Curb appeal: the easiest way to add value to your home
Chantel’s front door transformation proves you don’t need a full renovation to make a home feel different before anyone even steps inside. A few small, achievable changes go a long way:
- Refresh the door. A fresh coat of paint and updated fixtures instantly modernise the entrance.
- Clean the tiles. It sounds simple, but a proper clean of your entryway tiles makes an immediate visual difference.
- Add greenery and height. Pots and plants, especially large-scale ones, soften the space and make it feel more welcoming.
Projects like this tend to cost less but have high impact, making them a great place to start if you’re easing into bigger renovation plans. For example, a basic front door refresh with paint, new fixtures, and some plants can often be done for around $300 to $800, depending on the products you choose and if you’re able to DIY. With professional help, many entryway updates can be around $1,000+. Having a ballpark figure can make it easier to plan your budget and prioritise which updates to tackle first.
3 mistakes to avoid when renovating your bathroom
Chantel’s bathroom reno looks incredible, but she was upfront about what she’d change next time.
- Matte black fixtures. They look striking in photos, but they scratch easily and are harder to keep looking new. Brushed nickel or brushed gold tend to be more practical without sacrificing style.
- Toilet placement and layout. Getting the floor plan right, ideally with the toilet concealed and a flow that makes sense, matters more than people expect, both for everyday living and resale value. Moving plumbing can be costly, often adding several thousand dollars to a renovation budget depending on the extent of the work and your home’s construction style. This is often the reason layout gets compromised early on.
- Free-standing bath. A freestanding bath pushed against a wall might look the part, but it’s genuinely hard to clean around. A back-to-wall bath solves the problem without losing the aesthetic.
3 mistakes to avoid when renovating your kitchen
Chantel’s kitchen reno followed a similar pattern: a beautiful result, with a few lessons learned for next time.
- Mirror splashbacks. Gorgeous if you’ve got a view to enjoy while cooking, but they show every mark and need constant wiping down.
- Cabinet height. Stopping cabinetry short of the ceiling, especially with vaulted ceilings, leaves storage and visual impact on the table. Going all the way up tends to pay off in both function and value.
- Sink choice. Skipping an undermount sink to save on budget is an easy trade-off, but it affects how easy the kitchen is to clean and use every day.
The common thread: budget shapes the outcome
Across all three projects, a few of the trade-offs Chantel would change in hindsight came down to budget at the time, not preference. Moving plumbing, extending cabinetry to the ceiling, or upgrading to an undermount sink are the kinds of decisions that are far easier to get right the first time than to fix later.
This is where a personal loan can be worth considering. Renovation costs don’t always land neatly within what’s sitting in savings, and a personal loan can give you the flexibility to make a layout or finish decision based on what works long-term, rather than what fits this month’s budget alone.
NOW Finance is an Aussie-owned, non-bank lender offering Home Improvement Loans with fixed interest rates and no ongoing or early repayment fees, so if your renovation budget changes along the way, you’re not locked in.
Thinking about your own renovation?
Whether it’s a front door refresh or a full bathroom and kitchen overhaul, the projects that usually go smoothly have the budget sorted before the tradies arrive.
Check your personalised rate for a home renovation loan in two minutes with no impact on your credit score. You only need some basic personal details and an Australian Driver’s Licence or Australian Passport.
