laura ashley aw25 — *Image credit:* *Laura Ashley*

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Regardless of the size of your property, you can make it homely, inviting and more to your taste with just a bit of time and attention. If you are interested in transforming your home to make it somewhere you want to spend time in, more practical, functional, and boost its value in the process, here are just some of the key changes that you can make:

Change Your Floors

Your flooring is the base layer of the entire room design scheme, so if it isn’t right, change it. This doesn’t have to be an expensive re-fit - there are so many easy, cost-effective options to transform a floor. Rugs are the most obvious: a large rug can completely cover what’s underneath, but don’t be afraid to combine a multitude of rugs for a mixed-and-matched look.

Mindthegap Rug — *Image credit:* *Mindthegap*

Peel-and-stick floor tiles are also a brilliant way to DIY a new floor on a budget. Packs of large peel-and-stick tiles tend to be low-cost and give the illusion of real stone tiles. These are especially good for bathroom and kitchen spaces.

peel stick flor tiles blue — *Image credit: B&Q*

Paint The Walls

There is nothing more transformative than a fresh coat of paint. New paint on the walls will freshen up any room to make it feel cleaner, lighter and brighter.

If it feels like the room hasn’t been painted for a long time, make sure that you also paint the woodwork and the ceiling, as well as the walls. Grubby, scuffed or yellowed woodwork will look even worse next to a fresh coat of emulsion.

Take time to do your prep work before you start painting. Give the walls and woodwork a light sand and fill any holes and cracks with an all-purpose filler. Wash the walls in sugar soap to get rid of any grease marks that might show through your new paintwork and leave them to dry. If any woodwork has been painted in a glossy finish, make sure that you apply a good primer that will adhere to a new coat of eggshell or satinwood paint.

Deep Clean

Often, a deep clean of your home can have it looking like new without any decorating or DIY work.

If you have pets or your carpets are slightly older, bring them back to life with wet carpet drying services that are useful for spills, accidents, and any stains from significant leaks.

You can also get your upholstery deep cleaned, removing any marks and day-to-day dust and dirt.

Update The Kitchen

Kitchens are one of the most expensive areas of our home to replace, but they can be one of the most affordable rooms to refresh. Consider giving your kitchen cabinet doors a repaint to create a whole new look and freshen up the space.

olive green kitchen — *Kitchen Painted In* *Annie Sloan Chalk Paint* *Olive.*

You can add a decorative splashback with either real tiles or removable peel-and-stick ones (perfect for renters!)

Changing up your kitchen cabinet hardware can also elevate the space. Swapping out broken or ugly cabinet handles and drawer pulls can make all the difference in revitalising your kitchen.

Tidy Up The Garden

A neglected garden is always off-putting, so make sure that your garden is neat and tidy, even if you are not overly green-fingered.

If you are not a fan of cutting the grass, invest in a motorised robotic mower that can do the job for you.

Flowerbeds can be low-maintenance through sustainable re-wilding and going for a natural look. Simply dispense wildflower seeds for an abundance of poppies and delicate blooms that will be loved by butterflies and bees. If you are not good at remembering to water your garden, invest in an irrigation system that will do the job for you. Most irrigation systems bypass any hosepipe bans, meaning you can keep your garden in tip-top condition, even during a heat wave.

How About A Driveway

A great way to add value to your home, if you have the space, is to create a driveway on your property. Most homeowners seek out off-street parking, and you don’t need to just have one big slab of concrete outside your front door. Instead, consider a gravel driveway made up of honey-toned gravel, which is more aesthetically pleasing and suits older properties better.