How to make your Home Look Better with Home DIY

If you’re looking to make improvements to your home, then you might be tempted to get a professional in to perform the work to a professional standard. But often the difference between the work of a professional with years of experience is indistinguishable from that of a halfway competent DIYer – or at least, the difference is negligible enough to dissuade us from putting our hands in our pockets!

Safety First

When doing any sort of DIY your first concern should be safety. You could be using dangerous tools, chemicals or other materials so it’s important to avoid injuring yourself. Here are some top tips:

• Safety glasses are shatterproof – eyeglasses are not. Protect your eyes from dust and a wide range of hazards whilst doing DIY.
• Always wear the right safety gear – even if it’s not quite the look you had in mind! Masks filter out particles, so that you can continue to breathe clean air and protect your lungs. Disposable dust masks are ideal for one-off use when decorating and cleaning.
• Safety footwear is highly recommended for many DIY tasks around the home and garden. It’s crucial to look for a pair of shoes that provide adequate protection. to shield your feet from any falling objects or sharp edges, as well as a slip-resistant sole to prevent slips and falls on wet or oily surfaces. If your new workboots are a bit uncomfortable try adding boot insoles for added support and comfort.
• Make sure you’re familiar with the tools for the job, especially if they’re electrical. Drills in particular should be switched off and unplugged before fitting parts, and the chuck key removed before it’s turned on. When power tools are not in use you should always unplug them and keep them out of the reach of children.
• If you are sanding or painting make sure that the room you are working in has good ventilation. Open the windows to avoid inhaling hazardous fumes.
• Always ensure you have the right tools for the right job. Hammers, saws, nails, screws….pretty much any tool in your toolbox if not used carefully have the potential to cause you harm so avoid distraction and concentrate on the job you are doing.
• Always make sure you have a well-stocked first aid kit nearby. Where possible, ask someone you trust to help, just in case anything happens.

Now, let’s run through a few areas of the house where DIY can make a difference.

Painting and Decorating

The investment in paints, brushes and rollers can end up being significant. And that’s before you factor in the time that you’re going to spend on a given project. But still, painting and decorating is among the more popular household tasks for DIYers. Painting a space can really help to reinvigorate it, especially if your choice of colours is on point. For the complete look, you can even colour-match your internal doors with sites like Internal Doors UK offering doors in all manner of shades. Look for something that’ll maximise the impression of light and space, and try to work out which walls will benefit from being made ‘feature’ walls.

Storage

You’d be amazed at what a difference the right storage solution can make, not only in one room, but in the whole house. If you can pack those loose items in more efficiently, then you’ll be able to consolidate multiple wardrobes, cabinets, and sets of drawers into a single item – or even just one. Building bespoke furniture that fills the available space requires woodworking skills, and the right tools. If you’re mounting shelves above where someone is going to be sleeping, make sure that fixings are able to cope with all the weight that they’ll be expected to bear.

Lighting

Modern lights are easier to install than ever, and they can often be controlled remotely via voice activation or your smartphone. Strip lights can run underneath countertops and bookshelves, giving a subtle brightness to the entire space, and eliminating dark spots. You don’t need to be a professional electrician to work with low-voltage DC of the kind that the average LED needs to run – just plan, do your research and get your dream lighting solution installed.

Garden

Your garden will contribute enormously to your home’s appeal – but only if it’s well-maintained. Laying decking and patio yourself can be hugely rewarding, and if you’re using timber, it’s well within the means of a DIYer. The homeowner maintains most gardens in the UK, so think about how much time you want to commit to the project, and build your garden accordingly.

If you’re going to be growing plants for food in your garden, then it might be time to invest in raised beds. These have the advantage of not only looking great but saving you from having to bend over repeatedly.