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3 Ways to add character to your home

If you want to inject more character into your home then take a look at these three tips that will add instant appeal.

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Improve your Frontage
Your frontage creates the first impression of your home so if yours looks scruffy and neglected then give it a facelift. You can take simple steps like cleaning and tidying your driveway, repointing or repainting your exterior walls or adding interest with plants. If you’ve got more money to spend then you could consider making bigger changes such as having a new driveway installed, replacing UPVC with timber windows or reroofing. Simply cleaning and tidying will make a huge difference but bigger and more expensive changes will be more lasting and could even add value to your home.

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Inject Personality
Homes don’t necessarily have to be older in order for them to have character. Although period features like fireplaces and cornicing do help, you can give your rooms a warmer and more inviting feel by creating an accent wall. Choose one wall and decorate in bold, bright paper. This will give your room a focal point, which is especially useful if you don’t have features such as fireplaces.

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The rise in the popularity of property shows has led many homeowners to believe that they must decorate their homes neutrally. That’s all very well if you’re planning to sell but if you’re going to be living in your home for a few years then choose the colours and styles you love, not what will appeal to other people. Don’ be afraid to display your collections, add quirky ornaments or bold soft furnishings to your rooms as you’ll feel much happier if you’re surrounded by the things you love.

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Replace Flooring
In older homes stripped wooden floorboards can create a rustic or formal feel and are much easier to keep clean than carpets. If you’re lucky enough to have original tiles in your hallway then uncover them and make them the focus of your front entrance. To warm up wooden floors add some luxurious rugs in soft materials and warm colours.

Replace old carpets with smart new floor coverings that will make your rooms look instantly neater, lighter and brighter. In the kitchen add an unusual edge with a vinyl or even polished concrete floor that will make your kitchen completely unique.

 

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Home Interiors and Mobility

Whilst a lot of home interior articles often discuss the merits of style and aesthetically pleasing color choice, there are many situations where a sense of practicality and functionality are vital. A home is a home, first and foremost, after all.

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When dealing with a home that includes elderly or disabled members, this is certainly the case. Primarily, this is because you need to make decisions with practical and functional results. A nice looking house is pointless if someone living in it cant use it to its fullest extent. To this end, here are a number of areas and factors that need to be considered.

Fortunately, most of these don’t infringe on your style or colour choice, but they are none the less important and should always be prioritised above such matters. So, whether it’s the right choice of flooring or the benefits of a home lift, it might be worthwhile for you to take time and consider the practical side of home interiors.

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Flooring

Your choice of floor can have very real consequences. Laminate flooring, although it looks nice, is known to be slippery. As such, it can be a very dangerous hazard for elderly people, where a slight slip can lead into a very serious fall. Instead, you should focus on carpets and other floors that are hard, soft or simply aren’t slippery. Carpets have the added bonus in that they absorb water and liquids. When walking isn’t a strong point, risking a slip from spilled fluids is just another risk many would rather be without.

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Likewise, if you have a wheelchair, you need to be careful about how thick the carpet is. Thick and long hairs give the wheelchair more to sink into, making it harder to push. Combined with the above considerations regarding laminate flooring, it’s safe to say that there are some careful considerations. Depending on the individual needs and circumstances of those in the house, it might be crucial to strike a working balance between all the varying factors and needs.

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Home Lifts

Again, when dealing with elderly or disabled people, mobility is a critical issue. In the home, this is best reflected through the stairs, which often become a major challenge or difficulty for those who already struggle with walking.

One of the solutions to this is to install a home lift. This small, compact lift works like a traditional lift, moving you between floors. Additionally, larger models can even accommodate wheelchairs, meaning such people wouldn’t need to leave the comfort of the chair to move around the home freely, a practical option that’s extremely useful and beneficial.

 

Of course, such lifts do need to through the ceiling, meaning some alterations are required, but it is over a simple process. This means you need two rooms, one above the other, with space in the right area. This is the hardest part to manage, but once you do, it is a rather simple process with plenty of benefits that outweigh all the hard work.

 

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