I've been sourcing information off the internet and found an article on budget renovation ideas:
Never underestimate the power of a coat of paint. Adding a splash of colour can dramatically lift the mood of a room and make it look fresh and modern, or painting over a dark colour with a light colour can instantly make a room appear bigger and brighter.
Paint can cover up a multitude of troubles, from scuffed and faded walls to worn skirtings and timber panelling. And it’s not just the walls that can benefit from a slick paint job, either – painting tiles, floors, kitchen cabinetry, shelving, baths and basins are all viable options with the range of specialist paint available now.
Standard interior paint without any fancy finishes can start anywhere from around $30 for 4L, which is generally enough to paint the walls and trim of a medium-sized room. Dulux, Bunnings and Masters do a fantastic range of interior and exterior paint, including spray paint, effects paint and specialist paint for furniture, tiles and other materials.
The most important thing here: don’t make guesses. It’s always a good idea to drop into a paint or hardware store before you start and talk to a sales rep, to make sure you choose the right colour and the right amount of paint for your job.
#2: Update Lighting
There are plenty of easy and economical ways to add natural light and creative indoor lighting to your rooms, without having to install bifold doors or windows.
Skylights and light tubes make a cost-effective and unobtrusive addition to windowless hallways and rooms. You can find a great range of skylights at Velux and Solatube ranging around the $200-$500 mark, which will fit between your roof rafters and filter sunlight down into your home.
A lot of light tubes can even be combined with decorative lighting fixtures, so you can use them as a regular light at night while also bringing in the natural light you want during the day.
If your situation is a bit more limiting, mirrors make a fantastic (and cheap!) alternative to bounce light around the room. And if you have windows that look out onto a wall or fence, you can get more reflected light inside by painting it white or another pale, light colour.
#3: Install a Splashback
Here’s something you may not have thought of: fit a splashback to your kitchen or bathroom walls or surrounds for an instant, modern addition to your home that’s both practical and pleasing.
Reflections Splashback has a beautiful range of bathroom and kitchen splashbacks that combine the qualities of both glass and acrylic pieces into an innovative and much more affordable product. Prices start at $379 for standard sheet sizes, and you can also have your sheets pre-cut to the measurements you need.
Splashbacks are available in a huge selection of colours – both bright and subtle – and come with a high-gloss finish for a fresh and stylish look. And they’re not just for appearances’ sake either – they can effectively cover up worn, faded walls or old, water-stained splashbacks too.
But the best part about them? They can be easily installed by anyone with a bit of DIY know-how, so you won’t even have to shell out for a pro!
#4: Resurface the Benchtop
Kitchen benchtops are, not surprisingly, one of the most important and first noticed features of the room. But instead of pulling out the big bucks to strip and replace your benchtop, a resurface is a quick, much more affordable and just as effective way to get the same results.
There are a multitude of clever DIY products out there that let you give your benchtops a fresh new look – similar to a coat of paint – without the hefty price tag of changing them over. Rust-Oleum makes a brilliant resurfacing product called Transformations for laminate benchtops and countertops, which you can apply on your own without any special skills.
If your surface is looking shabby, this nifty transformation gives a smooth, granite-like finish that looks just like the real thing. A complete kit starts at around $200, which is enough to resurface 50 square feet (or approximately 4.6 square metres) of benchtop.
And just like with painting, make sure you measure your surface in advance so you know exactly how much product you’ll need. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through your project before realising you don’t have enough!
#5: Upgrade the Accessories
Small changes can make an amazing difference. Think seemingly minor updates like power outlet covers, cupboard and drawer handles, and light switches – these little accessories are inexpensive and fairly unnoticeable on their own, but together will really give your home the lift it needs.
Check out hardware and home décor stores like Bunnings and Ikea for resourceful, low-cost accessories and fixtures that you can easily stock up on for a few hundred dollars. They’re made for DIY and super easy to change over, instantly modernising your home and tying your larger design elements together.
Seems like ok advice, but the question is, is there a company I can contact in QLD that can look similar elements as mentioned in the articles and source your the items? I guess I'm look for a someone who can help me with minor design changes - in which case I'm thinking it may be better to get an interior designer in than a full on renovator supplier?