6 No-Reno Home Projects to Spend Your Time Indoors

Now’s the time to flex your creative muscle and tend to those parts of your home that need some attention

Siow Yuen Wong 6 May 2020

Houzz Contributor. Torn between my love for peering into people’s homes and writing, I picked both. I have been involved with both, working for several magazines over the last 21 years. Why choose?

Houzz Contributor. Torn between my love for peering into people’s homes and writing,... More

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Facing the four walls of your home during this StayHome period has probably acquainted you well with your home. You might be itching to refresh your décor and while renovations are not possible now, there are mini projects that you can undertake yourself.

Marylou Sobel Interior Design

1. Plant something
Has being cooped up made you yearn for fresh air and green respite? Houseplants are a good way to get both and the good news is, they are easy to insert in any room and in any spot. Plants soften the ‘hardscape’ of bookshelves; large and tall plants sit well on the floor; trailing plants look great hung up and low-lying succulents make a low maintenance year-round table centrepiece.

Black and Milk | Interior Design | London

Don’t just stop at plants; bring in sand, rocks and other natural elements.

8 fabulous ways to arrange indoor plants

Entrance Fastighetsmäkleri

2. Hanging up art perfectly
Adding artwork will make a big impact to a room and it seems like a simple enough job but many of us aren’t certain about the right height to position a frame and if there are multiple pieces to hang, what the best arrangement is.

Henrik Nero

The general rule is to hang the art so that the focal point or centre of the work is 145 centimetres off the floor. That rule changes for art hanging above furniture like a headboard for example. For that, aim for the bottom of the art to be 15 to 20 centimetres above the headboard.

There are several ways to create a gallery wall. You could lay the pieces on the floor to mock up the arrangement; take a photo of the wall and finger sketch onto the image or create paper templates of each frame and taping them to the wall temporarily. Whichever way you choose, start with the largest frame first then fill in the space with the smaller ones.

Not ready to commit to nailing in? Try leaning artwork instead

SkandiaMäklarna Nacka

3 Hang a mirror
Interior designers love mirrors for the array of illusions they achieve. Mirrors amplify light, add drama, create interesting reflections, frame views and even exaggerate symmetry when used in pairs. They can be practical or statement-making and come in different tints. One new place to use them is the outdoors be it a garden or balcony. Who wouldn’t want a bigger dose of greenery?

Torie Jayne

4. Pack the pantry
If you’ve been enjoying the pleasures of cooking and baking during this confinement period, you would know a well-stocked and well-organised pantry is part of that joy. Even if your food store isn’t all in one floor-to-ceiling cabinet, but spread over several bottom and wall-hung units, you can still put them in order.

Amberth

Start by opening all cabinet doors and see what storage solutions aren’t working. Then remove everything, grouping like items together. While doing that, toss out anything that has expired. Separate those that are close to expiry in a basket to remind yourself to use them. If you haven’t already decanted dried goods into containers or jars, do so. Use fabric boxes or clear plastic boxes for noodles, snacks and any packet tied with a rubber band. Now place items back starting with the seldom-used ones at the back of cabinets or on a higher shelf.

What to do if your kitchen doesn’t have a pantry

Fantoush

5. Change out hardware
A new set of cabinet knobs and handles make for a low-budget refresh with very little effort. A new colour, a different material or even a different finish is akin to accessorising an outfit. Do you want go glam with Lucite, rustic with wood, vintage with ceramic or country with cup pulls?

Forrester Roberts Interior Design

6. Pick up a paint roller
Staring at the walls inevitably leads you to notice things like scuffs, marks, scratched and dents on your walls, skirting and doors. Touch ups are easy to do with a brush or roller. If you’ve got a dent to fix, the only additional materials you need are a small tub of wall filler and a square of fine sandpaper.

If you’ve got bigger ambitions and want to transform a room with a new paint colour, Pantone’s 2020 Colour of the Year, Classic Blue, is a versatile and easy-to-match option.

How to Decorate with Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2020

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What home improvement or decorating have you done recently? Post a photo to share with us in the Comments.

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