As the old saying states, a change is as good as a rest and this is no less true when contemplating changes in your home. Many householders find that turning interior designer for a few weeks and transforming a shabby kitchen or out-of-date bathroom can – at least temporarily – make your everyday surroundings seem new and faintly exotic.
Sometimes a feeling of renewal can be achieved by something as small as a new set of light fittings or merely repositioning furniture, but for those prepared to be daring, the sky is the limit.
What results can be obtained depends mainly on two factors: the budget that can be dedicated to effecting these changes and the imagination of the householder. Most commonly, radical home renovations involve reclaiming a previously wasted space – turning a loft into an extra bedroom, for instance, or a cellar into a games room or home cinema – but why stop there?
As long as internal walls are not load-bearing they can be demolished to give rooms a more open-plan feeling. One of the most popular trends is to knock down partitions between the kitchen and living spaces, turning a mere food preparation area into a place where the whole family can relax together.
Make your own pair of eyes your best weapon; try to look at your home as a stranger might do. What improvements could be made? Are you making the best use of the available space?
This is the time to be bold and maximise the potential of your surroundings!
