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Simple steps to create value in your home barfoot.co.nz

A home is one of the most valuable assets you’ll ever own. So, naturally, you want to present it to its full potential. We’ve put together this handy booklet full of advice from in- dustry experts on simple DIY ways to improve and add value to your home. Adding value on a budget You don’t need to spend the earth to make your house look great. Try some of these simple home improvement, ideas for under $500. Groom the garden A well kept garden will improve the look of any home. Keep the lawns mowed and purchase plants that are resil- ient and require less maintenance. If you would like a burst of colour, consider using potted flowers as an easy and low-cost solution. Quick kitchen fixed New cupboard doors and handles update a kitchen in a budget-friendly way. Local hardware stores usually have a wide range of cost effective prices. Keen to find out more? Easy bathroom updates You’ll find more information at You can get a quick lift by replacing the toilet, sink and tapware. A new toilet gives the impression of cleanliness www.barfoot.co.nz and a new sink and taps can also help turn an ordinary or tired bathroom into something more modern. Clean the carpet Carpet in high-use areas or family spaces gets a lot of use. Having clean, fresh carpet helps it to look, and most im- portantly smell its best.

Declutter Clearing clutter is an inexpensive yet effective way to add value to your home. Organisational expert Angelia Gilbert shares a few simple tips that will make rooms appear larger and make better use of storage spaces. Plan Use storage well Visualise how you ant all of the areas of your home to Create spaces by category type. Depending on what area look and feel then create a work plan from this. Writing it of the home you’re working in, keep like-minded items out in detail will help you focus and arrive at the lovely together. organised home you visualised. Containers Diary the time Use plastic see-through storage options that are easy to Interruptions will disrupt your plan. Make sure you block stack, easy to label, and make sure the contents are visi- out time to get stuck in and stick to the plan! ble. Clear Surfaces Don’t keep empty appliance boxes This includes all clutter from the top of all your furniture, These are often found cluttering the garage, and take up a and of course from the biggest surface of all, the floor! lot of valuable space. Either deconstruct them and stack This is the one thing that will make the biggest immediate them against a wall, or put them out in the recycling. difference. Start Small and work outwards Declutter regularly Don’t look at the whole house, or room, and become There’s always new things coming into the home, which overwhelmed. By finishing off one area you’ll get a sense can quickly fill up, overwhelm and stress you. Keeping on of accomplishment which will encourage you to continue top of the clutter on a regular basis will help you stay on with the rest of the house. top of everything. For more information on how to organise and declutter your home, visit gioia.net.nz

Defining Your Home Buying a home for many people is an emotional experience. We all want to fall in love with a house, and have a place where we feel safe and happy. Anna Cuthbert, from Cuthbert Interiors, let us in on some trade secrets to making your place feel warm and inviting. #5 Accessories #1 Inspiration—Where do I Start? Even the most minimalist of rooms still can make great In this day and age, we are lucky to have instant access to use of accessories. Pictures, vases, cushions and rugs can ideas at our fingertips. But sometimes there are so many all add up to the style of a room in a simple but effective ideas that it’s hard to know where to start. A great place way. Keep an eye out when in your favourite shops or on to begin is with an ‘inspiration piece’. Whether your in- your favourite websites, for little items that can make spiration piece is a Pintrest photo, or something you saw your room pop. in a magazine, or a decorative cushion, it will give you something to refer back to and base the rest of your theme around. #6 Mix and Match Variety keeps life (and your home!) interesting. Play # 2 Mood and Style around with different patterns—stripes, checks, florals The quickest and easiest way to create mood and style is and plaids can all be considered and are okay to mix as with colour. Choose what you want your room to convey. long as you keep the background colour the same. Add a Do you want it to be a cheerful bright dining room? Or is variety of textures and surfaces to keep your space ex- it a luxurious lounge that you’re looking to crate? Match citing. your colours and textures accordingly. #7 Keep your personality #3 Empty Out Your home should reflect you. Let’s face it—if you don’t Don’t be afraid to relocate, recycle or re-invent pieces like the way your home makes you feel, you’re not going that don’t work. Just because you’ve always loved the to want to spend much time there. Add character to your ratty yellow cushions on your couch doesn’t mean that home by adding small touches of you. they still need to be a part of your new lounge. Be critical and ask yourself—’does this really belong in here’. #4 Define your space For more information and inspiring Every room has a purpose. Make sure that this is being conveyed clearly and the ideas are not muddled. Furni- ideas from Anna, visit interiors.co.nz ture and rugs can define these areas, helping you use and move through them. Layout is important so make sure the furniture pieces you have a the right size and propor- tion for the space.

Colouring on the walls One of the simplest ways to add value and life into your home, is by using colour. Colour re- flects who we are and aspire to be. It’s expres- sive, creative and always conversational. Colour is one of the most important elements in your home. You can use it to brighten up your mood, create a calm retreat, make your space look larg- er or smaller, or simply to give it more light. Guthrie Bowron and Dulux share tips on how to add colour pops in the most tasteful and creative ways. Paint Wallpaper These days getting your room the perfect shade is easier Often the most inexpensive way to give a room an instant than ever. Gone are the days of mixing red and white colour facelift is with wallpaper. An in-vogue option for paint to make salmon—at Guthrie Bowron there are over those that like to keep up with the latest trends, wallpa- 1000 different Dulux paint colour schemes available to per adds colour, pattern, style and texture to a room. choose from. One of the most effective and popular ways to use wall- When choosing paint, keep in mind the mood of the paper, is by creating a feature wall. All you need is one room. Soft, cool colours and neutrals usually create a fabulous feature wall to make a room really stand out. quieter feel while strong colours are great for drama. Whether you want to make a statement, or just have small space that needs to impress without overwhelming, Paint tips: wallpaper can be a great option to add a splash of colour. • Test paint swatches in the room you’re planning to paint. Natural daylight shows the truest colour, while incandescent light brings out warm and yel- low tones, and fluorescent lighting casts a sharp bluish tone; so while the colour may look perfect in the shop, it may not look the same in your room. • Take care to prepare the surface properly before you start painting. The better you prepare the surface, the more professional the finished job will look. Wallpaper tips: • Determine the focal point of the room and start hanging the wallpaper from this point. For more information and inspiring • Walls are often not perfe3ctly vertical; use a plumb ideas from Guthrie Bowron and Dulux, line to give a straight edge and paper either side of visit www.guthriebowron.co.nz the line before continuing around the room.