5 Easy Ways to Refresh your Space

Feeling tired of your space is a struggle most of us go through, especially when we’ve lived so much of our lives inside our homes recently. Lockdowns and isolation have seen us all fantasize about renovating our space to create our ideal homes; trying our hands at DIY, refreshing our spaces, and trying to fill the piggy bank for some big changes. 

With that in mind, we’ve kept our ears to the ground and our eyes peeled for some brilliant penny-pinching techniques and tips that can help you boost your space for a steal. 

DIY Ceramic Decor

Earthenware is huge at the moment.

In every homeware shop, magazine, and model home, you’ll have spied some earthenware vases, wall features, and accent pieces.

Luckily, there’s an easy quick, and cheap method of giving your old pieces a new lease of life. 

Either use an existing item that you love (vase, bowl, etc.) or shop around in discount or charity shops for some pieces. These don’t have to be glass or porcelain this trick works well even on plastic items! 

The technique is simple. Pick a paint colour of your choice, and combine this paint with a small amount of baking powder; we recommend neutral tones or terracotta orange for the most authentic look. Next, simply paint your items with the mixture, building coverage once dry, to reveal a tasteful and textured result that perfectly mimics the rich earthiness of ceramic pieces. If you’re using plastic items it’s worth sanding lightly and priming before you go in with your paint. 

Add accents and subtle patterns with bolder colours or get creative with a stencil design to add a personal touch to these pieces and make these the perfect addition to your space.

New Heights 

A common struggle faced by renters and homeowners alike is smaller spaces. With more people than ever living in cities, space isn’t always an asset we have at our disposal and lots of us are feeling like we’ve outgrown our space. 

A great ‘hack’ for making a room seem more spacious is duo-toned walls. By using a darker colour on the base of the wall, and a lighter colour on top you create the illusion of higher ceilings and more space. This is brilliant for those of us who want to ‘declutter’ the feeling of wall storage and shelving. 

The brilliant thing about this idea is the flexibility; this can suit any colour scheme and style with all colour combinations open for experimentation.

Measure and mark your walls with masking tape to achieve straight, even lines throughout the room. The masking tape will help create a crisp, defined line once painted.

Choose your ‘base’ colour, which is the colour you want to extend upwards, and your ‘accent’ colour; the colour you’ll be using on the bottom. 

Simply grab your paint and paint the bottom colour as you would any other wall, being mindful of the masking tape guides. Repeat across all 4 walls and allow to dry. 

Remove the masking tape once dry and realign your masking tape guides to the edge of the newly painted colour. If you don’t do this there will be a gap between the colours where the original masking tape sat. 

Then use your lighter ‘base’ colour to finish the wall and voila; a room that feels more spacious! 

Mirror, Mirror

It’s no secret that adding a mirror into your space generates more light and the illusion of space. Large, stand-alone mirrors take this to the next level mirroring the room almost fully, creating the illusion of a much wider space. The position of these mirrors on the floor mirrors much more of the space than a hanging mirror, giving you the illusion of more floor space. 

As stand-alone mirrors lean against the wall rather than hang on it, it’s better to try and support these if possible to prevent any accidents, particularly if you share your space with children or animals. 

Stand-alone mirrors are popular at the moment, making them easy to come by, or for an extra special touch, see if you can find a vintage piece at antique fairs and dealers. 

Temporary Tiles 

Our kitchens and bathrooms are often the first places we want to revamp but the climbing prices of suites and kitchens along with the demands of everyday life means that these can be put on the back burner time and time again. 

Subway tiles are an increasingly popular trend in kitchen and bathroom interiors but can be time-consuming and expensive to replicate. 

Temporary vinyl tiles are a game-changer when it comes to refreshing these spaces. These self-adhesive sheets give (surprisingly realistically!) the effect of ceramic tiles to kitchens and even bathrooms almost instantly. A cost-effective solution these vinyl tiles free up funds making big purchases such as sinks, bathtubs, etc. easier making it easier for you to achieve a new bathroom or kitchen without compromising on your chosen style. 

Easy to apply these tiles are helpfully also easy to remove, which makes them a perfect option for renters or those that like to refresh their space regularly. 

Simply select your style and colour, measure your area and use these dimensions to measure your sheets. 

Clean and dry the wall area thoroughly, ensuring that no debris prevents the tile from sticking and preventing peeling in the future.

Ensuring the tile is level and straight, simply peel away from the backing to reveal the adhesive and steadily stick onto your wall e voila! A fresh new look that saves you time and money!  

Revamp your Lamps 

Lamps are a staple of any cosy space, giving the room soft subtle lighting and adding a homely feel. 

Revamping your lampshades is a brilliant way to bring colours and patterns into your space using accents. Explore fabric shops and suppliers and find your perfect print, texture, or colour to create a totally bespoke and unique piece for your space that screams your style. 

A cheap way to do this is to explore second-hand shops, charity shops, and car boot sales and look for interesting shapes and silhouettes for your lampshade. It’s the ideal way to breathe new air into your old pieces without breaking the bank and letting you get creative.

You can also use this technique on ceiling lights too, which can often change the lighting in your space, giving it subtle coloured tints. 

We recommend coordinating your textures and prints with others in your space, such as accent pillows, throws, or art! 

Why not combine this with the ceramic painting to completely alter your lamp and create something new to suit your space? 

Are you refreshing your home or taking on a renovation project? 

Keep checking in for interior design inspiration, mood boards, DIY tips, and trend tasters! We’re here to offer you helpful tips and tricks that save you money and time so that investing in your dream sofa is easier than ever!