As we head into 2020 (eek, a new decade), there’s never been a better time to make a list of what reno jobs you want to take on at home. New year, new and improved home, right?
The striking of midnight on December 31 leaves us all (well, those of us who can think straight at that time) thinking of change and how we can all make our world a better place.
We usually direct that change toward our wellbeing, but our homes can do with a good freshening up every now and then, too.
The first few weeks of 2020 seems just as good as any time to start, you can burn off a few of those extra Christmas calories, you can escape the relatives or kids for a couple of hours a day and feel totally accomplished starting into the new year.
While it may be daunting strapping on a tool belt and forgoing eight hours straight watching the cricket, there are a few ‘easy to tackle’ projects you can tick off the list before you head back to work.
1. Paint
A fresh coat of paint has the power to transform a room like nothing else can. It has the highest rate of ‘value add’ per dollar spent, so this should be your number one point of call whenever you need to freshen up a space.
Start with a colour palette that suits you best, I try to work from a 60/30/10 rule. Think 60% of your space should be a primary tone – nothing too offensive.
Whereas 30% or your surfaces could be a secondary colour and the remaining 10% an accent.
This formula sits balanced in a space as long as you follow a few simple colour rules.
Pick colours that relate to each other, they could be complimentary, contrasting, triadic or monochromatic.
The relationship of paint colours to the rest of the surfaces in your home is paramount to making a space feel resolved and considered.
Read more: 6 mistakes to avoid making with a DIY paint job
2. Splashback
Don’t be daunted by seemingly big tasks, if broken down into a few simple steps, something like re-tiling a splashback in a kitchen or laundry can be an easy job.
After a few Youtube tutorials, and a bunch of love from Uber Eats, your kitchen could look like a million bucks in less than a week.
Carefully remove any old tiles with a hammer and wide chisel, be careful around GPOs and switches and take your time glueing the new tiles on.
There’s something about clean new grout in a kitchen that just screams fresh.
Read more: 10 outdated kitchen design trends you need to retire
3. Deck
If you’re like me and your deck is dry and covered in splinters from too much sun, it may be time to refresh your deck.
Jokes aside, no one like’s a splinter in the bum and a well-oiled deck is a safe deck.
There are a few ways to tackle this, though. You can simply re-oil a dried-out deck, you could replace the timber boards, or you could plane or sand your existing timber.
Either way, a bit of love thrown toward a deck will pay off when the party season kicks-off.
4. Feature wall
There’s nothing like getting your hands all dirty, splintery and having something pretty special to show for it at the end of the day.
Arming yourself with a circular saw, a nailgun or impact driver and a bit of creativity can see you whip up a beautiful timber backdrop.
Spotted gum, Tassie oak, Victorian ash or a beautiful blackbutt feature wall can easily lift a space and bring heaps of character to a room.
You may want to create a timber batten look, a chevron pattern, or just go all nuts with timber going everywhere.
A bit of effort will easily translate into a result worthy of a filtered out Insta post.
This article was originally published as New year, new project: Reno jobs for 2020 by realestate.com.au written by Shannon and Simon Vos