How to refurbish your home on a budget by Anouska Lancaster

15 July 2016

There is nothing wrong with being frugal these days. Indeed, 'thrift', as it's known in fashionable circles, is to be encouraged - particularly when it comes to sprucing up your home. I am an ambassador for repurposing and 'Luxecycling' - A process whereby unloved or unwanted items are reinvented and made utterly fabulous; way more than they ever were before.

Home and Garden on Female First

A quarter of us are planning to tackle home improvements this year and 52% of all DIY projects are aimed at making the home a better place to live, rather than adding value. We spend, on average, just under a thousand pounds a year on renovations, so how can we save money, without scrimping on style?

1. Work around the sales. Research when the sales are commencing and wait. This will save a huge amount of money, particularly if you are purchasing new kitchens or bathrooms.

2. If you don't like the colour of the hardwood floors then paint them rather than replace them. These days, all the high street hardware stores do great flooring paints off the shelf.

3. Rather than spending the money on a new kitchen, give the current kitchen a makeover. This may be painting the units, changing the work surfaces or simply changing the door handles. You will be shocked at the difference that a facelift can make to a kitchen with little expense.

4. Be inspired by designer paints but don't pay the designer price tag. High street hardware shops can match up designer paint colours at half the price

5. Designer wallpapers most definitely make a statement and reflect your personal style, but these can be extremely expensive. Instead of wallpapering an entire room, wallpaper a small area such a chimney breast. This way you'll get the same effect, but you'll only need to purchase one roll.

6. Spend time visiting car boot sales and charity shops for pieces of furniture which can be introduced into your scheme at little cost. Mixing old with new will give your home a funky eclectic vibe. I bought the sofas in my children's TV room from a charity shop as I knew they'd get wrecked. This saved us thousands of pounds and funnily enough, these are actually the most comfortable sofas in the house.

7. Before purchasing new chairs, look into reupholstering the ones you have. This is often a much a cheaper option and there is no risk of buying an uncomfortable replacement.

8. Before you rip out all the carpets in your new home; get them professionally cleaned. It's amazing the difference that an intense clean can make to the colour and condition of a used carpet. It is possible that an old carpet can come up like new after a deep stream clean.

9. 'Upcycle' and 'Luxecycle'. Putting your own stamp on items that you've picked up from junk stores, or pieces that have been handed down to you, will instantly give your home a personal touch and resonate your individual style. Use paint, wallpaper and spray paint to refurbish tired or unwanted pieces of furniture to give them a totally new lease of life.

10. Rather than buying entirely new lighting, simply change the light bulbs and/or lampshades. You'll be amazed by the difference this will make to the feel of the room, as well as the quality of the light.

11. If you can't afford a new bed or a fancy headboard, create one yourself. Use wallpaper or paint to create a headboard on the wall and push the bed up to it. This will create the illusion of an upholstered headboard at a fraction of the price.

12. Try and buy items that have a dual purpose. For example, buy a bed with drawers built in. This will save you space as well as money.