Category: Home Tips

  • Get That Modern Farmhouse Feeling With These Easy Home Renovations

    Get That Modern Farmhouse Feeling With These Easy Home Renovations

    If you’ve been following the trends in home design at all lately, you’ll know that the modern farmhouse look is all the rage. This design combines traditional and modern decorating elements to produce a warm, welcoming space that is ideal for any household. If you’re interested in giving your home a modern farmhouse makeover, then you’ve come to the right place. This blog post will discuss some of the easiest ways to give your home that trendy farmhouse feel. 

    1) Paint Your Walls White

    Painting your walls white is one of the simplest and most effective ways to give your home a modern farmhouse look. White walls reflect light and make a space appear larger than it actually is, creating an open and inviting atmosphere. If you’re looking to create a bright, airy feel in your home, white paint is a perfect choice! Additionally, this neutral colour palette creates a timeless look that will never go out of style. To create even more drama, consider adding an accent wall or painting the trim or doors in a contrasting colour. With just a few layers of paint, you can transform your space into a cozy modern farmhouse retreat!

    2) Incorporate Natural Elements

    Including natural elements in your home decor is a great way to infuse the modern farmhouse look into your space. Wooden furniture and accessories such as crates, shelves, and chests are a must-have for this design trend. You can also incorporate natural materials such as rattan, linen, cotton, or jute fabrics throughout your home. Adding plants to your decor will help make it feel more alive and connected to nature. To top off the look, display rustic items like vintage fixtures, galvanized metal pieces, or antique objects to create a sense of history and charm. 

    3) Layer Textiles 

    Textiles are an essential part of any cozy home design – especially when it comes to the modern farmhouse look. To get this style right, you’ll want to layer multiple different textiles throughout your home. Consider adding a patterned rug, chunky knit blankets, or burlap curtains in order to create interest and texture. You can also add throw pillows and cushions with neutral colors and natural fabrics such as cotton or linen for an extra cozy touch. With just a few layers of textiles, you can give any room that warm, inviting farmhouse feel! 

    4) Renovate your kitchen

    Since the kitchen is the center of any house, it is crucial to ensure that it reflects your particular taste. If you want to give your kitchen a modern farmhouse makeover, start by installing white cabinetry and countertops. In this case, working with a reputable construction company like Bakerhill Construction could be your best bet at achieving the perfect farmhouse look. You can also add open shelving or butcher block islands for an extra touch of rustic charm. Add in some vintage fixtures, such as pendant lights or a farmhouse sink, for a classic look that won’t go out of style. Finally, opt for wooden chairs and stools with metal detailing for an updated take on traditional farmhouse decor. 

    You can achieve an impressive modern farmhouse look by following these simple methods. These pointers will assist you in achieving the ideal contemporary farmhouse style for your home, regardless of whether you decide to go all-out with a comprehensive renovation or just add a few touches here and there. So, start planning your renovations and create the cozy space of your dreams! 

  • How To Get Rid Of Furniture Before Moving Properties

    How To Get Rid Of Furniture Before Moving Properties

    When moving properties, you may find yourself in a smaller property or needing to get rid of some old furniture that doesn’t fit the aesthetic of the new property. Doing a declutter and ridding your old home of any furniture is always a cleansing experience and one that you’ll want to do before moving.

    The last thing you want is to move home with all of the old furniture, only to then chuck it out further down the line. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips for getting rid of furniture before moving properties.

    Sort through each room to assess the clutter

    Firstly, it’s good to get an idea of just how much furniture you need to shift before moving day. For some households, it may be only one or two pieces that need selling but for others, it can end up being a lot more.

    Going room by room is the best way to approach this, especially when you have an inkling that there’s going to be a lot of old furniture to get rid of. Create a list and go by each room, noting down all of the furniture you’d like to get rid of before moving out. 

    You may want to colour code them depending on where you plan to sell them, whether you’re donating them, or if they simply need disposing of. 

    Sell it through a consignment store

    If you’re looking to make some money through furniture that’s probably needing a specialist touch, then it’s worth looking at a consignment store. Millwards Consignment is an example of this as they help owners sell furniture of all shapes and sizes. Consignment stores sell the furniture on behalf of the owner and take a percentage of the sale as their payment.

    It’s a great option for those who don’t fancy doing the selling themselves and want to offload this responsibility for a small fee, to those who may even manage to get a better price for it. It’s worth exploring consignment stores for those who are busy and may not have time to get rid of old furniture as successfully as they’d like to.

