Vicky Sanderson It’s the age-old question: renovate or relocate? In a challenging housing market, both can make sense. And while one motivation may be more profit upon selling, a report from RE/MAX Canada found that since the pandemic, over half of Canadians are looking to home design to increase their personal enjoyment.
Only 16% said the renovations were to increase the market value of their home while 29% renovated to enhance their lifestyle and another 29% carried out maintenance work or improved the safety of their homes.
Another study showed that about a fifth of Canadians visit a DIY store at least once a month, and that almost half of Canadian homeowners prefer to carry out all home design and improvements themselves with no professional help.
Those trends are drawing people to big box stores to look for relatively simple ways to give their home a more polished look without breaking the bank, according to Lydia Thammavong, head of style and trends at RONA.
“Start by surveying your home’s interior with a critical eye and identify areas that can use some decor love,” she says. “Get inspiration from magazines, online images of room settings, and home improvement store displays. You’d be surprised at how even minor home design changes – such as adding decorative pillows and greenery – can make a space more attractive and enjoyable.”
Here are some of her top tips, and one of mine, all using items pulled from the decor aisles at RONA:
Design friendly doorknobs and drawer pulls
They may be small, but like the perfect piece of jewelry, they can pull together a look and add punctuation to home decor. SO many options, suited to everything from modern farmhouse to urban minimalist to traditional spaces. TIP: Shaped knobs such as hexagons add visual interest, while crystal knobs pick up on light, and burnished metals add a warm charm.
From left to right, Weiser Cambie matte black knob, a classic brushed oil-rubbed doorknob from Richelieu, and Schlage’s Custom Hobson matte black doorknob.
NIOTE: The image above the headline features product from Schlage’s Encode line.
If you don’t want to invest in new cabinet hardware, revitalize your existing knobs and pulls with paint. SICO Paints, for example, recently launched indoor/outdoor line Perma-Flex spray paint, which works on wood, metal, plastic, and glass.
Peel-and-stick tiles for style
Peel and stick tiles can be applied to furniture surfaces such as tabletops and headboards, staircase risers, inside cabinets, drawer liners, trays, or coasters. Around the House, we love peel and stick tiles for adding whimsy and colour, and we’re obsessed with removable wall murals as home decor.
Left to right, RoomMates wallpaper in Dots, Blue Mediterranean, and Teal Cloud.
From the ground up
I’ve only ever had an outdoor rug from RONA, but my experience has been great. Indoors, or out, area rugs can elevate the look of a space without making any other substantial changes. The right one serves as a visual anchor, ties together room elements, and adds comfort and functionality underfoot.
Neutral tones like beige, grey or cream blend well with others shades are a reliable choice, suggests Thammavong, while bold patterns or colours can serve as statement pieces in minimalist or monochromatic settings.
Natural fibers such as jute or sisal add texture and a relaxed vibe, but be prepared for some family members to object to the texture. For them, experiment with layering a smaller rug it to add dimension and warmth to a room. For larger room elements, mix patterns and textures in similar tones for a relaxed but cohesive look. Bring colour and more texture in with accessories, like pillows and throws.
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Use mirrors to bounce light
Adding an inexpensive mirror to a shadowy corner of the house is a highly-favoured hack used by designers. Place mirrors opposite windows or light sources to maximize the amount of light reflected from windows, as well as lamps and fixtures.
Mirrors with decorative frames add to the room’s aesthetic, and a group of smaller framed mirrors can have a similarly effect – both brightening and creative.
There is also a huge trend toward mirrors with organic and irregular shapes like the Hudson Home mirror shown here. These gentle curves add a casual softness and sense of relaxation.
Don’t forget the faucets
Great list from RONA, with lots of solid tips for quick, easy and affordable upgrades to your home design. The only hack that I’d like to add to the list is considering switching up kitchen or bath faucets.
I got Moen’s Smyth faucet in matte black collection in order to test the single-sensor hands-free activation to see if I want to use in a kitchen upgrade that I’m hoping will be effective and cost-efficient. I DO! Bringing similar technology to the bathroom, they have some very handsome bathroom faucets with MotionSense Wave, like the Cia style shown below. For my money, good-looking, tech-friendly faucets and fixtures are one of the best home design investments you can make.
