump keys and small change, room for shoes and perhaps a mirror to check that you look neat and tidy before you leave the house.
Will you be doing any of these quick updates? Or do you have some other ideas up your sleeve? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Spend some time over the weekend restoring order to your home’s entranceway. If your hallway is small you can achieve organisational bliss with just a few key items. Essentially, you need somewhere to hang coats, a surface to dump keys and small change, room for shoes and perhaps a mirror to check that you look neat and tidy before you leave the house.
Will you be doing any of these quick updates? Or do you have some other ideas up your sleeve? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Really helpful suggestions. I'll be sharing that on our FB page!!
That headboard is so pretty ; and I love the garden path .
very good sugestions I also like the path idea