5 DIY decor cheats

Blessed with a brown thumb? If pot plants aren’t your friends, take the whole soil and watering thing out of the equation by literally bringing the outdoors inside in the form of beautiful foliage snipped, pruned or hacked from the garden. Asparagus fern is an invasive pest in some states, but trimmed and arranged in a gleaming jar or glass it is all feathery green elegance that will stay vibrant in water for a week or longer. Japanese maple cuttings are gorgeous in summer green or autumnal garb, and fruit-tree prunings from citrus or olive trees are kitchen-y and rustic. Try herb or nasturtium cuttings on a kitchen bench or window-sill, and fragrant lemon or apple blossom sprigs in the bathroom. It’s cheerful and really cheap.

If a kitchen reno doesn’t feature in this year’s budget, and your current tiles are dating the room, hit the refresh button with a paint job. Invest in specialist tile primer and paint, or use two coats of wipe-clean high-gloss enamel after the primer. Carefully follow instructions for cleaning, degreasing and priming the tiles, before adding your life-changing top coat.

If you’re renting and can’t hack into the walls, or you don’t know a spring toggle hook from Blu-Tak, the art of the prop is for you. Simply prop or lean a painting or print against the wall instead of hanging it. Really big framed prints or mirrors can rest on the floor, others on a sideboard or cabinet or shelving. Group it into a still life with a couple of vases or a plant or ornament. Prop a framed food-themed poster at the wall end of your breakfast bar, or requisition a kitchen chair or painter’s easel to hoist a little art into a neglected corner. Propped on a footstool, a vintage album collection is a mini gallery on rotation.

Like tiles and cabinet handles, last decade’s taps can seriously date a kitchen or bathroom. The good news is that replacing them will update the room instantly. This job is beginner territory for amateur plumbers, but you can always find a tradie to help. Pay a little more for better-quality tapware.

Cabinetry or drawer handles and knobs might seem insignificant in the context of a full renovation, but a little updated hardware can lift a tired kitchen or a set of drawers cheaply and almost instantly. A set of four hand-painted ceramic knobs, for example, can set you back less than $10 and will cutesify a kid’s bedroom drawers. Hop online for an endless array of options, from glam cut-glass or carved resin knobs to stately ‘antique’ brass handles. Match your new purchases to the drill holes of the existing hardware and you’ll barely need the toolbox.