It’s not uncommon for old houses to no longer feel homely after living there for decades. The colours start to fade, the corners start to gather dust, and the fixtures and furniture will be outdated. Sure, this is still the house you’ve been used to but it might not feel like home.
But don’t worry. If a full renovation is not within the budget, there are things you can do to beautify your home without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll share with you 9 tips on how to make your old house feel more homely.
Get Rid of Unused Things
If your family is like most families, chances are, you have a bunch of random items scattered across the house, most of which, you don’t even remember owning.
In fact, a recent Choosi clutter report revealed that Australians have almost $60 billion worth of unused items. This clutter range from dead phones to broken furniture to old sofas and so on.
That said, it might be a great idea to spend a weekend sorting through what items you still need and what items you should get rid of. And by “get rid of”, I mean give them to charity, throw them away, or sell them. Do not keep them in your backyard storage.
Depending on the amount of clutter you have in your house, this can significantly brighten up your space which opens up ideas for simple redesigns.
Perform a General Cleaning
Once you’ve decluttered you’ll notice how many piles of dust and web your home has. Not to mention, your bathroom must be rich in hard water stains and moulds.
Thus, cleaning your house thoroughly is the next thing that should be on your list. Unlike your typical Sunday cleaning session, this will involve vacuuming tight spots, removing webs, and using certain formulas to melt away stains.
Repaint Your Walls
If you feel like going the extra mile, repaint your interior (or certain parts of it) to get the life of your home back. Fresh paint does the job of setting up the mood for every corner of the house.
If you want a warm cozy feeling, I recommend you go for beige, shades of brown, or grey. Mix and match it with your current furniture and fixtures to get the best out of your home.
Doing it yourself is the cheapest option, however, if your house is old and your walls have obtained some damage, have a high ceiling, or have paint that’s currently peeling off, it might be best to hire a professional painter.
They will be able to carry out what needs to be done in order to ensure the quality of the paint adheres to the highest standard.
Restore Your Furniture
Just like your house, furniture grows old and often loses its beauty over time. However, that doesn’t mean you can no longer make use of them.
Restoring furniture and making them your own is surprisingly easy. There are a bunch of YouTube videos showing different styles of distressing and repainting old furniture that could easily make them the talking point of the house.
Obviously, mix and match your furniture to the overall theme of your home.
Replace Your Sofa and Dining Table
Another great and affordable option might be to replace your sofas and dining table. Since these are large pieces of furniture, they grab a lot of attention making them a great piece to replace.
Of course, you may add throw pillows and blankets to customise the feel of your sofa. For the dining table, you may opt to replace only the chairs with a more modern feel to save some cash.
Add Paintings and Picture Frames
Paintings and picture frames are the perfect way to give life to a dull corner of the house. If your house is on the black and white side, opt for monotone picture frames or a large colourful painting that’ll grab anyone’s attention.
Traditional and rustic interiors tend to look great with family pictures as they enhance the feeling of home.
Brighten Up and Add Ambient Lights
If your home feels dull and lonely, a quick way to boost everyone’s morale is to brighten it up. You can achieve this by replacing your light with brighter ones or adding more light to the dark corners of the house.
Use decorative lights such as pendant lighting style for the dining area or chandelier in vaulted ceilings. You can also make use of wall lights, strip lights, and even lamps to brighten up your space.
Replace Your Curtains
If your curtains haven’t been replaced for ages, now may be a good time. You may opt for neutral colours so it remains unnoticed or makes it eye-grabbing by going for an accent. Either way, replacing your old curtains is a great way to make your house feel brand new.
Add Some Carpets & Rugs
Carpets and rugs are great for filling in the empty spots in a home. In addition, carpets make the house feel more homely.
There are different types of carpets from Aztech to knitted to fur to woven. Don’t be afraid to try on different carpets as these are cheap ways to add style to your home and make them feel homely.
Final Thoughts
Making your house feel like home can make you feel more comfortable and at ease. In addition, it may even increase your productivity and happiness. Thus, putting some effort into making it feel homely is always worth it.
These are just a few ways to beautify your home and make it feel cozy. If you have an idea in mind, feel free to suggest it in the comment section below.