As we all know, time slowly degrades our homes, affecting their quality and value. The good news is, that with small interventions, it is possible to greatly improve the appearance of your home. Here are six examples of improvements that increase the value of your property in Italy, from the experts at Habitissimo.
Bring new life to the walls!
Painting your home is one of the very first steps to take when renovating your space. It can be very expensive, especially if you have to remove the old paint from the wall before you can get to work. If you want to cut costs when reforming a good—and very trendy—option is to paint the tiles. Another idea is to use chalk paint, which adheres to virtually all materials and can be used for rooms throughout the house, including the bathroom. This provides a quick and inexpensive makeover.
Change the kitchen worktop
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house. However, a total renovation of this space is quite a costly operation. To improve the room, you can opt for a simple replacement of the worktop, which will give the kitchen a new look without having to pay a lot of money. The cost of buying a top for the kitchen depends on the chosen material and its thickness: it ranges from 70 €/m2 for a laminate top, up to about 500 €/m2 for a top in fine materials, such as Corian, quartz or Dekton. If fitting a cooker, add installation and gas connection costs.
Changing the doors of your home is a key element of restyling, but they often need bespoke work, which can raise the quote considerably. A cheaper option is to have them painted. In one day's work and an average of 50 euros per door, it is done. Try only painting the door but also changing the handles, the result will be amazing!
Renew the floor
There are express solutions for the floor too, with materials such as vinyl and linoleum that can easily be placed over the existing floor and are moisture-resistant. However, if you're looking for a slightly more consistent result, it might not be the best option. Another higher quality option is resin flooring; for 700 euros you can replace 12 square metres and for another 100 you can install floating floors. None of these floors require too much work and they cost 30% less than tiling, explain the experts at Habitissimo.
Create new spaces with plasterboard
Plasterboard is another typical material in drywall renovation. With different thicknesses and sizes, it can be used as a partition, shelf or decorative ceiling. It is quicker to install, generates less dirt than brick and is easier to paint but—it must be said—it is less durable and insulating. Speaking of price, a 3-metre-wide section of plasterboard costs an average of 800 euros.
Furniture obviously plays a part in the restyling of a house, and here everyone's taste comes into play, but one rule applies in general: don't overdo it when buying furniture. Look for solutions balancing beauty and functionality, bearing in mind that the neutral colours and simple lines of basic furniture are the least risky and cheapest option.