The COVID-19 lockdown has inspired homeowners to take a closer look at the interior and exterior of their homes. With more time on our hands, it makes sense that we’re starting renovations that have been put off for a while or introducing DIYs to change up our home.
Why are Home Improvements on the Increase?
Despite coronavirus, in a recent survey by Oneflare, it was found that 46% of Australians had used a tradie or service professional in the past few months. Many have also found themselves with a surplus of household budget that would have been spent on food, travel, and other luxuries.
In the same customer survey, 29% of the respondents said that they had spent more on home improvements this year, as compared to last year. The main areas that homeowners saved household budget on was travel, dining out and luxuries such as haircuts and beauty appointments.
With most of us spending more time in our homes, it’s easy to start looking around and find what needs updating. Upgrading your home can do wonders to improve your mood and make you more productive, too. Where are homeowners turning to for home renovation ideas? Here are a few tips for finding inspiration for your home improvement project.
What Types of Projects Are People Doing?
It is not surprising that with many now working from home, one of the top projects was creating a new clean home office. Organization and decluttering projects were also high on the list. Other popular projects included landscaping, new flooring, and painting. A new deck or patio would also be an excellent way to make the most of this time when the world is going at a slower pace. Almost everyone can find something that needs to be done, and for most, your list might have been longer than your time budget in the past.
Where to Find Inspiration
While it is safe to hire an interior designer to visit your home, if you’re not quite ready you can still find plenty of places to look for inspiration right from your own home. Popular TV shows have placed a focus on providing inspiration for home improvement ideas. Another fun thing to do is to pay attention to the background scenery in your favourite reruns. The main focus is on the characters and the action, but if you pay attention to the background, sometimes you can get some excellent ideas for your own home. This can be a fun way to see your favourites in a new light.
Online Blogs
A great place to start to look for inspiration is online. The Internet is filled with thousands of blogs and commercial sites that are an excellent source of inspiration. Your favourite home improvement store website might be a good place to start. You might also try some online stores that sell materials for home improvement and landscaping. They often have extensive galleries filled with ideas.
Social Media
Social media is another excellent source of inspiration. People love posting pictures of their own projects, and this can lead to your next big idea. Many of the larger home improvement sites make regular postings of design ideas and inspiration. Be sure to follow your favourites.
You can’t forget Pinterest, which is the ultimate when it comes to creativity and inspiration. Create a Pinterest account and pin photos you like on boards for different rooms in your home. Recently, home improvement, design, and landscape blogs have been on the increase. YouTube is another treasure trove of design inspiration and DIY tutorials.
Interior Design Apps
You can even try out the new design and see how you like it before you buy it. Apps such as Mark on Call, Quick-Step, Auto Desk Home Styler, and others allow you to upload a picture of your room and see how the new room will look when it is finished.
Conclusion
COVID-19 has disrupted many of our lives in ways that we never imagined. Improving your home and doing those projects that you have been putting off because you did not have the time is an excellent way to make the best of the situation. When things do return to normal, and you are once again wrapped up in your busy life, you will regret not having taken this chance while it was here. The extra cash and time present a golden opportunity to get those things marked off of your list so that you can enjoy your home even more.
