Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's revamp tips

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen\'s revamp tips

decorating tips,home inspiration,House Beautiful,make life better Getty living room With house prices falling and recession looming it\'s tempting to put home refurbishment ideas on the back burner. However, there are plenty of low-cost ways to refresh your home in the new year that look stylish and will last. Drawing on the ‘make do and mend\' experiences of our parents\' and grandparents\' generations, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen shares his top 10 ideas.

Move your furniture around

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Give yourself the pleasure of wanting your home to look its best, even if you\'ve decided now is not the time to lavish lots of money on interior style. Look at where you live with completely new eyes and spot where you\'ve not made the best use of space.

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Then, enjoy a little furniture therapy. Move the sofas and TV, or change the position of the bed. Aesthetic changes such as these can give a room a refreshing new look. Our forebears would change the position of their furniture according to the season, to make the best of the light throughout the year.

Stay focused on this home

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When property prices were rocketing there was pressure to think of your home as an investment that needed to be upgraded. Now that\'s no longer the case it\'s time to slow down and enjoy where we live. Don\'t worry about the next place. Instead, concentrate on making the most of where you already are. You don\'t need to think about impressing estate agents and potential buyers by painting everything cream. Now\'s the time to allow your home to reflect your personality.

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Amelie wallpaper, £30 a roll, Graham and Brown

Add colour

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You can now redecorate an average-sized room in under three hours, thanks to easy-cover paint ranges. Try Dulux for a glamorous feel. You can get five litres of paint for around £30. Their colour groupings make it easy to coordinate the overall look. Choose a strong shade and match it to a favourite dress, for example. Turn up the volume and it will make you and your family feel more confident and cheerful.

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Walls painted in Soft Moss 3, £10.99 a litre; stripe painted in Soft Moss 5, £29.99 for five litres; both Dulux.

Be creative outdoors

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Start to think now about how you\'ll use your garden when spring arrives. Look for furniture that will bridge the gap between inside and out and don\'t be afraid to take your kitchen table and chairs outside for al fresco eating.

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You don\'t need to invest in expensive outdoor furniture - simply dress what you\'ve got with a bright tablecloth and china to complement nature\'s colours. Try putting an old watering can on the windowsill and filling it with a bunch of flowers. And hand-paint terracotta pots for a splash of colour on your patio or decking.

Create extra living space

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Work out if you can adapt your house\'s layout to give you space to relax in. There\'s no point in having several very small bedrooms. It\'s better to knock two together to create a bigger space where you can relax and escape the hubbub of family life. You may decide to convert a small box room into a bathroom or use it as a dressing room, freeing up valuable space in the master bedroom to make it feel more like a sitting room. Take a tip from the 18th century and invest in a chaise longue, upholstered chair or small sofa. After supper, turn off the radiators downstairs, saving heating costs, and retreat to your boudoir!

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Kendal chaise longue, £209; Kendal headboard (H140cm x W138cm), from £69; Denver rug (L150cm x W80cm), from £49; all Littlewoods 

Insulate with style

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Take a look at your flooring. Floorboards are less energy efficient than other options as gaps between them let heat escape. Consider laying a thick carpet with good quality underlay that will conserve heat and feel fabulous underfoot. Full-length curtains are also coming back into style. They add a cosy feel during the winter months and can also help with insulation and blocking out noise from the street. Try The Curtain Exchange or seek out bargains on eBay, where you can find beautiful, handmade interlined curtains for a fraction of the price it would cost you to get them made.

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Classic Florals carpet in toile empire black, £58 a sq metre, Brintons  

Experiment with pattern

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There\'s been an explosion of choice in patterned wallpaper, including inexpensive ranges available from DIY outlets. Don\'t just do one wall; go the whole hog. It will make your room feel larger and disguise ugly corners. If it gets dirty use a time-honoured cleaning tip and rub gently with dry white bread to remove scuff marks.

Buy the right lampshades

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Eco lightbulbs can shed a green-or yellow-tinged light. To rectify this, invest in a shade that\'s been lined in metallic foil. Gold, copper or bronze shades help to create a clear, natural-light effect. These were popular in households in the 1940s and are making a comeback. Find a good selection at John Lewis.

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Lois shade, £75, John Lewis

Change your shopping habits

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There is a wealth of shops around offering great-value homewares, which can help make your money go further. As well as Ikea, try Matalan, HomeSense and TK Maxx for bargains that look and feel luxurious. Inexpensive bedlinen, lighting, mirrors, rugs and soft furnishings can all transform your home.

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Cushions, from £9.99, from a selection at HomeSense.

Visit an auction

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Antiques are in the doldrums at the moment so you can pick up a bargain. Find auctions in your local paper or online, and first visit as a spectator. Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian pieces will all go up in value once the economy starts to pick up. Look for 1930s chandeliers. Spend £30 on one, get it checked by an electrician and you\'ll have an original, dramatic piece that\'s still far cheaper than the £150 you\'d spend buying new.

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