The idea of having a home makeover can be daunting, but it is also something that you should be excited about. A makeover is more than just painting the walls, as it should be about creating a space that works for you and reflects your personality and style. This guide will cover the crucial aspects of a home makeover, including planning, design ideas and practical steps for tackling kitchens and bedrooms.

Planning & Budgeting

Before you even begin planning any home makeover, you should first think about why exactly you are undertaking the makeover. Try to establish what the aim of the makeover is, such as creating more storage, giving your home a new look or improving its functionality. After this, you will need to set yourself a budget. You should be as realistic as you can when deciding this, and weigh up all of your options and their price points. For example, are you mainly focusing on small updates or instead installing full bespoke units? A home makeover does not have to be something large scale, and you can easily make changes around your home to give it a new look without emptying your purse.

Another important part of planning your home makeover is finding the style that you aim to emulate. Create a mood board to provide inspiration with samples of fabric, wallpapers and paint colours, or use a website like Pinterest to help gather inspiration. Look at various design aesthetics to find a style that you like, or choose one that fits in with the current aesthetic of your home (e.g. rustic or contemporary). Once you have chosen a style and gathered your inspiration, you will need to identify what you need in each room from the makeover. A good way of doing this is creating two lists, one list for must-have features and another for desirable but not essential features. Features that should be marked as ‘desirable but not essential’ are things that you can add on if you have space in your budget, and they should not take priority.

Kitchen Makeover

When planning a kitchen renovation, there are several things to consider when designing the new space. You can make the most of the space in your kitchen if you are clever with the layout and storage space. Installing bespoke kitchen units allows you to maximise how the space is used, even in smaller kitchens. For example, you can incorporate features like a pull out pantry or larder, corner cupboards or units and even customise the size of your cupboards to use space more efficiently. Opting for bespoke furniture, although more expensive, can be better than using off-the-shelf options, as it means you can make the most of awkward spaces so they become useful, and it can make the overall design even more personal.

Alternatively, updating something simple like your kitchen doors can change the look of a room more than you would think. Most kitchen materials, such as worktops, splashbacks and cabinet materials, can be changed around easily, and this can be more cost effective than replacing the entire kitchen while still making it feel like a new room. Another simple change that can have a large impact on the appearance of your kitchen is the lighting and appliances. Effective lighting in your kitchen can make food preparation safer, while also determining the ambience of the room. It can be used to draw attention to certain design elements, such as a kitchen island or a statement dining table. Similarly, you can swap out your appliances for those that are integrated within your cabinets and worktops for a more sleek, seamless kitchen. If you do not have a large budget, consider focusing on your kitchen doors, whether this is something as small as a new coat of paint or changing the doors entirely.

Bedroom Makeovers

Your bedroom should feel like a sanctuary, as it is a place used for rest and relaxation. However, it can feel like the opposite if it is a room filled with clutter. A good solution for dealing with this clutter can be installing bespoke wardrobes, if your budget allows it. This is because they can be custom made so that they extend from floor to ceiling, and you can choose the internal configurations that best suit your needs, whether this be shoe racks, drawers of a specific size or a dedicated space for your collection of rugby shirts. As well as bespoke wardrobes, there are many other storage solutions that can be used within the bedroom. This could be something like drawers underneath your bed, hidden cupboards or even a dressing table that doubles as a workspace. Even changing the style of your wardrobe doors can impact the flow of the room, such as swapping hinged doors for sliding doors if space is limited. Another option for rooms with limited space is mirrored wardrobe doors, as these can take away the need for a wall mounted or freestanding mirror if the space can be used better for something else.

As well as storage, you should consider how your choice of lighting, colour scheme and soft furnishings affect the atmosphere of your bedroom. To make it a more calming space, it may be better to decorate with neutral colours or colours known to promote relaxation, such as blue. Having several smaller lamps around the room, such as bedside table lamps, can create a more relaxing ambience than relying on a bright ceiling light.

By planning and making smart choices, giving your kitchen or bedroom a makeover should not be a stressful process. Investing in bespoke solutions may carry a high upfront cost, but their value and ease of use can make this cost worthwhile in the long term. A makeover should be seen as making an investment in your home and improving your quality of life, instead of solely being about aesthetics. If you are ready to start planning your makeover journey, consider starting with a visit to a showroom or book a consultation with a designer who can help with each step of the design process.