Thank you to our friends over at Schambs Property Management for this fantastic guest post!

Home design trends are like sea tides; they rise and fade in popularity. What was once a hip style quickly becomes dated and boring. Apart from making it look tired and antiquated, Schambs Management warns, outdated design can depress a home's value. But this does not mean homeowners have to jump on every new trend and constantly renovate their homes.

There are ways to revamp a home's style and make it more modern, without breaking the bank. What homeowners need is imagination, a little money, and the willingness to do things by themselves. The following steps will transform a home's outdated look and get its style back on track.

1. Power-wash and clean

As a first step, get a power washer and blast away grime, mud, and mold that may be clinging to the exterior of the home. Areas of the property, such as the siding, walls, decks, patios, and roof can benefit from this treatment.

Power washing is a cheap and easy way to renew the look of a home's exterior; it will remove marks and stains left by the elements. It will also prep surfaces for painting. In addition to washing, do a deep clean of the interior. Dust and vacuum the entire home, giving special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms.

2. Repaint with modern colors

Painting a home is the ultimate in cheap makeovers. But it depends on how colors are chosen and used in the space. Before choosing colors, consider these three things; the size of rooms, how they will be used, and current room color trends.

The right paint can make a room appear larger, airier, and energizing. The color scheme should blend with furniture and décor, as well as, complement the features of the home. A good way to maintain a balance between dominant, secondary, and accent colors is to use the 60-30-10 rule as a guide.

3. Create more space

A defining characteristic of modern homes is space. This is usually achieved via an open floor plan. But even if a home has a closed floor plan, it is still possible to create space or a sense of space, without tearing down walls.

The first step is to get rid of outlandish or outsized furniture and furnishings. The next is to arrange new furnishings in a way that eliminates obstacles and allows free flow of air and traffic.

This idea here is to mimic an open floor home plan where the kitchen, family room, and dining room are a vast open space. Finally, room and furnishings color can choke or open up the space, choose them wisely.

4. Update the lighting

Lighting will make a room look cramped if it is insufficient. Bright lights, strategically placed, will make the same room feel larger, airier, and inviting. Two critical aspects of lighting are placement and quality of lighting. Various parts of a home will have distinct lighting needs; therefore a variety of lighting options should be used. 

To start with, replace old recessed spotlights with LED recessed light fixtures. Lighting for prominent parts of the home, such as entryways and the dining area should be updated with newer, brighter, and more efficient versions. Dark corners will benefit from tall floor lamps, complemented with layered table lamps.

5. Treat windows

Homeowners usually don’t pay enough attention to their windows. They are mostly left bare or with plain blinds that do nothing more than ensuring privacy. But windows are an essential element in the overall impact of the home's style and design. With a little attention, they can radically improve the visual appeal of a space.

Installing stylish frames is just one way to get more out windows. In place of plain-looking sheers, use wooden or fabric blinds, minimalist bamboo shades, bright drapery panels, geometric curtain panels, or just match the panels to the updated color of the walls.

6. Update cabinet pulls and knobs

The bathroom and cabinets are magnets for attention. Dated, worn-out or dirty knobs and handle pulls are among the first things visitor notice. Updating cabinet knobs and handles do not cost much but the effect of this minor upgrade is unquantifiable.

Homeowners have a long list of different types of finishes to choose from; shiny stainless, brushed nickel, bronze, or aged copper. Additionally, the knob styles can be selected to deliver a vintage or modern look which complements the rest of the home's design.

7. Modernize the bathroom

Because of how much they influence a home's value, bathrooms deserve special attention. By far, the most important and least expensive way to improve a bathroom is to clean it thoroughly. 

After this, a fresh coat of paint, modern cabinet pulls, updated light fixtures, modern faucets, and shower curtains are good starting points.  

By simply doing these, owners will completely change the appearance of a bathroom without going overboard with spending. Repainting cabinets and increasing storage spaces will also make the bathroom more appealing.

8. Replace tile countertops

Tile countertops crack easily. The faded looks of old tile countertops draw attention away from finer aspects of a kitchen.  Moreover, keeping the grout clean can be really challenging. Other options are engineered stone, soapstone, stainless steel, wood, concrete, laminate, or recycled and sintered stone.

If you could use a hand putting these awesome tips to use in your home, be sure to reach out. It just so happens that I know someone who can help…

Until next time,