5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Home (Without Renovating)

As a general contractor, I have the opportunity of touring lots of people’s home, whether it’s for a renovation estimate or a design consultation. After viewing hundreds of homes, there’s a couple things that stand out right away. If you can implement these easy fixes, it can transform your home into a more well designed, beautiful space – without renovating or breaking the bank. Check out our cottage bedroom refresh below!

Before you bust out the sledgehammer, here are five ways to improve your home:

1. MAKE SPACE: Having a home you love starts with a mindset that everything you bring into your home from now on should evoke a great memory or positive emotion. Some people call it “things that bring you joy”. If you have things in your home that you don’t like or you don’t enjoy anymore, it’s best to get rid of them. If you have a chair and think it doesn’t suit your new direction, it’s better to have no chairs and add them back in when you find what you love. Don’t be afraid of having an empty space or room for a while.

2. WINDOW COVERING SOS: These can be a major opportunity for improvement even though they often get overlooked. I see it when renovating – they’re the last item on the budget at the end of a long renovation. If you have windows where you don’t need the privacy, it’s better to remove it until you find something great. If you want to replace coverings for a window facing a neighbour, or bedroom windows, Rona and Home Depot has some great light filtering roller shade options that will give your home a fresh look. Stick with white, or sandy tones that blend in the room. If you’re unsure, skip faux wood, bright colours, or quirky patterns.

3. BEDROOMS WITH A HOTEL FEEL: New bedding, is the secret to a luxury feel. When you kick back at high end hotel, the first thing you’ll notice is how nice the pillows and the sheets are. You can easily bring that vibe to your own bedroom where you spend most of the year sleeping. Our favourite place for quality linens is Au Lit Fine Linens (they ship everywhere in Canada and USA). Pretty much anything you buy there will be amazing.

4. NOTHING LIKE FRESH PAINT: Refresh your home with a coat of new paint. My design secret is to paint your walls and ceilings the same colour in a matte finish. Paint door and trim the same colour with a pearl sheen. If you aren’t sure, our go to is Dove White by Benjamin Moore.

5. LIGHTING DESIGN: Once a light fixture is in, it rarely gets changed. You can add a ton of personality by switching up your lighting. Skip the extra potlights, take down the old boob lights, and bring in beautiful fixtures that add interest to your home. Most lighting stores offer free design consultations to help you pick the perfect light. Try Union Lighting or Robinson Lighting and Bath.

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. You can go out and buy a ton of things at once but it’s not the best way to create a home. You have to find things as you go, search for them. And when you find something that calls out to you – snatch it up, because it may not be there again.