How to refresh a house that’s solid but a bit tired.

Not every home comes with your dream finishes. Maybe the hallway is a little bland, the colour palette makes you feel like you’ve time-travelled, or the kitchen benchtop has seen better days. But before you rip it all out or start pricing up a full renovation, take a breath. There’s often a lot you can do with what’s already there, especially if the structure is solid and the layout mostly works.

This is about working with what you’ve got, without settling. A little bit of vision, a few smart swaps, and a touch of layering can go a long way. Let me explain.

You don’t have to do a full reno to elevate your home.

Clad it and carry on

Add instant texture to flat spaces.

When walls are bland or a little beaten up, cladding is a clever fix. VJ panels are a go-to, but they’re just the beginning. There are so many options now that can bring a space to life. Think fluted panels, batten-style profiles, demi rounds, scalloped edges or even reeded board designs that add light and shadow play. Each option brings its own kind of rhythm and depth, and it all depends on the feel you’re after.

These styles can go straight over the top of what’s there and work beautifully in hallways, laundries, entryways or anywhere that needs a bit more presence. You can take the cladding all the way to the ceiling or stop halfway and turn it into classic wainscoting. To give it a finished look, add a nice trim or ledge across the top, something simple in timber or painted to match the wall colour. It adds that extra bit of depth and can double as a narrow shelf in tighter spots.

Paint it to suit your style. Keep it light and bright for a classic coastal feel or go darker and moodier to add drama. It’s far less work than replastering and gives you something with character you can build on.

Check out the Laminex website for some beautiful options.

Fake the height

Tricks to lift a low room.

Not every home has lofty ceilings, but there are ways to make them feel taller. One of the easiest and most effective is adjusting your curtains. Curtains that are too short tend to chop the room up and can cheapen the whole look. But hang them right at the ceiling and let them fall all the way to the floor, and suddenly the room feels more elegant, more generous.

Wave fold curtains on a ceiling-mounted track create a soft, continuous flow that adds height and luxury in one go. Even if your windows are standard height, this approach changes the visual proportions and draws the eye upward.

You can carry this vertical emphasis through the space with tall bookshelves, floor-length mirrors and artwork that plays with vertical lines. Floor lamps, slim cabinetry, even the way you stack your books can all contribute. You’re not actually raising the roof, but it can feel like you did, and sometimes that’s all you need.

There really is nothing worse than curtains that finish half a meter above the floor.

The power of trim

How skirting can ground the room.

Skinny trims can make a space feel a bit flat, especially in older homes that once had more generous proportions. Swapping them for taller skirtings or deeper architraves is one of those subtle upgrades that adds weight and grounding without taking over.

In Australia, there’s a wide range of profiles available to suit different styles of homes. For a more modern or midcentury space, go for a flat or gently rounded profile in timber and consider leaving it varnished for a retro feel. In period homes, you can go bold with Victorian or Federation-style profiles that have more detailing and a chunkier presence. They add instant charm and a sense of history to the space.

If a full replacement isn’t in the budget, you can cheat by adding a narrow strip of moulding just above the existing board and painting it all the same colour. And while you’ve got the brush out, consider painting the skirtings, architraves and even the doors in a contrasting tone or a rich neutral. It’s a simple shift that gives the whole room more intention and polish.

I love skirting boards that are not white!

Make an entrance

Give your entryway a purpose.

Even without a formal entryway, you can still create a welcoming, practical spot that sets the tone for the rest of your home. It doesn’t need to be grand, just thoughtful.

Start by giving the space a job. Is it where you take off muddy boots, where you drop your keys, or where you need a reminder note stuck to the wall before you dash out the door? Defining what you need from it helps shape what you put there.

A simple chair or bench can be a game changer. Not only does it give you somewhere to sit and tie your shoes, it also anchors the corner and signals that the space has purpose. Pair it with a mirror to reflect light and create height. A large round one softens the lines or go tall and narrow to pull the eye upward.

Storage is your next layer. Maybe it’s a freestanding wardrobe or vintage cabinet to hold bags, hats and coats. Or a series of hooks above a shelf with baskets below for the daily bits and pieces. Add a rug to define the area and soften the step in. Even in open plan homes, a rug underfoot can give that sense of you’re here now.

And don’t underestimate the power of a few small styling moments. A bowl for keys, a little lamp for glow, maybe a framed photo or a dried flower stem. It doesn’t need to look like a showroom. It just needs to feel like you thought about it.

Swap out old handles for something prettier.

Kitchen chronicles

Small tweaks, big change.

If the bones are good, there’s plenty you can do to shift the mood of a kitchen without gutting the whole thing. Start with the island. Swapping out the benchtop for something with more character, like butcher’s block, recycled timber or even a remnant stone slab, can lift the whole space. And if the sides feel a bit plain, try tiling them. It’s a small detail that adds texture and gives the whole piece an artisanal, one of a kind feel.

Cabinet carcasses still in good shape? Great. That means you can change just the doors. Flat fronts can be swapped for shaker style or even reeded panels if you want more dimension. Painting them in a new colour can also do wonders. Something warm, earthy or even a bit unexpected. Pair it with new hardware like aged brass, leather pulls, vintage glass or something playful and mixed. These tiny details have big impact.

Open shelving in place of a row of overhead cabinets is another easy upgrade. It can make a kitchen feel more relaxed, breathable and lived in. Style it with crockery, glass jars or a few gathered finds from op shops or travels. You don’t need to go full minimalist, just let things breathe a little.

Lighting is another area where personality can shine. Try a vintage pendant over the island or even a small lamp on the bench for soft evening glow. These are the touches that make the space feel warm, layered and lived in, not just a place to cook.

And if your splashback is letting the team down, don’t underestimate how much a fresh one can lift the entire room. Leftover tiles, handmade ceramics, even tongue and groove panelling sealed properly can give your kitchen a fresh feel without blowing the budget.

I’ve been there. Most of us don’t have the budget to do absolutely everything the way we’d love to. You’ve got to be clever about where the money goes. Sometimes that means working with what’s already there, and sometimes it means saving the bigger spend for something you really care about, like that dream kitchen you’ve been thinking about for years.

It’s not about doing it all. It’s about making a few smart moves that shift how a space feels to live in. A new paint colour, better curtains, nicer handles. They may seem small, but they change your day. And that’s what matters most.

Until next time.

Vera x

When the bones are good…