homeowners should not be afraid to experiment with bold colours when carrying out DIY projects, one interior designer has insisted.

Speaking to the Telegraph newspaper, Jill Scholes said people are often afraid to make mistakes, so shy away from vivid hues.

“They stick to neutrals,” she explained. “But then they end up with a bland interior without any identity.”

“What colour does is instantly define a room – you can walk into a space and feel it has personality.”

However, popery developer Steve Rigby expressed a note of caution.

“I do think colour can cheer you up,” he told the publication. “It’s very personal, though. You have to be sure you can live with it.”

Indeed, experimenting with colour does not mean choosing wacky combinations that will clash with the rest of the home and the furniture.

Designer Caroline Newsome suggested using colours that are opposite one another on the colour wheel.

She said such combinations often found in nature. For example, a blue sky at sunset streaked with orange and pink, or the greens and lilacs of spring flowers.

Posted by Barney Marshall
 

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Replacing doors and windows is becoming increasingly common for US homeowners, a new report has indicated.

The study by the National Association of home Builders (NAHB) found that difficult economic conditions have led households to focus on small changes rather than large-scale projects.

Figures from the organisation show that homeowners in America have been more inclined to spend on door replacements and window upgrades rather than total room remodelling.

However, kitchen refurbishment and bathroom renovations are still popular areas for home improvements.

“We expect the rest of 2010 to be a period of stabilisation for remodelling, with the first stages of recovery emerging by the end of the year, followed by a more robust recovery beginning early next year,” explained David Crowe, chief economist of the NAHB.

Last week, the UK-based National home Improvement Council announced that it expects to see a more positive attitude towards DIY home upgrades this autumn.
 

Posted by Thomas Morris 

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Grants to undertake DIY home improvements or pay for professional workers have hit the £1 million mark in Windsor and Maidenhead.

The Royal Borough has made the funding available to over-60s in the last two years, in a bid to make older homeowners more secure and comfortable.

Funding offered by the local authority has been used to complete tasks such as double glazing, wall and loft insulation, rewiring, repairs to roofs and installing energy-efficient solar panels.

Payment for new boilers and replacement kitchens has also come out of the loans.

Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for adult and community services at the Royal Borough, said: “This loan scheme has proved extremely popular among senior borough homeowners and we have received many positive endorsements from borrowers and their families.

“Its success certainly reinforces our commitment to helping our more senior residents reap the benefits that home improvements can bring as they approach or enjoy retirement.”
 

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DIY Britons have been told that a new kitchen can make a property appear more modern and stylish.

An article which appears on AboutMyArea claims that a newly-fitted kitchen is one of the most valuable DIY projects that can be undertaken.

Kitchen refurbishment will add value to a home, according to the website, which explained that it can also help to capture the attention of any potential home buyers.

“A new kitchen, combined with a painting and decorating job and new central heating, will not be cheap,” the site warned.

“But the property will receive three major improvements that will tick any buyer’s boxes.”

Meanwhile, Aaron Crowe, of Wallet Pop, claimed recently that simple DIY projects can offer cost effective or even cost free solutions to revamping the home.

Mr Crowe explained that de-cluttering the home cannot only be carried out without incurring any costs, but it can also allow DIY Britons to make some money by holding a garage sale of their unused items.

Posted by Thomas Morris

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DIY kitchen upgrades have been identified as one of a number of possible ways of increasing the value of a home.

Property expert Phil Spencer, however, claimed that increasing the value of real state could now require more work from the owner.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he explained that this is because unemployment is expected to rise following cuts to public sector spending.

“You can’t just sit back and wait for your house to make you enough money to move on,” Mr Spencer remarked. “You are going to have to take active steps to create that extra value for yourself.”

Meanwhile, an article on clickpress.com claimed recently that simple DIY changes to a kitchen can alter the whole look of a home.

The kitchen is the most popular room to start home decoration, according to the article, which added that it is also the most used part of any abode.

Posted by Jenny Summer

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Simple DIY changes to a kitchen can alter the whole look of a home, it has been claimed.

According to an article on clickpress.com, the kitchen is the most popular room to start home decoration and it is also the most used part of any abode.

The website explains: “Kitchen improvement often focusses on the accessories, the flooring, windows and walls are also important to the design.”

However, prior to undertaking DIY projects, homeowners need to design and plan reconstructions carefully, which means that the design and plan will fit within budget.

Meanwhile, the British Retail Consortium revealed recently that outdoor DIY sales climbed last month, as an increasing number of consumers acquired leisure and home improvement products in the warm weather.

Indeed, retail transaction values grew across the UK with a 1.2 per cent year-on-year rise seen in June, despite the 1.4 per cent increase recorded at the same time last year.

Posted by Jenny Summer

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homeowners should prioritise DIY projects over taking a summer holiday, it has been claimed.

According to Andrew Leech, director at the NHIC, some Britons are delaying improving their home in order to spend their earnings on trips overseas.

Mr Leech, however, stated that DIY improvements are “more essential” than a summer vacation.

“People are thinking about going away on holiday and not spending as much money on DIY improvements,” he observed, “but that is rather a negative approach because really home improvements should take priority over holidays.”

The NHIC’s director added that Britons who undertake DIY projects are now “concentrating more on their gardens”.

Meanwhile, an article on clickpress.com claimed recently that simple DIY changes to a kitchen can alter the whole look of a home.

The website observed that the kitchen is the most popular room to start home decoration.

Prior to undertaking DIY projects, however, it warned homeowners to design and plan reconstructions carefully.

Posted by Jenny Summer

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A DIY expert has insisted that wooden interiors are very much in vogue at present.

Carolyn Park, head of design practice for Carolyn Park Interior Design, observed that DIY projects using timber are very fashionable at the moment.

“I would say it’s more than popular,” she commented. “It’s the style and feel and the fact that it is quality.”

Ms Park added that using the material for interiors is also more environmentally friendly than choosing plastics.

This follows claims made recently by DIY expert Sarah Lonsdale that cork flooring is one of the best ways of insulating against heat loss.

Writing for the Daily Telegraph, Ms Lonsdale explained that in addition to features like double glazed windows, cork flooring can help to improve insulation levels.

Cork and lino flooring are biodegradable, she said, adding that they do not retain the sort of materials that cause suffering for those with allergies.

Posted by Jenny Summer

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