Your Home Improvement Resolution

Millions of people every year will make a new year resolution and millions of people will not keep to them, I know, I am one of them. This is mainly because they are not realistic, too many are made or they're not thought through enough. However if home improvement has been one of them we have some good tips to help keep you on the road to resolution.

• Decide what needs to be done


• Prioritise what need to be done


• Set yourself goals to achieve what needs to be done

In deciding what needs to be done you should try and take a subjective look at your home, a good way to do this is to take a walk around in the mindset of a prospective buyer, you will probably be shocked to see what is in need of improvement. Get a piece of paper and a pencil and walk through your home room by room.

Starting from the entrance to your home, be it a porch or hallway. Is it bright and welcoming, or dark and uninviting? Using softer and lighter shades of colour on the walls can make a dramatic improvement to how people first perceive your home. This can also be achieved of letting in more natural light, which is not always possible but can be remedied by adding more or brighter lighting fixtures.

The next logical step would be your Living Room, this is where you most need to feel relaxed and restful. So it is important that all the walls, furnishings, curtains and flooring be coordinated and harmonise with each other. Neutral tones on the walls are often used as a safe colour to achieve this effect and are easier to contrast with your other features. If you find your sofa is looking tired and worn, fitting made to measure sofa covers are a cheaper alternative to buying a new sofa.

Dinging Rooms are going to a big design essential for 2008 and visual indigestion will definitely not improve your family's appetite. Ever wondered why red is such a popular colour for restaurants and dining rooms? It's because it stimulates the appetite. It's also an energising colour and therefore a good backdrop for social situations. However, choose the shade carefully - you want to create warmth rather than an oppressive, angry atmosphere.

Now to your Kitchen, the most important factor of this room is hygiene. If there are any dirty marks damage to work surfaces or cupboards then the impression may not be very tasteful. The main idea of improvement to this room is make it as functional and pleasant to be in.

You may not think it but it can be quite simple and relatively cheap to spruce up you Bathroom. Just by replacing your taps, toilet seats, shower curtain/door etc. with new or modern fittings can make a real difference. Look at the flooring, we are becoming more European in our tastes and they regard carpet as unhygienic. Changing to cork, bamboo or ceramic tiles will give your bathroom a fresh, clean and modern look. Coloured suites are also out of fashion. Look out for offers at the DIY stores or on the Internet and consider replacement with plain white.

And finally your Boudoir. In the bedroom the obvious focal point should be your bed and dressed to command attention, this can be done in a number of fashions such as using bedspreads and scatter cushions. Colours again are important in creating the right atmosphere and reflect the personality of whoever this room is intended. You should take you time here to decide how you can create that ultimate feeling for yourself.