I think it is a fair enough assumption to say that this last year and change has seen most people spending their days indoors.I have the privilege of being able to work from home. While I do miss being able to go to the gym after work, or even just have the option to go out for dinner or drinks in the evening, there has been one odd benefit of all this craziness.
I’ve been able to save a little extra every month. Originally, I planned to use the money towards a holiday, but alas, there doesn’t feel like there will be a big trip to Vegas in my calendar any time soon (For anyone lucky to go, don’t forget to check out this article on eight exciting activities to do in Las Vegas).
Instead, I’ve been using some of my savings to fancy up different spaces around the home. I’m not talking about a full remodel or getting completely new furniture in every room. I’m talking about unique ways and little things that add some personality and help make spaces like the living room and bedroom more inviting. After all, if you’re spending all day there, don’t you want it to look perfect?
Here are some of the ways I’ve been attempting to make rooms at home feel fancier on a budget, or at least give them some personality that was much needed.
Little flashes of nature
Being stuck all day indoors, especially if you work from home, can be a drain. I work from a laptop, but I just don’t know how people with those big multi-monitor setups can spend any amount of time looking at screens, never mind all day long.
If you have a little corner of a room that is your dedicated workspace, get some botanicals in there. It doesn’t have to be one of those giant yucca plants, which are all the rage on Instagram right now. Little additions, or rather flashes, of green and other plants that require minimal care (i.e. no flowers) help brighten the space and add a little character. Also adding a personalized sisal rug to your space is a chic way to elevate its elegance. These custom rugs can be tailored to fit your room’s specific dimensions and style, bringing a touch of sophistication and warmth
My personal favourites are aloe vera, Devils ivy & Boston fern; all quite cheap if you have the likes of IKEA near you or a garden centre.
Updating radiators
Being at home over the colder period made me become obsessed with heating and my radiators. Every single day I was going around checking each one, seeing if it was heating correctly and how much I was spending on heating.
One thing that annoyed me was the big radiator in my main living area. It was a clunky old thing that had seen better days; the kind of radiator that started out bright white but was now a musty shade. It didn’t work that well and honestly made the room look a little dated. I thought buying a new radiator would be oh so dear, but I was surprised at how cheap it was. I’m guessing it was because radiators aren’t something everyone is expected to know the cost of.
I got a nice black cast iron radiator. It helps match other darker features in my room like the couch, TV and lights. I recommend you shop around online for cast iron radiators that come with all the bits in the box for easy installation. Yes, I was brace and managed to replace the radiator myself after spending an afternoon down the rabbit hole of radiator videos on YouTube. Honestly, it is much easier than you think!
Tricking out walls
Speaking of YouTube videos, my last piece of advice would be to watch and read up on installing floating shelves on walls. A lot of my walls were bare, but I didn’t want to have to hang framed pictures everywhere.
Instead, I got some cheap floating shelves I can put anything on. They’re really functional and work surprisingly well when you put framed pictures on them (an idea I stole from Instagram). You can even use them as somewhere to keep your lovely new plants I told you so much about!
Go create your special space
Those were just a few little nuggets for helping make a space feel fancier in unique ways. All three tips are quite cheap and should be easy to carry out on your own. Have a go and see what you can do in your home.
