Five simple home upgrades to elevate your home's aesthetic

HOME improvements do not necessarily have to spell big bucks. A simple coat of paint and the right accessories can help you achieve the desired look for less.

So if you have been meaning to turn your humble abode from drab to fab, here are five easy and quick home upgrades that are sure to make your neighbours green with envy.

Add drama to a room with a fresh coat of paint

Say bye-bye to boring beige and vanilla white. While it may be a fail-safe option colour for your home, it tends to be lacklustre and quite forgettable.

For a quick home pick-me-up, a vibrant coat of paint can instantly liven up your space. It's a simple and affordable trick to upgrade a room too.

Paint colours also have a psychological effect on our moods. Splash some blue hues for a calming effect, yellow for an uplifting energy or invigorating green for a dramatic yet stylish nod to nature.

Metal accents

Add a bit of pizzazz and a dash of glamour by introducing metal accents to your interiors. You have seen the trend of copper-coloured lighting fixtures dominating much of the trendy minimalist cafes so why not include it in your décor as well?

Start small by introducing metal-accented decorations and fixtures before bringing in other big furniture.

You do not have to go overboard with all the shimmer either. Remember, less is always more to avoid your room looking too tacky.

Beautiful kitchen backsplashes

Have you ever looked at your kitchen and noticed that there is something missing? An avid home renovation show viewer would tell you that all that is needed are some backsplashes.

Swap your boring kitchen tiles with subway tile pattern for a fancy New York look or install coloured glass tile to inject a bit of character into the kitchen.

A weekend home improvement project, you can easily install the tiles by yourself or call a professional for help.

Bring a space to life with plants

Nothing screams a dead space than a stuffy room. Improve the indoor air quality around the house by adding live plants.

Proven to effectively eliminate harmful toxins such as formaldehyde, indoor plants are also pleasing to the eyes and beneficial to reduce house dust and stress level.

For those without the green thumb, opt for low-maintenance indoor plants such as mother-in-law's tongue, aloe, spider plant or money plant that are more forgiving to constant neglect.

Stun with statement pieces

Who says you can't have big items of furniture in a small apartment? Or a mismatched sofa that sticks out like sore thumb in your living area.

Instead of draping it with a throw blanket or hide it behind in the storeroom, why not embrace its quirkiness and make it the centre of your design inspiration.

It creates a focal point in the room and it diverts the attention from the fact that you're living in a 600-square feet studio apartment.

For more information on how you can achieve your home renovations and upgrades, be sure to check out the HOMElove exhibition this Aug 30 to Sept 2 at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur from 10am to 9pm.

At the event, you can get free tips and consultations from industry experts as well as feng shui talks on home renovations with Master James Lai and Master Ern Cher.

In addition, stand a chance to win a Zero U Cooper Ex massage chair and cash vouchers worth over RM200,000. There will also be a special giveaway during the event where one lucky HOMElove shopper will be rewarded with a 3D2N trip for two to Da Nang, Vietnam!

Alternatively, customers in Penang can head over to Setia SPICE Convention Centre on Aug 31 to Sept 2 where they could find similar deals on the latest home furnishings and living products.

This article is brought to you by HOMElove. To find out more about the expo, visit www.homelove.com.my or check out their FB page here.