7 SMALL CHANGES THAT MAKE A BIG IMPACT AT HOME

Many people think that home renovation can sometimes break the bank. The replacements, the new purchases, materials, hiring professionals – all these can amount to hefty expenditures. However, what many people also don’t know is that you can easily make updates without breaking the bank.

By making simple tweaks you can make your home new again. Whether you’re updating your living room, dining area, kitchen, bedroom, or outdoor patio, you have the power to control the options depending on your budget.

If you can DIY the changes, all the better. If not, then we recommend hiring the experts so the costs don’t add up down the road. So without further ado, here are seven small changes that make a big impact at home.

1. Diversify lighting

Let’s start with the most basic. Living in a dark and bad-lighted house can feel a bit gloomy, to say the least. Light brings in positivity and a happy mood. If you still have the incandescent lighting, it’s high time you update it to LED bulbs.

Moreover, if you only have one type of lighting at home, it’s best to diversify it to bring in a more versatile mood and atmosphere. These types of lighting hold a specific purpose and function. As much as possible, install all of the three to make for a well-lighted and fully-functional home.

Here’s a quick run-through of the most common types of lighting and their examples that can make a huge impact at home.

Ambient Indoor Lighting

This type of lighting fixture is the most prominent and most common type of lighting. It aims to illuminate the entire house. Typically, these fixtures are installed overhead. Lastly, the wall reflects the light from these bulbs and brightens up the entire room. This type of lighting is also recommended to ensure safety inside the house. This is so you can see where you’re going or find things you need easily.

Examples of fixtures:

• Floor lamp
• Table lamp
• Chandelier
• Wall-mounted fixture
• Ceiling mounted fixture
• LED downlights
• Tracklight

Ambient Outdoor Lighting

As the name suggests, Ambient outdoor lighting is also another crucial lighting fixture that provides illumination all around the house. This is recommended to show the way to or from the house. When someone is leaving or entering your home, it’s better that you prioritize safety as well. Install these fixtures on entryways and pathways and even all-around your home. This lighting is also as bright as the indoor lighting just so you see everything outside. Plus, if you installed a spy gear, accompanying it with better illumination will make it more effective.

Examples of fixtures:

• Garage light
• Canopy light
• Lanterns
• Wall lighting
• Spotlight
• Hanging lighting
• Recessed fixture

Task Lighting

Task lighting has a primary purpose. This type of lighting is used to provide brightness in high traffic areas. These are the areas where you usually do your activities such as cooking, working, playing, and more. Task lighting is also considered as the focal point in one area.

Examples of fixtures:

• Pendant lighting
• Undercabinet lighting
• Tape and extrusion
• Downlight
• Recessed fixture
• Portable lamp
• Desk lamp

2. Create an open space

Another small change that can make a huge impact at home is to create an open space. This technique will instantly showcase an airy atmosphere. You might be wondering how. Regardless if you have a balcony, a patio, or a huge living room space or not, this method is very possible.

All you have to do is to get rid of bulkier furniture pieces that are an eyesore. Better yet, think of a huge area which is full of furniture. See if you clear it to make it a “hangout” corner or space. Decorate with plants, rugs, throw pillows, and you’re good to go.

3. Turn a room into an entertainment room

The idea of converting one unused room into an entertainment room might seem budget-heavy as you have to buy all the equipment, sound system, and whatnot. However, what you can do is salvage whatever you can at home. For instance, if you rarely use the stereo in your living area, transfer that into the new entertainment room. Grab all the pieces you’re not using and gather them all in the entertainment room. Start with the basics and move onto the bigger equipment along the way.

4. Add a wallpaper

If you’re not too keen on repainting the house, you can also go the easy route. Add a wallpaper on a room’s focal area. If you want, you can also choose to add a wallpaper to all walls in every room – if budget permits. If not, choose one wall with as little furniture or one where you want to emphasize and decorate.

5. Replace knobs and handles

If replacing cabinet doors, windows, entrance doors are expensive, then you can always give it a new look by replacing the knobs and handles. Choose one that’s different from the old one and apply contrast to make the cabinets, doors, windows, and the likes pop.

6. Add new colors and patterns

This tip doesn’t mean repainting the entire house. You only need to add in some new colors or patterns. This can be in the form of throw pillows, rugs, carpets, furniture, plants, vases, bedding sheets, and more. The most important thing here is to spruce up your home by doing minor changes that have a huge impact. If you’re used to seeing the same old colors and patterns, get them out and add new ones.

7. Change up your accent pieces

Your room should always have something that can attract the eyes the moment you see it. These are called accent pieces. Once you’re very used to seeing the same accents, you no longer notice it in the long run. Try to change up accent pieces every now and then to offer something new visually.

AUTHOR BIO:

Leanne Brooks is an avid blogger and frequent traveler who writes about home improvement, travel, and the latest trends in emerging technologies. She is currently working with EyeSpySupply, which offers a wide range of surveillance equipment and spy gear, including spy wireless camera, nanny cams, gps tracker, voice-activated audio recorders and more.