Need ideas to decorate your home?
I am sure that many of you have seen - or heard of - Colin and Justin's makeovers. With a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour, Colin and Justin transform homes or horror into divine dream homes.
To provide some inspiration for your next decorating project here are just a few of Colin and Justin's home transformations...
This rabbit-warren bedroom is jam packed full of stuff - too much stuff!
Create the look:
- Empty out the room for starters. It is far easier to work in an empty space than have to keep moving furniture around.
- Where a south-facing room needs lightening up, choose colours that are bright and fresh. For this bedroom shades of blue and white were used on wall and furniture.
- You can easily paint dark wood furniture. Sand down varnished wood with 60-, 120- and 220-grit sandpaper - in that order - to remove and smooth before applying paint. You can use non-drip enamel, acrylic PVA topped off with two coats of acrylic sealer, or grab a couple of cans of Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint.
- The walls have been wallpapered and you will find a stunning new range of wallpapers at your local Builders Warehouse - and completely washable to boot!
- Light, light and more light. Bedside candelabras and a ceiling mounted chandelier provide plenty of light for a dark room.
This mis-matched kitchen lacks cohesive design and organisation!
Create the look:
- Kitchen cabinets are easy to paint and proper preparation is the key to a lasting and professional finish.
- Wherever you can, open up a room into the garden. This immediately makes the kitchen feel far more spacious and allows you to bring the outdoors indoors and vice-versa.
- Replace dated flooring with modern vinyl options - an affordable, practical and stylish choice for any homeowner.
- Lighten and brighten a kitchen with light coloured walls, cabinets and floor. Paint allows you to be creative. Where tile is applied, match this to the wall colour.
An old-fashioned master bedroom goes modern!
Create the look:
- Rearrange a room to take advantage of the space available - and you'll never know what works best until you try it.
- Makeover dark furniture with a couple of coats of white paint, or take a look at the new trend for Shabby Chic. You will be amazed at the difference this can make to a room.
- Once again, paint makes a big difference. In the bedroom below the walls and ceiling were painted in an identical colour, with contrasting black and white stripes that run up the wall and across the ceiling. It's the soft finishings and accessories that make an impact.
Is it a dining room? Is it a gym? No - it's a mess!
Create the look:
- Every room should be designed around the main purpose. If you need to store pieces that don't belong there - at least hide them out of sight behind a folding screen!
- In a small room, floating shelves provide for storage without taking up valuable floor space.
- If granny's hand-me-downs have served their purpose and you have saved up enough to purchase a decent dining room table - buy it! The longer you postpone - the more you have to wait for your dream home. Toss out the trash - or sell it online.
When you have no more room for clutter, it's time to rethink your bedroom!
Create the look:
- Every room should be designed around the main purpose. If you need to store pieces that don't belong there - at least hide them out of sight behind a folding screen!
- In a small room, floating shelves provide for storage without taking up valuable floor space.
- If granny's hand-me-downs have served their purpose and you have saved up enough to purchase a decent dining room table - buy it! The longer you postpone - the more you have to wait for your dream home. Toss out the trash - or sell it online.
The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but this one definitely fails the grade!
Create the look:
- As a room in the home where you spend a lot of time, the kitchen should be a place that you enjoy. Replace, reface or revamp dated kitchen cabinets. Add more cabinets if you need additional storage.
- In a white or cream kitchen, small splashes of bold colour can have a big impact., and colour can be added with blinds, small accessories, artwork and kitchen utensils.
We may love red, but let's get the combination right!
Create the look:
- The feature in every bedroom should be the bed. But you don't want to focus on a bed that doesn't fit the part. Headboards dress up and complete a bed, as do bed linens and soft accessories. Splurge on one or two sets of nice bed linen that coordinate with the colour of the bedroom.
- When choosing colour, bear in mind that while a feature wall in a bold colour will stand out, more than one wall in a single, bold colour will make a space smaller and claustophobic.
It's time to put the toys where they belong!
Create the look:
- As parents, we know that kids like to dump their toys anywhere. Make your lounge a sancturary for relaxation and relegate the toys to the kiddies bedroom or playroom, or have a handy storage box to keep them out of sight.
- Try a new colour scheme. Having spent many years decorating my home in shades of brown and being, I have since come to realise that colour makes a big difference. As they say, "A change is as good as a holiday"
- Use floating shelves for additional storage.
- Visually enlarge a space with large mirror or mirror tiles.
These days vinyl is for floors - not furniture!
Create the look:
- If you are looking to give your lounge a drastic makeover and still have plastic or vinyl furniture - toss it or sell it! Go for furniture that is light and airy and fits in with your lifestyle. Sticky bottoms are so yesterday!
- While face brick walls were all the rage twenty years ago, they do absolutely nothing for a space. Lighten up by painting brick, or cover it up.
- Invest in modern lighting options with energy-efficient globes.
Thanks for the inspiration Colin and Justin!