5 DIY secrets to cut costs on your next home renovation

During the current global pandemic, now could be the perfect time to embark on a DIY home makeover.

Below, we will share some secrets on how to achieve your desired look with simple DIY tips that will transform your home in the most economical way possible. If you were thinking of doing a renovation or not, read on! Maybe we'll give you some ideas that could inspire you and help you get started. FRESHEN UP YOUR ROOMS WITH BRAND NEW WALLS. Giving any area of your home a fresh coat of paint is a quick, affordable and satisfying way to make spaces look like new with minimal effort. However, you can simplify this transformation even further by just focusing on one wall and use it as a statement piece. Highlighting a single wall is a tried and tested interior design trick for adding interest and character to almost any room in the house, and by doing this, you can lessen the costs. Whether you paint one wall in a slightly brighter shade, add some wallpaper or get creative with artwork and antique picture frames to create an eye-catching statement wall, focusing your efforts on a single wall will save you time and money. UPCYCLE YOUR FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES INSTEAD OF REPLACING THEM. Upcycling has been a popular interior trend for some time now, and for good reason. For one thing, it helps to reduce the amount of discarded furniture and accessories that needlessly end up in landfills. It also offers the opportunity to create truly unique furniture while also helping to transform your home - a win for you and the planet! With the right attitude and the help of some video tutorials on Pinterest, you can create new pieces from old things you would usually throw away. This can be as simple as fixing up that wobbly table leg and repainting it, using cutlery to reinvent old light fittings into quirky lamps or spray-painting a worn bicycle and hanging it on your wall as a work of art - the possibilities are endless! CREATING THE ILLUSION OF LARGER SPACES WITH MIRRORS If you want your home to appear larger but don't have the budget to extend it, mirrors are a perfect way to create this effect. When hung in the right position, mirrors have the ability to reflect light around the room, add depth and give the illusion of more space. With the advantage of a wide range of designs, sizes and prices, incorporating mirrors into your home décor is an effective and economical tactic to make even the smallest of spaces seem huge. For best results, hang mirrors in front of or adjacent to windows or a source of artificial light to maximise the light bouncing around the room, resulting in a spacious and bright interior. You can even get creative and use several mirrors hung on the same wall in different designs and sizes to create a striking display that enlarges the area. OPT FOR MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE Filling the whole house with new furniture is a sure way to give outdated spaces a much-needed, up-to-date look, but this can be really expensive if you're buying a lot of furniture that serves only one function. Instead, spend money on multifunctional furniture that can serve as storage space as well as an extra chair, for example. Think of canapé beds for storing another season's bedding, sheets or decorative items you don't want at the moment. Think of blanket boxes that double up as additional seating and storage units, nesting tables that can be divided to give extra surface space when you need it, or even floor lamps with built-in shelves. By making the most of the multifunctional furniture in your home, you can achieve the desired aesthetic, while saving space and money. GET HARDWOOD FLOORS FOR LESS If you long for wood flooring in your home but don't have the money to buy it, opt for alternatives such as luxury vinyl tile flooring or laminate that will give an authentic, luxurious wood floor look at a much lower price. Choosing wood-look alternatives such as LVT flooring also has other benefits. They are waterproof, easy to clean, durable and low maintenance, meaning they will last for years without the need for regular re-varnishing. Whatever plans you have in mind to give your home a makeover, hopefully these tips will give you some ideas on how to make the right changes or what you're looking for without spending a fortune.