60 Quick Renovation Tips for 1st Time Homeowners

There is a beginner's guide for you so that you can renovate your first home with little stress. In this post, interior designers and renovation experts spill their best home renovation tips for 1st-time homeowners.

> LIVING ROOM

Design: United Team Lifestyle

Wall

#01. Use washable wall paint for high-traffic areas so that smudges and dirt can be easily wiped off.

#02. Hack the walls only when absolutely necessary since this may depreciate the property value if you wish to sell in the future.

#03. Avoid hacking half-walls since it is more expensive than fully hacked walls.

#04. Consider using wallpaper or decals as a feature wall since they are much cheaper and can be easily refreshed.

Floor

#05. Use larger tiles to make the living room look bigger and easier to clean since there are lesser grout lines.

#06. Use marble or wood look-alike homogeneous floor tiles since they are more economical and easier to maintain.

Curtains

#07. Make the ceiling appear higher by installing the curtain rails at the top most ceiling edge and ensure that the curtain length reaches the floor.

#08. Set aside an additional half inch for the curtain length in case the material shrunk after wash.

Design: Team Interior Design

Furniture

#09. Make the place look roomier by choosing low-slung furniture that hugs the floor.

#10. Decide on the furniture first before deciding on the interior design theme, since it is harder to find the furniture to match the theme.

Laminate

#11. Place the laminate samples against the wall if you want to match them with the wall colour.

#12. Avoid using textured laminates since dirt gets easily trapped on an uneven surface.

Carpentry

#13. Ensure that there is sufficient clearance for the robot vacuum electrical plugs and docking base for installation of the robot vacuum cubbie under the cabinet.

#14. Set aside an additional 1.5cm of depth, due to the protruding parquet skirting, for living room cabinet carpentry.

Light switches and electrical points

#15. Install a light switch near the entrance so that the switch is within reach once you reach home at night.

#16. Install the electrical points nearer to the floor so that the messy plugs and electrical wires can be hidden behind the low-slung TV console.

Electrical Appliances

#17. Avoid installing the air conditioner directly above the TV console in case of plugged condensate line, which causes the water to drip right onto the TV.

#18. Install the ceiling fan at least 18 inches from the surrounding walls.

---

> KITCHEN

Design: Elique.co

Wall

#19. Choose satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss finish paint for the kitchen since it is easy to clean and is resistant to mildew, stains and dirt.

#20. Porcelain wall tile is harder, denser and less porous than regular ceramic tile and hence a good choice for high-traffic areas in the kitchen.

Floor

#21. Use larger tiles to make the living room look bigger and easier to clean since there are lesser grout lines.

#22. Choose anti-slip tiles for areas which are prone to be wet.

Laminate

#23. Install high-pressure laminates as they are able to withstand heat and moisture.

#24. Use edge-banded finish to seal the exposed sides of the laminates and to protect the core material from humidity.

Countertop

#25. Antimicrobial Countertop such as Quartz, it’s non-porous, which makes it easy to clean and resistant to the incursion of bacteria and other germs.

#26. Choose the bullnose countertop edge finish since it is a more kid-friendly option due to its soft, semi-circular edge profile.

#27. Increase the countertop surface with the kitchen sink cover, which made of the same material as the countertop.

Design: The Interior Lab

Carpentry

#28.  Ensure that there are no gaps between the ceiling and the upper kitchen cabinet to prevent dust from being trapped in between.

#29. Use marine-grade plywood for the kitchen sink cabinet since it is more water durable than regular plywood.

Lighting and electrical points

#30. Install a task lighting above the kitchen countertop where you prepare your food.

#31. Spread the electrical points along the kitchen counter so that the kitchen appliances will not cluster in one corner of the countertop.

---

> BATHROOM

Design: The Interior Lab

Wall

#32. Choose moisture-resistant paint such as Dulux BATHROOM+ EMULSION PAINT so that the walls and ceiling will not mould.

#33. Install grab bars at strategic corners of the bathroom so that they can also be used for hanging towels.

#34. Curb the mould growth by installing a wall ventilation fan to keep the bathroom dry.

Floor

#35. Use anti-slip R10 to R11 rated floor tiles to prevent accidental slips.

#36. Choose a coloured grout and sealant if you are using dark coloured floor tiles.

Carpentry

#37. Set aside 12 cm for the shelf depth if you wish to keep toilet rolls within reach in the bathroom.

#38. Use a corner vanity unit to save extra space if the bathroom is compact.

#39. Install silicone bumpers on the cabinet door to prevent surface damage when it slams against the wall.

Water taps

#40. Use thimbles which are water-saving devices in the water taps and showerheads to reduce water flow.

#41. Install basin mixers so that you have ease of access to warm and cold water.

Design: ECasa Studio

Water basin

#42. Avoid slim or shallow styles since they are only suited to powder rooms, where they are used for washing hands.

#43. Use integral sinks which are easier to maintain since they are made from the same material as the countertop they are set into.

Lighting  

#44. Install backup lighting such as cove lighting in the bathroom in case the primary lighting is not working and needed some time to be fixed.

#45. Use accent lights in the form of hidden LED strips around the mirror or around the vanity area.  

#46. Consider using motion sensor lighting so that you do not need to fiddle with the switches when you need to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Door 

#47. Install a door sweeper at the bottom of the door to prevent humidity and moisture from leaking into the master bedroom.

#48. Use clear vinyl wrap for the bottom of the wooden door to prevent it from water logged after it is in contact with water.

---

> BEDROOM

Design: ECasa Studio

Wall

#49. Consider using smart glass or switchable privacy glass technology for switching of glass walls from transparent to opaque with the flip of a switch for on-demand privacy control.

Curtains 

#50. Use blackout night curtains for optimum privacy and to keep the light out.

#51. Use velvet since it is thick and excellent for insulating the room against the tropical heat.

#52. Choose a thicker curtain rod since it is more versatile and can hold the weight of any fabric.

Design: Brickwood Studio

Furniture

#53. Install soft felt glides underneath the bed frame and chairs as they will protect the hardwood floors from being scratched.

#54. Consider using multifunctional furniture such as a storage bed frame or head bed, since they can help extend the storage volume without taking up extra space.

Carpentry

#55. Use sliding wardrobe doors instead of casement doors when there is inadequate clearing space for the doors to open.

#56. Create a seamless facade by extending the adjoining wardrobe laminate design with the master bedroom en suite’s door. 

Lighting and electrical points

#57. Ensure that there are sufficient electrical points in the bedroom for humidifier and charging of personal mobile devices next to the bed.

#58. Install wall lights at the sides of the bed for nighttime reading and switches that control all of the lights in the bedroom.

Home cinema

#59. Set aside a distance of 3 to 8 feet from the projector to the wall for short-throw projectors. Avoid using textured wall treatments since the unevenness will show up in the projection.

Door 

#60. Install weather stripping at the doorframe, so that when the door is closed, light and air-con are unable to leak through the door opening.