Stuck drawers, slippery floors to wet countertops; your once revered home can be an annoying chore to handle over time. If you feel like you're falling out of love with it lately - don't! With these 8 almighty house upgrades that can help you save up on chores, spend less on bills and basically keep your day-to-day life smooth sailing, you would absolutely adore your refreshed space in no time!
Interior Designer: Archiplan Interior Design
Your sink might have looked sleek and sparkly in the beginning, but all of that won't matter when you start to use it on a daily basis! It's all about practicality - if your current one is too shallow, too small or even worse, shaky on the edges, consider changing it.
Interior Designer: GI Design Sdn Bhd
Which type of sink should you go for? It all depends on your cooking and cleaning style as well. If you prefer soaking and rinsing your dishes, go for a double sink. But if your cooking requires a lot of big pots or pans, one large sink would be better suited.
2. Change Your Sink Taps
Interior Designer: Paperwork Design Studio
While we’re on the subject of sinks, does yours come with a faucet that splashes back too much? Think of all that hassle wiping up puddles on your countertop - a total waste of time.
Interior Designer: GDY Design and Construction
If yes, consider replacing your sink taps with pull-out faucets that can ‘pull’ the extender low into the sink to reduce the amount of splashback, or water-saving taps that reduce the flow (and therefore risk of heavy splashes).
3. More Kitchen Storage
Interior Designer: Asolidplan
It's inevitable that your once spick-and-span kitchen would be slowly cluttered up by random bric-a-brac (like condiments and foodstuffs) over time. Keep messes at bay by squeezing in more storage points in your kitchen.
Source: Pinterest
For example, movable trolleys are great for stowing a lot of stuff. Take a weekend to install neat wall-shelves or cubbyholes for holding cooking utensils or other accessories.
In The Bathroom
4. Apply Anti-Slip Treatment For Bathroom Tiles
Interior Designer: Kitchenlab
This one might not only make your life easier, it can actually save it! Slippery bathroom tiles are a hazard, especially if you have children or elderly folk living at home. An additional anti-slip coating will prevent falls on slippery wet (or dry) floors. The best part? This treatment is readily available online or in hardware stores, and you can even do it yourself.
Interior Designer: JTW Interiors
Always battling creaky or loud (and potentially destructive) slams when pulling or closing the drawer? Don't unintentionally make things worser than it is - consider drawer additions such as sliders and roller runners that can smoothen movements and give your drawers a softer close. Besides, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to install! Roll out softly, quietly and with less hassle.
Interior Designer: X Two Concept
In Your Entire Home
6. Tint Your Windows
Peekaboo! Often overlooked, whether during a renovation or day-to-day life, privacy tint films provide additional safety and a peace of mind - you can run free in your home without having to worry about prying eyes!
Interior Designer: Archiplan Interior Design
Plus, these heat-reflective tints can even keep your home cool and minimise air conditioning - which means lower energy bills too!
7. Energy-Efficient Lighting
Interior Designer: Spazio Design
Replace the lightbulbs in your home with energy-efficient ones to save money and the environment. Choose LED or Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) which uses much less energy and lasts longer than regular incandescent bulbs. What’s more, these eco-friendly bulbs also emit less heat, so you can save on cooling bills too.
8. Install Lighting Dimmers
Interior Designer: M Innovative Builders
Rather than having to purchase different bulbs with varying levels of brightness, why not just install a dimmer switch? These switches will help keep your home looking cosy or bright, while saving energy at a turn of a dial. It may also be automated and come with remote controls - so you won't have to get up every time you wish to adjust it.
If your home needs more than that to make you happy ...
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