Doors of perception
Easy ways to enhance your property
MAKE THE MOST of favourable weather and do those projects around the house that will add value and maintain its quality. It will ultimately be beneficial if you’re planning on selling, or only needing to freshen up your environment.
Working on your home will not only mean your home is looking and feeling great for you and your family and will pay off long-term, as you’re keeping your home in the right shape — ie. protecting it from the elements, which in our environment can be harsh — it will also mean that if you’re trying to sell, you’ll be pleasing potential buyers.
The first place to start is standing on your street. See your house for what it is. Are the exterior walls or window frames looking tired and weathered? Is the letterbox falling apart or have your street numbers gone walkabout? If your fence is looking worn and chipped, showing the effects of time, wind and rain, a fresh coat will resonate beautifully and improve its quality. The same applies to your letterbox and your garage door — these are often left untouched, so fresh paint can make the look polished and impressive.
Is your front door colour needing to be brought up to date? Coating your entranceway in a new colour is an easy job to do, and the impact will be more impressive than you might think. Pick a hue that you’ve always loved and ensure it’s in high gloss, such as Resene Enamacryl waterborne enamel, for maximum impact. Don’t be afraid of choosing a colour that makes it stand out from the neighbours, take your cue from the cushions and de´ cor throughout your home, if these are colours you adore. It’s what you — and potential buyers — will see when approaching the house.
Bear in mind, also, the first bedrooms you see when you enter your home. Do they tie in with the colours of your entranceway? If decorated well and coherently, they can have a real wow factor — this doesn’t necessarily mean bright and bold, just beautiful and harmonious.
Don’t underestimate the impact of freshly coated cupboards too — they can really make a kitchen sing and give a new lease of life.
Other small things that count are light fittings that appear on your home’s exterior. Replace old, rusty outdoor lights with new fittings. Install some beautiful outdoor lighting that brings your home and garden to life at night.
Rethink storage in your home — have you got a cupboard that is full of items, which can provide a more practical use? It’s time to declutter. Clean it out and take a trip to the tip. It could leave you with an additional linen cupboard or a space you could turn into a study nook restored in a stunning colour.
Another area that, when done, will add value to your home is your outdoor entertaining area. Transform it into a relaxing tropical retreat where you can sit and read a book in comfort, or chat with friends. Install a screen for added colour and privacy, repaint the surrounding trellis. A newly stained deck combined with beautiful furniture will impress guests and provide you with a place in which to relax
and unwind in style.
Resene paint expert Jay Sharples says it is key to clean your deck to ensure a perfect surface before restaining.
“When restaining your deck, you would first need to treat for any moss and mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer,” he says. “Then clean and prepare the timber for staining using Timber and Deck Wash.”
But be careful to choose the right time of day and weather before you apply the stain.
“Once dry, you can start staining,” he says. “It is best not to stain in full sun. Ideally you want a warm, overcast day with a slight breeze. I recently stained my deck and one tool I would highly recommend is the PAL Deckmaster deck brush. It works so well and makes it easy to get between the boards and any grooves in the timber, when combined with an extension pole, the job is no longer back breaking and you’ll have the job completed in no time.”
Once your deck is ready, set about creating a beautiful outdoor entertaining dining space. Paint the surrounding surfaces, bring in lush plants in coloured pots, decorative cushions, lanterns, speakers for relaxing music and a barbecue at a safe distance from seating.
If you live near the beach, create a luxurious outdoor shower setting where you can wash off the salt and sand from the sea. Install your shower with painted screens for privacy and colour. Make sure there’s a place to hang your towels and a shelf for soap. Adequate drainage is key too.
Finally, enhance your landscaping by buying some extra plants to fill in any gaps in the garden. Add some colour with luscious blooms and rich greenery, allowing your garden to shine. All of these tasks will combine to leave your property looking polished, desirable and welcoming.
■ For more ideas, a visit www.resene. co.nz/videos