Give your home the personal touch
It's the personal touches that make your house a home: photos, knick-knacks, pretty ornaments... Why not consider adding some cosy, decorative finishing touches that will give your home a warm and welcoming feeling? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Jam jar lanterns
This is a really simple idea that transforms an ordinary household item into a pretty home accessory. First what you need to do is create a handle for your jam jar lantern. You do this by wrapping floristry wire around the neck, then take three separate pieces of wire and loop them under the first piece of wire and twist them together to form one point. After that's complete, it's time to get creative.
You can use paint to decorate your jars, glue images or fabric on to them or thread beads on to the wire. Once your design is complete, fill the jar with sand - you can add food colouring to get the right shade to complement your design - and add a tea light candle to complete it. Your jam jar is now a beautiful, personalised light for your home, made on a shoestring! They make great gifts too.
Stencil art
If you have a design motif in your home that you love, why not extend it to a few more places in you home? An easy way to do this is with a stencil. If you're not quite up to designing and cutting your own, don't worry, there are some really attractive options available in homeware stores or on sites such as Etsy.
Mirrors and vases are really good items to stencil and don't represent as big a commitment as the living room wall. When you have chosen your design it's time to get the stipple brush out! Enamel paint is a really good option as you can wash it without fear of losing the design. A good tip is to use repositionable adhesive to place the stencil, it'll reduce paint see page and you can use it time and time again
Homemade artwork
If you like the idea of hanging a little art on your walls, why not pick up a paint brush and try your hand at painting. Large canvases can cost less than you might think. Why not turn one into bright and beautiful abstract art to add a splash of colour to your home?
Peg up your special memories
Alternatively, a wire cable with mini pegs running across a wall is a simple but effective way to display photos. You could sort your snaps into themes - holidays, parties, children - and display a new set every few months to keep things fresh.
Add a splash of soft furnishings
If you want to freshen up the look and feel of a room, you needn't worry about a complete makeover. A well-placed cushion or throw can add an interesting splash of colour to a tired old sofa, while new curtains can really give your room a dash of personality.