56 Feature


THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 20 2017


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Improve your home and garden


off-gassing from new carpet is tremendous. Make sure you open windows to allow those toxic fumes to escape. You can also ask your carpet retailer to air out the carpet several days before they install it in your home. If you don’t like carpeting,


there are plenty of other home flooring ideas to consider such as tiling or laminate that can be both affordable and durable. A bright and patterned rug


could also dramatically improve a cold, dull floor - why not invest in an eclectic rag rug in bold and vibrant hues or integrate a bold Scandinavian print into your living room floor that will lift your mood and brighten the room?


DECLUTTER Make decluttering your space WHEN IT COMES to


January, like most people, you’ve probably been spending a lot of time indoors lately. Cold winter weather and depleting post- Christmas funds can also mean low moods and, unfortunately, there are a few more months of winter to get through before we start seeing signs of spring. Why not break the monotony of


winter blues by working on a few home improvements this January? After all, you’re stuck inside anyway, and you’re probably searching for something to do. Many home improvement projects will also increase your property value, save money on your utility bills, and potentially prevent larger, more expensive issues from developing in the future. A few cheap and easy DIYs could also immensely improve your quality of life.


Here is a collection of easy


winter projects you might want to tackle before spring hits.


REPAINT Neutral coloured walls can


quickly become drab and dull in the dark winter months. If you’re looking to brighten your mood, why not try repainting? Choose


bright colourful shades to perk up your mood. A few hews that will make you


smile are: Lavender - this colour reflects


light well which is why you see it all over Scandinavia in the depths of winter. With its depth and richness, it’s also a cheerful colour that will brighten your mood. Turquoise - the saturation


of turquoise makes it cheerful. Its intensity and depth is transformative and can take you to a much brighter place. Soft green - this colour mimics


nature and has a soothing effect. Warm and cool tones can be brought out of green depending on the lighting so in the day your room will have a warm yellowish tone and in the night a relaxing blue.


Painting your walls in the


winter can give you a much-needed boost of visual stimulation. A new coat of paint can dramatically lift your mood and the mood of the entire room. Make sure you open the


windows to let in fresh air while you’re painting. Or, consider going with an eco-friendly, low-VOC paint so you don’t have to worry about breathing in toxic fumes.


TRANSFORM YOUR FLOORS


If your hardwood floors are


freezing your feet or your carpets are lacking inspiration, why not revamp your floors this January? Putting in carpet is a great


winter project because it can increase the comfort of your home dramatically. Whether you do it yourself or have it installed, remember: the


your New Year’s Resolution this year and you’ll be thankful for it. A minimalist, clear interior will help clear your mind and make your home a pleasant place to be. Prepare for that big spring


clean and declutter your home. Getting a head start will mean when spring comes around you’ll have more time to spend outside in the fresh air. January is ‘Get Organised


Month’ and winter is the perfect time to sift through your cupboards and decide what to keep.


Why not donate any discarded


goods to your local charity shop or sell them on local for sale groups for a bit of extra cash? Start small and go slow when


it comes to decluttering; devote yourself to one room a week and focus on each shelf or corner at a time and work on it until you’ve got that space looking exactly how you want it. Once you’ve been able to see


the progress you’re making, the rest will be easy and you’ll be able to look at the clean space you’ve created and relax.


SPRUCE UP YOUR BATHROOM


In the winter, mildew can often


appear on your bathroom walls and your grout can grow black unsightly marks. Why not use this as an opportunity to revamp your bathroom with a fresh coat of paint or new tiles? Bathrooms make great winter


home improvement projects as they can be improved cheaply and quickly with little outsourcing or mess. Small updates such as replacing


faucets, re-grouting tiles, or repainting are relatively easy DIYs. But more ambitious projects like replacing flooring or a toilet are better off outsourced. Use anti-mould or mildew paint


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