Although less than half of Brits (47 per cent) are confident about what 2012 holds for them and a third are currently delaying home maintenance projects, there is no better time than the first few months of the year to decorate.
While the main priorities for consumers in 2012 will be saving money (45 per cent) and clearing debt (42 per cent), investing in home improvements is vital to improve the value of your home, enhance energy efficiency ratings through new
windows and
doors, and generally make the property more attractive.
It is also a great way to dispel those New Year blues experienced by 76 per cent of people worried about the cost of living and 63 per cent concerned over household bills.
One way to change the appearance of your home on a budget is to use accent pieces.
A spokeswoman for Egerton Designs advised: "Accent pieces to bring ... interiors up to date without the need for major expensive changes will be very much used."
To completely transform a room without breaking the bank create a feature wall with large print wallpaper, which can "change the atmosphere" of a space.
Removing old cushions and updating them with bold patterned covers is another brilliant way to revitalise a room.
In a
kitchen, why not use tiles to create a feature wall or above cabinets and tables to accent a room curvature.
With art deco style seeing a revival this year, a 1920s tile will look fabulous in any kitchen. Choose a tile with rich greens, reds and golds to contrast against more modern interiors, such as low hanging metallic-effect lamps.
Making a kitchen stand out will also be a big selling point to prospective buyers to show them the potential of the space.
"In order to add value to the property, they would be well advised to spend some spare cash on freshening up their interiors so as to give their properties that ‘wow’ factor, for potential purchasers to notice, as soon as they enter the property, thereby getting a fast sale," Egerton Designs advised.