    Make use of Facebook groups and communities

    When it comes to getting rid of furniture, a great place to explore is through Facebook groups and communities. Facebook, despite being overshadowed somewhat by other social media platforms, it’s still remained a popular platform for many.

    More importantly, it’s become a selling platform in its own right, for both businesses and the everyday individual. You can find local communities in your area and wider networks for selling your wares online.

    Make sure that you’re being detailed in your descriptions and ensuring that good quality photos have been taken in order to get the maximum exposure for your listings.

    Give it away to family or friends

    If you’re not that fussed about making any money off your old furniture, then you could always consider selling it to loved ones. From your family members to friends, there are often plenty of people who will want to take advantage of free or heavily discounted furniture.

    Not having much luck selling the furniture? Reach out to your nearest and dearest to offer it to them instead. You’ve also got the option of reaching out to your neighbours if you know them well enough. Some may have groups on their Whatsapp or Facebook, specifically for their neighbours, so it’s worth giving away your furniture through these channels too.

    Dispose of any broken furniture 

    There will be some old furniture that despite your best efforts, you’re not able to sell or pass on to loved ones. Some items of furniture might have seen better days and are only suitable for scraping.

    With that being said, if there is any furniture you might need to dispose of due to it being broken, make sure to do it properly. For stuff that can be recycled, make sure to take it to your local recycling point. Any others may need to go to your local landfill.

    Leave it behind for new residents if desired

    As a last-ditch attempt to get rid of furniture instead of disposing of it in the trash, consider the new residents who are moving in. It’s worth speaking to the new residents and offering any of the old furniture that they may want to hold onto. If they do, then it’s definitely worth leaving anything behind.

    Getting rid of furniture is definitely something you’ll want to do before you end up moving properties so use these tips to help.

  • How to Transform Your Kitchen Into a Stylish Space

    How to Transform Your Kitchen Into a Stylish Space

    The kitchen is by far one of the busiest rooms in the house and gets lots of use every day. The kitchen is the only room in the house with a specific practical function while also being a place where the family can spend time together. As any property expert will tell you, kitchens can also significantly influence the value of a home. A kitchen that is practical and stylish is a sought-after feature by house hunters, so ensuring that your kitchen is both of these things could help you to sell your home faster and for more money. But, even if you have no intention of selling your property right now, transforming your kitchen into a stylish space is still well worth the effort. Having a kitchen equipped with everything you need to create delicious meals while also providing an attractive room for you and your family to spend time together is a fantastic addition to your home. 

    If you would like to transform your kitchen into a stylish space, these tips will help inspire you:

    Upgrade Your Fixtures

    If you are happy with the current layout of your kitchen, you may want simply update the exterior of your cabinets while keeping the same frames in place. Updating the colour of your kitchen units can provide an instant facelift, making the space look entirely different. If you feel confident enough to do it, you could attempt to paint the cupboard doors yourself to refresh their colour. The other option is to pay for replacement doors in a different colour. If you are not confident about painting your cupboard doors yourself, replacing the cupboard doors is an excellent way to update your kitchen quickly, with minimal fuss or effort on your part. 

    As well as upgrading your kitchen cupboard doors, you could provide a further stylish upgrade in your kitchen by replacing the countertops. Natural countertops made from stone such as granite, quartz, and marble always add a super stylish finish to kitchens, so it is worth considering this change if you want a more dramatic makeover.

    Select the Perfect Accessories

    Kitchen accessories need to be functional, but that does not mean they cannot look stylish and attractive at the same time. Placing your dry food items such as pasta and flour in attractive OXO containers and displaying these on your work surfaces will ensure they are stored in airtight containers while also helping your kitchen to look super stylish. To elevate your kitchen further in the style stakes, you could add some ultra-cool accessories. Practical accessories such as a vintage-style coffee machine and coordinating retro-style kettle and toaster will elevate the appearance of your kitchen. If you want your kitchen to look quirky and stylish, you could choose these accessories in a contrasting colour to make a statement.                                                                                                                                                                  

    Adding a few sophisticated, stylish accessories can transform this room, making it not only a great place to cook but also an attractive space for spending time with family and friends.

  • Buy Your First Home When You’re Young With These Tips

    Buy Your First Home When You’re Young With These Tips

    People expect to go through certain milestones at specific points in their lives. Buying property is one of these. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for young people to do this, however.

