How to stylishly update your home in under 24 hours

Be it on reality television, Pinterest, YouTube or the pages of this very magazine, there’s no shortage of home-related tips and tutorials to help home owners renovate their properties for profit and style.

While restoring a derelict house into a luxury home makes for great entertainment, those without the budget, time or permission (if renting) to undertake structural changes are often left out of the equation.

If you’re a renter or simply a home owner looking to change up your style, try the following designer advice to create that new home feeling in just 24 hours.

Styling

Working with your existing homewares to create focal points can breathe new life into an existing space. These items should ideally be both aesthetic and sentimental, such as a favourite lamp, photo frame, travel souvenirs, crystals, coffee table book or ceramics.

“Create vignettes or focal points on key furniture like a sideboard or shelf by gathering together three or four beautiful ceramic pieces that you have collected (or treat yourself to some new ones). Use different heights and textures to create visual interest,” Petrina Turner, of Petrina Turner Design, says.

Lauren Li, of interior-design studio Sisalla, advises arranging similar items on a tray and displaying these in an expected location, such as an island bench or coffee table.

A similar technique can be applied to styling a gallery wall featuring framed photographs, paintings and art prints grouped by a theme.

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For renters unable to hang artworks, these can instead be leaned against a wall, bedhead, fireplace or bookshelf for a relaxed look.

“An oversized artwork makes a big impact and is a non-committal way to display art, without needing to nail into the wall,” Li says.

Other items that are able to be styled easily are indoor plants, which can add texture, colour and height into a space.

“Choose beautiful pots for your plants to make a nice design statement. Mix up the sizes to give a layered look and choose pots of different shapes and materials, like ceramic, metal, brass and woven [fabrics],” says co-founder Tammy Nathan, of Nathan + Jac, a business that offers curated furniture and home-accessory packs for decorating your home.

Furniture and decor

It’s common for living rooms to feature all furniture pushed up against all the walls, despite this often not being the most efficient or attractive placement.

Examining your home’s furniture and rearranging accordingly can work wonders for giving a space a fresh feeling. Complete the look with decor items such as floor lamps, pendant lights and mirrors.

“Lighting varies widely in price, which makes it something that is accessible to everyone. The key is to mix a few types together,” Li says.

“Select a lamp that looks great when switched both on and off. That way, they can provide a sculptural element to the space as well as being practical.”

If your space features an abundance of straight lines, adding some contrasting decor pieces such as a round mirror can facilitate a more harmonious balance.

“A round mirror is a great piece that can instantly change the way a room feels, as it can reflect a view or light into the space,” Li says.

For those without the time or flair to undertake this kind of project, there are interior designers who can offer quick solutions, or you might try buying an entire-room furniture pack to facilitate a complete refresh.

Soft furnishings

No space is complete without adding some soft furnishings for warmth and texture, particularly when styling bedrooms. Take advantage of the linen or printed beautiful bed-linen lines available and style with some contrasting cushions or pillowcases.

Swapping vertical or Venetian blinds for soft furnishings can add to a sense of cosiness and intimacy.

“Consider running a curtain from the ceiling and across the full width of the window and adjoining walls to give your room a high-end, luxury feel,” Nathan says.

“A quick trip to Spotlight or Ikea and you will find voile fabric in plain white or off white to get you started.”

Finally, a floor rug will tie a living room or bedroom look together while also helping to zone items in open-plan areas.

“Keep the weave flat if you are placing them on carpet or under high-use areas such as dining tables or hallways,” Nathan says. “Use a luxe-pile rug in areas where you will be relaxing, such as the living room or bedroom, or try layering rugs and skins of different shapes, compositions and sizes for a really contemporary and undone feel.”