20 easy and clever interiors tricks that will instantly upcycle your home
- Posted by
- Sejal Kapadia Pocha
- Published
While we always have enough money for a dinner night out, a new pair of boots and a mini-break to Ireland, decorating the home falls short on the list.
Furniture is an expensive investment and our toolbox never has the right instruments for Pinterest-worthy DIY.
But decorating needn't be so pricey, complicated or time-consuming.
The internet is full of golden tricks that can refresh your home in a few easy steps. From illusions that make a room appear larger to ways to make items look more expensive, we pick 20 of our favourite interiors hacks from the world wide web.
Bathroom: hang shower curtains from the ceiling
By raising the height of the shower curtain it gives the illusion of a higher ceiling. Don't forget to buy extra-long fabric that drapes well.
Images: Dwell.com
Bathroom: paint metal rods gold
Brass or gold touches have been a huge interior trend in the last number of years and it doesn't seem to be waning. If your bathroom is looking a little lacklustre, spray all the metal rods and rails in this £13.99 gold paint from Rust-Oleum.
Image: styleathome.com
Bathroom: invest in attractive containers
Bathrooms are the home of clutter, but they need not be. Invest in attractive jars and containers to empty your cotton balls, cotton buds, bath salts, creams and soaps into so that you can do away with unsightly plastic packaging. Even your mouthwash can go in a glass decanter. It will instantly spruce up the space.
Image: the36thavenue.com
Bathroom: replace large frameless mirrors
If your bathroom is small and dark replace a large frameless mirror for a chic vanity cabinet and two matching light fixtures. It'll provide storage space and the illusion of more room.
Image: amberinteriordesign.com
Bedroom: create a fake wooden headboard
Stikwood (in America) and The Wood Veneer Hub (in the UK) sell new innovative adhesive wooden panels which allow us to cover things in wood without picking up a saw, nail or hammer. Blog Sugar & Cloth used a Barrel Oak shade to bring warmth to her white-washed room. Alternatively, you can use wood-effect fabric, as seen here.
Image: Sugar & Cloth
Bedroom: paint cheap furniture in bold colours
If you're on a tight budget, pops of colour can do miracles for a room and can bring a personal touch to a rented bedroom. Buy an inexpensive dresser or bed-side table and give it two coats of paint.
Image: livelovediy.com
Bedroom: dislay perfume bottles on a spice rack
If you're still saving up to invest in an art piece, why not display your perfume bottles instead? All you need is a chic spice rack on a table top. You could also paint it to match your room decor.
Image: dailymakeover.com
Bedroom: pin clipboards instead of posters
The great thing about clipboards is that you can easily change your wall art from photographs, to motivation quotes to reminder notes. Paint the metal clips in gold or black for a decorative effect.
Image: craft-o-maniac.com
Bedroom: use patterned cushions on the bed
Bathroom: think outside the box for bedside tables
Drums, bar stools, baskets, old suitcases. There are endless inexpensive ways to create bedside tables that will instantly bring character to a bland room.
Image: apartment therapy
Kitchen: collate everyday items on a tray
Transform your worktop in five minutes by arranging the small items - salt and pepper dispensers, tea tin, milk jug, sugar pot and more - onto a tray of your choice. Then, grab a few decorative pieces – a vase, some candles and other favorite things - and place them one the outer corners of the tray.
Image: findinghomefarms.com
Kitchen: create a mini vertical garden
Bring a plain wall to life by mounting a panel of trellis - whichever size fits the space you have - and hang baskets on it. Place tiny potted plants in each such as Aloe Vera, English Ivy and herbs.
Image: Pinterest
Kitchen: use mugs as decor
Attach towel rails to a blank wall and use hooks to hang your favourite collection of mugs or cups from it. Try these black rails for £6 and hooks for £3 from Ikea.
Image: afarmhousereborn.com
Living room: half-paint walls
Create the illusion of higher ceilings by leaving three-quarters of the wall white. It's also enough to bring style and character to a room.
Image: athomeinlove.com
Living room: build a gallery wall
Hang your memories on your wall in mismatch frames. They don't even have to be expensive - collect them over time and build your gallery.
Image: Pinterest
Living room: light large candles in an unused fireplace
Create a large cluster of pillar candles in any unused nooks and crannies in your home. It'll give them same warm glow as a fireplace and is much easier to put out.
Image: alvhemmakleri.se
Living room: use books to cover unsightly routers
Most internet routers have to be placed in prominent (or just plain awkward) locations in the living room. Cut out the pages of a thick book, place it around the router with the antenna poking out behind it, and then stack your favourite tomes on top of it. No one would know it was there.
Image: anamariamunoz.com
Living room: divide spaces using a large curtain
If you live in a studio apartment or need to break-up space between an office and living room, try a ceiling-to-floor curtain. It's also a great way to hide messy storage.
Living room: make your own bar cart
Ikea's Bygel trolley for £18 can be transformed into a gorgeous little bar cart - perfect for those living rooms that are a hub for friends. Find out how to make it here.
Images: thecurlydiaries.com
Anywhere: upcycle old lightbulbs