Your home is much more than the four walls, roof and garden you have. It is a place, your place, and it shows who you are and what sense of style you have.
This doesn’t mean that it needs to be an elaborate home with dozens of rooms all decked out in expensive or lavish furniture and décor. Even the simplest and most humble place can have character and charm without breaking the bank balance.
The thing is that many people don’t know how they can add value to their homes. This is when it’s important to know that it is how much YOU value your home that matters most.
Just imagine for a moment that you had your place completely redecorated from floor to ceiling, and that was all done by somebody else to suit their sense of taste.
While it would be the same house or apartment at the exact same address, it would no longer feel like it was your place anymore. That is because the connection of who lives in a home with the home itself is such a vital part of living in any place.
The Energy of a Home
No matter how busy your life is, you will spend most of your time at home. It is the place you come back to each day or evening and the place where you will wake to start the day.
One of the key factors to any home is how comfortable it is to live in. This can cover everything from the chairs and tables you choose, the layout of the kitchen, how easy it is to use the bathroom, as well as the heating and cooling when you are home.
The flow of energy in the home is a special trait of how comfortable you and others feel when they are at your place. You don’t need to be an expert in Feng Shui to realise that clutter, disconnection and things that aren’t properly maintained work against the feel of your home.
There are a number of different things you can do to make your place a warm and welcoming destination for you and any visitors who come your way.
Increasing The Comfort Of Your Place
It is one thing to be in the position to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on revamping your entire home. The thing is, there is probably no need.
Rather than replace any and everything in your house or apartment, you have the ability to make small but significant changes that can affect the comfort of your place.
One of the most effective of all changes is to look at what you have and rework it.
The most obvious is to reposition your furniture. This can be anything from:
· Moving your chairs and table to a completely new space in the room
· Turning your setting 180 degrees
Swapping different parts of the room (e.g. dining table with lounge suite)
· Interchanging lamps and pieces of artwork
· Removing decorations and leaving more clear space
These simple steps can create a whole new look for your home without much effort and absolutely no expense.
An additional change that can be fruitful is to do a thorough spring clean of your home and get rid of any unnecessary clutter or items that perform no function or add no aesthetic appeal to your place.
The importance of maintaining your home
We are all guilty of it, at least to some degree. We leave things around that need to be repaired or revamped, but we never seem to get around to doing it.
This can be as simple as scuff marks on the skirting boards, unpolished timber furniture and fixtures, a chair in need of repair or a cracked vase that really should be thrown away.
There is no need to go to the huge expense and highly stressful step of renovating your kitchen or bathroom if it really doesn’t need it or you cannot afford it.
By adding some small special features of your own, you have the ability to rejuvenate the space and add value to your home.
Your outdoor area and how it reflects who you are
One of the spaces in your home that can be easily forgotten and don’t get the attention it really deserves is the garden or back yard.
With some better planning and a bit of elbow grease, you can turn your garden into a well-maintained and inviting space.
Consider adding a deck to your home and extending the outdoor area into something that you can utilise in any season of the year. This gives you the ability to entertain guests on a larger scale and have a separate space for the family to enjoy.
The beauty of quality decking is that you can extend the look and feel of your home while giving your place extra character and charm.
Maintaining your deck
Decks can offer functionality and the all-important relaxation area to your home.
It is important to remember that most decking areas are left exposed to the elements, and this causes the issues of extra wear and tear on the timber. This can be anything from the colour fading to cracked and splintering wood.
Protecting your deck and extending its lifetime is not difficult, especially when you choose the best product for deck protection.
One of the best products to go for is a high-quality deck sealer. You can easily and effectively create a protective barrier for the surface of your deck. This prevents water damage and the growth of mould and mildew. A quality product will also maintain the natural colour and texture of your deck without altering its appearance.
It’s important – especially for the harsh Australian sunlight and weather conditions – to choose a sealer that is waterproof, UV-resistant, and easy to apply.
Specific timbers like the marvellous Merbau
One of the most popular hardwoods used in decking is Merbau. This timber is highly prized for its strength and durability, as well as its natural beauty. Sun exposure and the ravages of frost and rain can cause Merbau decking to fade, go grey, or crack over time.
The best decking oil for Merbau is a product that is specifically designed for hardwoods. This should be one that has natural oils, such as teak or tung oil, which allows it to penetrate deeply into the wood to nourish and protect it. To prevent fading and discolouration, select an oil with UV protection and water resistance.
This means you stave off the growth of mould and mildew to ensure you have a wonderful deck for many years to come.
Cladding and how it adds character
Aluminium cladding is another way that you can enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home. Cladding is essentially a special layer of material that is applied to your home’s exterior.
The aluminium cladding has many benefits, as it provides insulation and weather-proofing and is a durable and low-maintenance option. It is resistant to fire, water, and damage from pests, but the sleek design also brings a special signature to your place.
It can quickly become a showpiece of your home and your outdoor area.
Featuring something special
You can add warmth, character and an element of chic with the addition of a timber feature wall. The stylishness of timber is captured by applying timber planks or panels to a single wall in a specific room where you want to create a focal point.
There is nothing quite like a timber wall to draw the eye and have a real conversation starter.
With the right choice of quality materials and some clever design ideas, you can add immense value to your home and to your life.