OneRoof asked design expert and Pocket Space Interiors owner Laura Heynike how homeowners could spice up a property and boost its value - but with just a $10,000 budget. She came up with five projects that will give you the best bang for your buck:
1. Bathroom
Renovating a guest bathroom or en-suite is a good investment, says Heynike. Replacing the vanity, tiles, lighting, the mirror and toilet is a quick way to set a standard for the rest of the home. ”Bathrooms make up five per cent of a house’s value, so you need to be investing in those spaces,” she says.
2. Wardrobes
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For $10,0000 at least three wardrobes in a home can be upgraded, Heynike says. "People often don't upgrade their wardrobes for years and years and the shelves start to sag and become discoloured."
It’s not noticeable to a visitor, but people use their wardrobe daily, so a well-organised and modern set up improves day-to-day life.
Pocket Space Interiors owner Laura Heynike. Photo / Supplied
It’s important to think through the fitting arrangement and understand that not all clothes have to be hanging to maximise the space.
"Bedrooms are typically too small for a separate set of drawers, so integrating that is one of the biggest things, and you can even put shoes there,” Heynike says.
3. Lounge suite
Unlike a wardrobe, this is something that will be seen and noticed by everyone walking into the house. “A lounge suite is one of the big focal points of a home, and you don’t want to be spending money on changing it every year.”
Choose base couch colours and texture that can be added to as moods and trends change. "Pick a couch that fits the space and style it with cushions and throws which you change out seasonally. It makes a huge difference.”
4. Lighting
Lighting is an easy fix not to only make your home pop, but also to save energy dollars.
Lighting arrangement sets the ambience of a place and there’s plenty of options for energy-efficient and money-saving lights, Heinike says.
Make sure you have enough lights to brighten your home. Photo / Getty Images
Update the light bulbs to LED, especially if the lights have discoloured and turned yellow and focus on making the kitchen and living areas brighter.
However, Heynike says, do not rely on a single feature piece to cover off all the functional light you need in a certain space
“Particularly now, those trendy glass bulbs are not very bright and sometimes you need secondary lights to support that.”
5. Colour
You can seriously freshen up a home with a new coat of paint or by adding splashes of colour to a space.
Instead of doing a bright feature wall, Heynike recommends using feature wallpaper to make a room pop. “It’s not so polarising with the rest of the interior and is a more subtle way to bring in texture.”
Patterned wallpaper can lift a bedroom. Photo / Getty Images
She suggests starting a feature wallpaper in the entry, and then carrying it into the family area and a main bedroom.
Naturally the choices of colours and textures are endless but Heynike says there is a strong nod to botanical and organic patterns and softer geometrics.
