Redecorating your home can be both very exciting and very overwhelming. From moodboarding and visualising your new space, to playing around with paint samples and fabric swatches, there are endless possibilities to give your interiors a new lease on life.
Whether you’re a DIY aficionado or you get stressed at the sight of a flat-pack manual, there’s a project suitable for all. While bargain-hunting and cutting corners can leave us with a feelgood dopamine boost, there are some home-improvement jobs that are definitely best left to the experts, whether that’s replacing tiling or having blinds and curtains fitted by a specialist like Hillarys.
1. Upcycle your old furniture
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‘My favourite way to spruce up a space? Find vintage pieces of furniture to paint,’ says Emma Morton-Turner, interior stylist and founder of InsideStylists. ‘I’m all about the thrill of the treasure hunt, be that at an auction, on eBay, at car-boot sales or searching Facebook Marketplace.’
‘Painting something with an interesting shape or detail can completely lift a room,’ she continues. ‘My favourites are dressers with glass doors, as you can add wallpaper or chalk paint to the back of the cupboard to match your room and create a feature piece. Plus, painting furniture is like therapy – you feel better afterwards, and your home looks better too!’
2. Spend money on window treatments
Hillarys x House beautiful Ingrid Motorised Roller Blinds in Pumpkin
‘When your window treatments don’t fit or work properly, it will ruin the whole look of a room,’ Emma emphasises. ‘Curtains and blinds that don’t fall long enough are a complete eyesore, so bespoke curtains and blinds are essential for your room’s design to work. After all, the windows are the eyes to our home, so we should frame them beautifully to enhance the whole design.’
Yvonne Keal, senior product manager at Hillarys, agrees with this: ‘Styling a window can transform a room into something really special. So whether you have a bi-fold, a bay, an awkward shape or a straight window, a made-to-measure window dressing specialist like Hillarys can help provide the perfect finishing touch for your space.’
3. Invest in quality fabrics and wallpaper
‘When it comes to decorating, investing in furniture and wall materials that will last longer and look great for years to come is well worth the cost,’ says Emma. ‘When you really love something, it truly brings you joy every time you walk into the room. I always invest in designs that are just a little outside my comfort zone – especially when I find “the one”.’
‘It’s worth it, as you fall in love with that room all over again,’ she continues. ‘This is especially important in rooms you spend a lot of time in, like the living room and kitchen.’
4. Leave complicated jobs to the experts
‘When you’re feeling really out of your depth, leave it to the professionals!’ advises Emma. ‘Tiling, anything electrical, or plumbing spring to mind, because rectifying these DIY disasters can be very expensive – and in some cases, dangerous. An experienced electrician, tiler or plumber will take less time and is worth every penny. Also, from personal experience, I’d avoid any form of DIY carpet laying!’
When it comes to dressing your windows, Yvonne recommends getting the experts in and being super clear about your vision and your budget. ‘At Hillarys, we bring our full range of samples to you, so you can see how colours and prints look against your decor,’ she says, adding that not only will local advisors be on hand to provide practical advice and styling tips, but rigorous testing processes mean that customers will have their products guaranteed for at least a year, too.
5. Give your rooms a new lick of paint
Sergey Mironov
‘Paint is an instant fix when it comes to easy DIY,’ Emma explains. ‘You can completely improve a whole space in one weekend. Anyone can do it, too – as long as you use good-quality masking tape and brushes, you can get a professional finish.’
‘Wallpapering is also easier than you might think,’ she continues. ‘It’s another great DIY way to instantly improve your home. A good tip? Textured papers are a great way to hide imperfections on walls.’
Discover the full range of blinds, curtains and services at hillarys.co.uk
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