Lighting

What is your current lighting like throughout your home? If you aren’t a fan of it then it can be a quick and effective thing to change. Changing light fixtures isn’t too difficult if you have done it before or if you’ve worked as an electrician. However, if you haven’t and you don’t know how to do it then you should contact your local electrician who will be more than happy to give you a hand. It is best to ring around a few who have good reviews to get quotes. Remember, the most expensive doesn’t always mean the best.

Head to a lighting showroom or department store to take a look at lights that you might like to buy. There will be so many to choose from so it is always best to go in with an open mind. You might think you want one particular style of light and then come out with something completely different. There are various lights you can have in each room, for example in the kitchen you could have spot lights, while in the lounge you might opt for a table or floor lamp.

Flooring

Another thing you might want to change is the flooring in your house. If it is there from before you moved in it might be looking tired and dated. If you currently have carpet then you might want to change it to hardwood flooring, especially with kids roaming about the house. Hardwood flooring is much easier to clean than carpet as you can simply wipe it or use a mop. However, you should note that hardwood floors can make your home seem colder in the winter months. The UK weather is never kind in winter so if you do get hardwood flooring you might also want to get a few rugs to dot about.

However, if you have hardwood and you want to switch it to carpet then make sure you also get a good quality underlay. This will not only make it nicer to walk on, it will also add some more warmth to your already toasty carpets. If you want to have a proper look and feel of carpets then it is best to do this in person rather than buying online.

Kitchen Refit

Have you always had a dream kitchen in mind? If so, then now is your opportunity. Ripping out a kitchen and replacing it with a brand new one is a great feeling, especially if you get to help. Have an idea or even a sketch of how you want your new kitchen to look, this will help you stay focused and on track. You could be aiming for a much bigger kitchen to accommodate your growing family. You could add an island into the middle for extra room to sit and also for storage. Many people have an island containing their microwave, cupboards for storage, and also a hob. There are so many options when it comes to your kitchen, the world is your oyster.

If you are wanting to renovate your kitchen on a budget then there are some ideas for this as well. You could take your kitchen units off the wall, paint them, and replace the handles. This will create the illusion of a brand new fitted kitchen that costs a fraction of the price.

Bathroom Remodel

There isn't a lot that can be done to a bathroom, unless you are wanting to rip the whole thing out and start again. This is always an option, but make sure you have a plumber on hand to give you help when needed. If you don’t have the suite you want then you can switch this out. For example, you might only have a shower now when you want a bath and shower. If you have room then you can add one in, it might take jiggling some things about to fit it all in. You might also want to change the flooring in the bathroom to something a bit more practical. If you have children then you definitely need non-slip tiles in your bathroom as wet tiles and children are just an accident waiting to happen. You can get some beautiful rough feel, non-slip tiles that look amazing in the bathroom. 

Bedrooms

If you are renovating the bedrooms as well then this might be the first thing on your to do list. It is always nice to get the bedrooms done and out of the way so you have somewhere nice and new to sleep. If you are also renovating the kids bedrooms then try and get these done as quickly as possible. Then the children can enjoy their new rooms without getting in the way too much.

Talk to the children about what they would like in their newly renovated rooms, this could be a new furniture set consisting of a bed, wardrobe, and chest of drawers. If you have an older child then it might be worth looking into teen beds so they don’t feel babied. Perhaps you could let them have a say in the bed they get. They might have their heart set on a cabin bed or even a bunk bed if there are siblings sharing.

As for your bedroom, it should be a haven and sanctuary where you go when you need a bit of a break. Think about colour schemes that will work as a way to calm you down and relax. Red should be avoided as this will have the opposite effect, instead try to find a nice pastel blue or green.

Built In Storage

Do you often find yourself struggling with places to keep stuff? If your home doesn’t have much room for storage then you could make some when you renovate your home. If you have stairs then a great idea that many people do is transform the space under their stairs with pull out storage. One idea is a cool shoe rack with lots of space behind it for other things. You could also get built in wardrobes in all of the bedrooms, designed especially for your home. If you are thinking about moving in the near future then don’t get them just yet as you won’t be able to take them with you.

Back Garden

If you have fully renovated your house and you are happy with the outcome then it is time to head outside. Having a beautiful garden will enhance the whole feel of your property as you will see it through the windows. Aim to keep your grass short and tidy and free from moss and weeds. 

If your garden is big enough and your children are young then it might be nice to get a full sized play area out there. That way you can encourage them to play outside and get away from screens. 

Driveway

Lastly, while you are outside doing the garden you should check your driveway. If you are lucky enough to have off road parking then you will want to look after this and keep it tidy. If you have weeds growing through take time to pull these out and maybe redo the pointing to stop it growing back. If you don’t currently have a driveway but have always dreamed of it then how about you create one? It isn’t too hard to put down a driveway and it means your car has a nice place to drive and sit when it is not being used. Driveways tend to bring your car insurance quotes down as well as your car is safer than being on the road.

Look at different driveway designs online to get a rough idea of what you want for instance if you want brick you can have all the same colour or you could get pretty patterns as well. Remember, the more intricate the design, the higher the price will be.