Minimalism is the latest craze in the interior design world these days. Maybe you want to follow suit but are overwhelmed by where to start. Given the size of your home, you might think that this project won’t be possible. In reality, design is not about how much room you have to work with. It’s about making the room work for you.
Before you want to get to designing, you want to start on the bare features of your home. You want to cover the basics to avoid any major mishaps in the future. You plan to gut out your house, so it’s easy sailing from there on out. Here are a few tips on where to start this transformation.
Switch Out Old Outlets, Power Sockets, and Switches
Your outlets and switches might have yellowed over the years. This discoloration is normal among electrical plastics. Replacing them is not just inexpensive, but it gives your space a new and modern look. Never underestimate the power of small details to elevate your home.
Other than the aesthetics, cracks allow dust and debris. When accumulated, they can kindle fires. An outlet is not ideal for a fire to start (or anywhere for that matter). Another issue is the wear and tear of the outlet. If there are any signs of it charred, overheating is the culprit. If any of your outlets are in this tattered condition, best not use them until they are replaced.
Replace Old Hardware and Fixtures
Replacing doorknobs, kitchen cabinet handles, water taps, and the like may be more costly than replacing your outlets. They provide accents to your space that can elevate it. You can go for black-colored pieces if you’re sporting an industrial look, or maybe go for golden fixtures that can match well with your ivory-painted walls. They help tie up the look!
Change Up Your Space With the Right Lights
Achieve those ambient lighting you see in interior design magazines. If you want it to contribute to your interior, there’s a wide variety of light fixtures to choose from. Update overhead lightings regularly, especially in rooms where lights are mostly on. Consider installing LED lights. Green real estate and conscious homeowners use them since they’re the most efficient and energy-saving lights to date.
Follow the Trend: Paint Your Walls White
Many might not realize that white paint has many tones and variations, which explains how some rooms on magazines or online look different. Some look warm and cozy, while others look cool and chic, even if they all have “white” walls! Ditch the wallpaper and follow the trend–paint your walls a variation of white paint! It’s a clean, chic, and modern look that will brighten your small home. For reference, you can check out the white paint colors designers recommend.
Update Your Flooring
If your home is carpeted, you can either replace it with a fresh one or have it professionally cleaned. But if you want a new look, consider stripping your floors of the carpeting and let your wooden floors shine. Get them polished–and even stand–for your space. They’re especially optimal for the minimalist look of your home.
Extra Tips
These aren’t related to the physical changes you plan to make to your space, but here are a couple more tips worth pondering.
Have a Talk with Yourself
Assess your goals and priorities by asking yourself what you want out of this makeover, how you want it to affect your daily life, and if this is something helpful to you long-term. Flipping your home is a total shift that can affect many aspects of your life, more than you think. You don’t just want an aesthetic home. You want a comfortable, clutter-free, and functional home. This change can be costly financially, mentally, and spiritually. Have a time of reflection about what change you want to make and how you want it to align with your goals.
Look Up Inspo Online
There’s thousand of inspiration on Pinterest alone. But other than the aesthetics of it all, you have to consider the space and how every inch of it can be optimized to serve you. Having inspiration beforehand can make the process smoother and have a clearer goal. Read up sources online about interior design, furniture, tips, and tricks, maybe even some DIYs you can do!
Having a home makeover is a fascinating process. If you know what to prioritize first, it helps prevent any mishaps along the way. Although the decor and furnishing part is important, it’s always best to cover your basics so you know that everything in your home is truly modernized and up to date.
