I sat down with David Mayer who has been in the home design, painting and renovation business for 25+ years to ask him what’s his advice on upgrading your space and maintaining what you already have (PHOTO: Designecologist).
Here are a few small ways to upgrade your space:
Add an accent wall
“If you just want a small change, just one accent wall can be a great way to change things up,” said David Mayer, of Decorative David Designs. “It’s a great thing to do if you want a pop of something.” You can choose colorful paint or a bold removable wallpaper – to make things easier for the next time you want a change.
New drawer pulls, knobs
Changing out hardware on furniture and cabinetry can give a whole new look. “When you do new hardware, don’t necessarily go with everything everyone has. Pick something unique. Then it will be a conversation piece,” Mayer advised.
Paint your furniture
Perhaps you have a great piece of furniture in desperate need of an update. Paint it with chalk paint. “Chalk paint is easy to use,” Mayer said. “It has a sort of weathered-finish and is not expensive.”
Install new switch plates
Yes, white switch plates go with everything and keep the look of your walls consistent, but sometimes a bold, patterned switch plate is just the perfect thing you need for an easy, subtle way to change up the look of a space.
Change your decor seasonally
“You can switch things up seasonally and get a whole new vibe,” said Mayer. He suggests storing your decor under your bed and changing it out for a satisfying new look. “Take things and put them in different groupings so your home can look refreshed and different,” he said.
Plants
Add some new flowers or plants to your home – inside, outside or both. You can use beautiful, decorative flower pots to add oomph to your space. “It’s a wonderful way to feel a fresh lively feeling,” Mayer said.
When it comes to home improvement tasks, there are things you can do vs. the things you need to do to keep your home in tiptop shape. Keeping up with home maintenance will have less impact on your wallet and allow those other projects to happen.
And here David suggests, the home maintenance chores you should already be doing:
Caulking around your bathtub and plumbing areas
Make sure to check for cracks and to caulk around your tub. “If you don’t, you can end up with seepage or mold,” said David Mayer of Decorative David. Mayer said you need to use a silicone-based mold because it’s waterproof. “A lot of caulks aren’t watertight,” he said.
Give TLC to your A/C
Every Floridian knows how important their air conditioner is. There are two major things you can do to keep it happy. First, change your filters on a regular basis. “It is a little bit of a confusing topic,” said Mayer. “The rule used to be every 30 days, but there are a lot of new filters that say they last longer. You have to know what works for you.” Mayer said that if you have issues with dust or are a pet owner, you will definitely want to change the filter more often. It helps to check the filter for dust build up, especially if you notice any changes in temperature.
The other thing you need to do is to get your a/c serviced. “It’s something most people never ever do,” Mayer said. Air conditioners clog up often. You don’t know there’s a problem until you have a major leak or a backup,” Mayer said. He said that he has a company come out twice a year to service his. “It saves you a fortune in the long run,” he said.
Pressure clean your roof
In the rest of the world, you can get away with pressure cleaning your roof every two years, but here in Florida, it needs to be done more often because of our frequent storms. “When you see there’s a lot of discoloration and plaque, you should do it. It will prevent problems down the line,” said Mayer.
Combat rust stains
See those yellow stains on the pavement on your patio area? That’s from rust and it won’t go away on its own. To keep these areas looking nice and clean, there are many products on the market that treat these issues. Be sure to do your research. Mayer said he uses Rust Aid.
“I just spray it on and it’s like a miracle,” he said. This is a common issue because of the hard water in Florida.
Maintain your plants
“A lot of people plant plants and don’t do anything else,” Mayer said. “Plants need love.”
Your greenery needs to be pruned, watered and given attention to flourish. “Otherwise, you’re going to end up with sad plants.” Let’s try to keep everyone happy – give your plants some love.
For more info on David Mayer, you can reach him at 954-803-9417 or visit his website at decorativedavid.com.
