7 Ways to Make an Old Home Feel New

Your home feels a little lifeless. It’s dated, you’re used to it, and it doesn’t give you that spark from when you first moved in. Before you start putting a ‘For Sale sign on your front yard, however, there are several ways you can give your home a new lease of life. Here are seven ways to make an old home feel brand new.

Clean Your Carpets (Professionally!)

Carpets can get icky very quickly. That’s the nature of the beast. If your home is carpeted throughout, it’s easy to get that used and weathered look after just a few short years. Most people will continue to persevere until they decide a full carpet replacement is the only way out.

Not so. If your carpet looks like it’s on life support, consider getting it professionally cleaned before thinking about an expensive replacement. It’s quick, relatively cheap, and can transform the interior of your home. You can also try doing it yourself, but it won’t have the same results.

Highlight Classic Features

People often make the mistake of thinking that a home renovation must, by definition, mean modernizing. That notion is wide off the mark. You can most definitely preserve classic features when renovating; in fact, highlighting classic features can help give your home a fresh new angle.

For example, you can give your old school door a new lick of paint to give it a fresh twist. You can use a bold color to help it stand out from the rest of your house. You can do the same with ornate cornices (that new homes don’t tend to have!). Just don’t go crazy; a contrasting yet subtle color can go a long way. Depending on the age of your house, you should try and preserve any other unique details, like art deco door handles and taps.

Update the Little Things

Accents can have a major effect on the look and feel of your home. You can spend just a few hundred bucks (or less, if you’re a good thrifty shopper and DIYer!) to paint over outlets, replace light switch covers, and refresh plates.

You can also do this with furniture. Replace the details on your standard furniture from IKEA and suddenly you have a wee bit of personality in your home. Think shabby chic cabinet knobs, for example!

Focus on Good Lighting

I can’t overestimate just how important lighting is for the ambiance of a home. It can make the difference between a stark and uninviting space and a stylish, subtle, and cozy living room. It’s seriously that important.

For example, think about complementing the main room light with some standing lamps. Dimmers can also work miracles. Cheap shades can make a huge difference as well.

Repair What’s Broken

Slightly peeled wallpaper. Cracks in walls that get bigger every year. Mold building up in the corner of your bathroom. DIY patching on the wall that’s clearly not been done to a professional standard.

All of these minor things can drag down the entire look of your home, even if the rest of it is high quality. You can go a long way by simply repairing what’s broken. If you don’t have a big budget, really minor things can make a big difference. Get your toolbox out and get to work!

Paint Job = Miracle Cure

A renovation guide without a mention of paint is simply not credible. Painting your home is a serious miracle cure, as it’s super inexpensive and can be done relatively quickly. Walls have such a major presence in the home that the paint used can set the tone for the entire home.

Focus on a modern palette that takes your home out of the dark ages. White on white is seriously on-trend right now, so if you want your home to look current then going white is a surefire way to achieve it (although Scandi-minimalism may be the look of 2020!).

Make It Cohesive

Years of homeownership can lead to your home looking a little mismatched. ‘Improvements’ can actually result in a lack of cohesion, giving your home a lack of real identity. New homes tend to have a consistent style throughout, an unmistakable vibe.

I recommend trying to give your home a cohesive look throughout. Instead of decorating room by room, consider how it fits into the whole. It doesn’t necessarily have to be showroom-worthy, but just something that makes it feel yours can give the home a polished aesthetic that feels new and exciting.

Hopefully, these five ideas have given you a little bit of inspiration for your renovation project. Remember, you don’t have to go all out or spend a fortune to refresh your home’s style. A few small and subtle changes can go a long way!