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The seasons of the year often inspire you to take specific actions when maintaining your home.
We're all familiar with a spring clean, and many owners will also spend a little more time than average preparing their gardens for warmer summer days.
But the new year is also a great time to give you home a little facelift, making tweaks to keep it interesting.
Continually assessing your home and implementing minor improvements does wonders for your property and will pay off when the time comes to sell.
Below, we've shared a few tips you might want to consider to begin the new year afresh. They embrace the latest interior design fashions, and we're confident they'll inspire you.
KISS principle
The idea that sparse decoration makes a room chic and fashionable is counter-intuitive, but there's a truth to it. Cluttering a room with knick-knacks shrinks the space and makes it feel crowded. So, Keep It Simple.
Be brave with art
Large artworks can have a stunning effect, commanding a wall or dominating an entire room. To get it right, you should take measurements for an ideal size and then begin your search. Avoid buying common prints that people see in cafes, dentists, etc.
Three isn't a crowd
Staying on the art theme, if some of your walls don't lend themselves to large-scale art, then group small pictures in threes or, at a stretch, fives. These numbers work because you'll have a middle picture.
Award yourself a medal
Ceiling medallions are back. You don't need to install the large plaster ones that are a hallmark of a federation home. You'll find a wide variety at a quality lighting retailer.
Crowning glory
Mouldings that run around the join of your walls and ceilings are back in fashion. Ornate or patterned moulding can look great in large rooms but too fussy in smaller ones. They're cheap and easy to install. If you go down this path, put them in every room to maintain consistency.
Wooden panels
Wainscotting, which describes the placement of timber panels on the lower 1m of your wall, is another feature making a comeback this year. We'd recommend against installation unless the architecture of your home, or your interior design, embellishes them. They'd look awkward in a modern apartment, for example.
Flower power
Establishing a routine of buying a simple bunch of flowers for the kitchen or living area will add a wonderful vitality to your home throughout the year.