
DIY Home Improvement Ideas
Craving a new look or just a little refresh in your home? Fear not, we’re not talking about costly and inconvenient home renovations. We’re talking a fresh coat of paint in a colour that inspires and excites you. Painting literally transforms a space and helps you to reimagine your home.
Discover 5 affordable and easy home interior update ideas that will refresh your living environment and make your home feel brand new.
1. Accent Walls: The Secret to a Quick and Stylish Room Makeover
Create an accent wall in any room by painting it a different colour to the rest of the walls in the space. This is an easy and instant way to dramatically change the feel of a room and make a statement.
Get creative with colour, be bold and brave, and have fun with it. It’s only one wall after all. Pick a contrasting colour that turns the wall into a focal point and enhances the furniture and décor.
An accent wall can be the wall behind the bed or couch, the wall with the fireplace or the stairs, or any wall where you want to draw the eye.
Style Tips from Shaves Paint + Décor: Explore the Simply Colour range for a selection of amazing shades, from calming modern neutrals to vibrant and luxurious tones.
2. Revamp Your Doors and Trims: Easy Updates with Maximum Impact
Be honest, you never really give your doors and trims any thought? These are often overlooked parts of the interior of a home. However, trim and doors present an opportunity to refresh and revamp your living space. Here are 5 ways to transform trim and doors:
- Clean and Repair: Remove grime, fill cracks with wood filler and smooth surfaces for a clean foundation before you paint.
- Repaint Prep: Sand, prime, and repaint for a polished, like-new finish. Choose a Satin finish for high traffic areas to make trims and doors more durable to scuffs and scrapes, and also easier to clean.
- Bold Accent Colours: Make a statement with vibrant colours like navy, emerald, or mustard on trims or doors.
- Soft Neutrals: Choose calming neutrals like beige or light grey for a timeless, versatile refresh.
- Two-Tone Contrast: Paint a darker shade on doors and a lighter tone on trims for a stylish standout look.
Shaves Paint + Décor Expert Advice: For a durable, smooth finish, try Dekade Satin Magic or Dulux Pearlglo —both are premium water-based satin enamel that are chip resistant – available instore at Shaves. If you’d prefer to shop online, order Simply Colour Trims for exceptional results.
3. Update Your Kitchen Without Renovating: Paint Cupboards in a New Colour
One of the most noticeable things in a kitchen are the cupboards as they take up lots of visual space from floor to walls. So, an easy and satisfying way to refresh your kitchen’s look is to simply repaint the cabinets in a totally different colour that changes the whole vibe.
For this project to be successful, prep is everything! You’ll need to remove the doors and draws and then begin by sanding them inside and out. After sanding, wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove dust. Next, apply a high quality primer before painting. Lastly, paint on a colour that accentuates your kitchen’s style. Ask the colour expert for the right colours for your kitchen.
Shaves Paint + Décor Top Tips: Use Simply Colour Primer, an environmentally friendly zero VOC solution, that will ensure long-lasting coverage and a professional finish, or alternatively Dulux Supergrip. For the main paint, you can’t go wrong with Dulux Pearlglo or Dekade Satin Magic, both are high quality water-based enamels known for their durability.
4. Brighten and Uplift your Hallway With Lighter Colours
For dark, narrow or cramped hallways, a simple solution to make them feel more open and airy is to repaint the walls in a light colour, like soft pastels or any of these shades of white. Choose a matt or low sheen finish to give a smooth look without too much reflection.
Shaves Paint + Décor Guide to The Perfect Colour: Simply Colour by Shaves is a one stop online shop where you can choose the colour that will refresh, revitalise and renew your space. Select from a curated palette of the most beautiful, modern, elegant and timeless colours. Can’t choose between colours? Then order a tester pot or the Peel + Stick colour swatches to trial in the space first.
5. Redecorate by Painting Your Furniture
This DIY hack is an affordable and smart way to reinvent your space by simply painting your furniture in a colour that pops and wows or complements the room in a subtle and stylish way.
For furniture that is already painted:
- Clean the surface to remove dirt or grease
- Lightly sand the surface to smooth it and remove gloss
- Wipe away dust with a damp cloth
- Apply a primer
- Repaint in a colour that breathes new life into the piece.
For furniture that is unpainted:
- Clean the surface to remove dirt or grease
- Lightly sand to smooth imperfections
- Apply primer for even coverage
- Paint with a durable satin finish in a colour that inspires!
Shaves Paint + Décor How-To Guide: Always paint 2 top coats for an even finish. Check out the Simply Colour blog article on furniture painting for all the expert tips and tricks.
We hope these 5 ideas on how to update your home have inspired you, and give you all the practical advice you need to redecorate with paint. Have fun, take pictures, tag us on Instagram or Facebook and if you have any other questions, please contact us here.