    That doesn’t mean that you can’t buy your first home when you’re young. You’ll likely have heard multiple tips and tricks before, such as comparing mortgage quotes and having a budget.

    As effective as these are, you might need more advice than that. There are a few smart ways to buy your first home when you’re young.

    Smart Ways To Buy Your First Home When You’re Young

    Be Financially Disciplined

    Everyone knows the age-old advice of budgeting and putting money away to save for a home. That takes a lot of financial discipline. You’ll need to have this in spades.

    You’ll need a down payment for your home, which could range anywhere between 10% and 25%. That’s naturally quite high. You can get to this in a few ways.

    To be financially disciplined, you’ll need to clear your debts and cut costs as much as you can. You should also increase and expand your income as much as possible.

    When you’re doing so, you should be strict with your budget. Sticking with this as much as possible will be vital.

    Research Your Dream Home

    You could have a dream home in your head already. That doesn’t mean that you’ll know how much it costs. While you might need to adjust your expectations depending on budget, you’ll need to research how much you’ll need to pay for a dream home.

    Certain features will naturally make things more expensive. Whether it’s a condo versus a two-story house, for example, will make a significant difference.

    It’s worth researching what these costs are. You’ll then know roughly how much you’ll end up paying when you buy your first home. With that, you’ll have a financial goal to work toward.

    It could also help you avoid many house-hunting mistakes.

    Make Sure To Invest

    Many people think that, to afford their first house, they’ll need to simply put money away. While you’ll naturally need to save money, it’s not all you should do. You should also invest some of it.

    You should separate savings from potential investment funds. That’ll let you continue saving while investing. You’ll need to be as informed as possible when you do.

    Working with a professional will naturally be recommended, although there will be fees associated with this. There are several apps and platforms you can use for this, though.

    It’s worth noting that low-risk investments tend to give smaller returns. As you might expect, they’re much safer, however. Higher-risk investment will naturally be the opposite to this.

    Buy Your First Home: Wrapping Up

    Trying to buy your first home when you’re young might feel impossible. It’s not outside of your reach, though. While you’ll need to put the work and effort in, you’ll be much closer to your first house.

    Who wouldn’t want to buy their first home as early as possible? If you want to go for it, then it’s the time to start, so there shouldn’t be anything stopping you.

  • Expenses You Need To Know About As A Landlord

    Expenses You Need To Know About As A Landlord

    Many people are interested in applying for a specialized landlord mortgage and attempting to make money in the real estate market. Of course, the problem is that many people get into the project without knowing the day-to-day realities. While it may appear that you may benefit without doing anything, nothing could be farther from the truth. Landlords these days have to put in a lot of effort and deal with a lot of expenditures. With that in mind, this article will go through some of the expenses that new landlords frequently miss.

    The price of repairs and upkeep

    As a landlord, you have a responsibility to supply renters with homes that satisfy specific criteria. It is, for example, unlawful to rent a property and leave people without running water or power. As a result, you’ll frequently have to spend a lot of money on repairs and upkeep. You never know when anything will go wrong and you’ll need to reach for your wallet. You should also consider having the house cleaned in between leases. end-of-tenancy cleaning does not have to be expensive, but if you have a lot of properties, you may have to spend a lot of money.

    The price of promoting the property.

    In most cases, finding renters for your properties is not as simple as it may sound. Unless you want to deal with a mountain of paperwork every day and feel like you’re running a business from your house, it’s best to delegate that task to a real estate agent like MLS. They’ll also take care of your rent payments and make sure your renters follow their lease agreements. You must pay an annual commission or a modest charge to the estate agent for their services. However, this frees you up to concentrate on expanding your empire. Just keep in mind that every day that a residence is vacant, you are losing money.

    Insurance premiums

    Landlords are required by law to purchase specialized insurance policies, which may be rather costly. The concept is that if a house is destroyed, the insurance company will help pay for repairs and other expenses. However, keeping cash in your accounts for emergencies is still a good idea because you may need to spend the money and then claim it back from your insurance provider. There are websites where you can compare prices from a variety of companies. So, in order to obtain the greatest pricing, make sure you do that.

    When you first start out as a landlord, it may be a stressful period. You have no idea how much money you’ll make or whether you’ll have to sell the properties. However, like with anything else in life, you simply must perform as much research as possible, implement the necessary safeguards, and take a leap of faith. You’ll end up regretting it if you don’t. Before you click away, have a look at some of the other entries on this site; you might learn something new!