Decorate for maximum appeal

We would all like to buy new flats or apartments. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford to do so. Sometimes, with the loan home owners manage to purchase a ‘not-so-new’ flat with the loan they have qualified for.

Having bought a flat, most homeowners would want to make the best of it. It is not difficult to spruce up an older home to make it look good. There are some minor details that, when attended to, make any home show well.

The first rule of thumb is to remember that scale is crucial. For example, if your living room is on the small side and you have a huge sofa set, it will dwarf your living area. The first step in your decor plans, not as expensive as considering a bigger flat, is to replace the furniture with smaller pieces. This gives the illusion of more space.

One habit we have all got from the days of print photography is cluttering the walls with family pictures. Let’s face it: when we hang pictures, we tend to ignore them and others really are not interested in our pictures.

So, replace those old pictures with a few CDs and devote a day every so often to reliving memories.

In place of family pictures, you can hang small artistic pictures that enliven the room. This goes for too many knickknacks too – they have a tendency to make a room look congested.

If you have the luxury of paining your home before moving into it, use discretion. While personal taste dictates your colour choice, there are some colours which tend to make a room look small. In general, soft, neutral shades will lighten the room.

Speaking of light, you can never have too much light in a home. The more floor lamps and focused lighting you have, the better. Also, if your home gets lots of natural light, it’ll probably show better during the day.

Last but not the least, look on the bright side. If you have opted for an older flat, it is probably in a settled neighbourhood and there’s no irritating construction noise spoiling the mood of the party. If, however, the neighbourhood is noisy due to, say traffic noise, you can always offset it with soft music.

Just like your decor, the music should not be jarring. Your home is what you make of it and you can decorate your home for maximum appeal.