Are you looking for quick and inexpensive ways to update a room in your house? Great news! You don’t need to hire a decorator or spend a lot to give a room a fresh new look. Whether you are planning on selling, recently moved in, or need a change, here are four easy tips to have you enjoying your home in no time!

1. Add an accent! No, I don’t mean learn a new language
Accent walls, also known as feature walls, are a great way to enhance the look of any room in your home. Easily transform your bland space into something special by changing just one wall in the room. Painting a feature wall is an easy and affordable way of refreshing the look of any room. Contrast lighter walls with darker accent colours to make it stand out. Passive colours, such as blues greens and purples, create a calming effect and promote focus and relaxation. Active colours, such as reds yellows and oranges stimulate and excite the mind. Another affordable option is adding wallpaper to an existing wall, which lets you avoid painting if that’s not your thing. Wallpaper has come a long way, and there are some fantastic options. It comes in various designs, colours and textures to let you completely customize your wall. When selecting your wallpaper, consider trendy stripes, which can create the illusion of higher ceilings or timeless and elegant florals. Textured wallpaper is a bold choice, and it also allows you to paint over it, making it an easy transition anytime you need a refresh.

2. Update your art
Do you have a budding artist in the family? Use some of your kid’s art on the walls for a personal touch. Another option is to pick up a calendar of one of your favourite artists. This gives you at least 12 options to choose from. Framing is notoriously expensive. Dollarama and Walmart are both great options for mid-range frames. Or better yet, pick up a few second-hand frames and customize them to your liking. Thrift stores and Facebook marketplace always offer interesting, cheap options. From there, you can spray paint or paint the frames to match your decor. Check out this excellent tutorial for step-by-step instructions. Click Here

3. Style your bookshelf
Bookshelves are amazing; they keep you organized and can be a great focal point. The beauty of this is you don’t have to run out and buy a whole bunch of brand-new decor. You also don’t need to be an experienced interior designer. With a few quick changes, you can create designer-quality shelves. Always start with the top shelf and work down. A key ingredient to designer quality shelves is layering home decor in varying heights. Mixing home decor items with your books gives it a more curated look. Some ideas for additional items would be plants, family photos, candles, and sentimental knickknacks. Your end goal is for the bookcase or shelf to look curated and thought out, not piled high with every pretty thing you own.

4. Change your textiles
Looking for a way to showcase your personal style? There’s no better way than updating your textiles. From the neutral minimalist to the bold maximalist, there’s a fabric for everyone. Replace your curtains and pillowcases for a quick fix. Never underestimate the power of a beautiful throw blanket. With the cooler weather coming, it’s the perfect time to toss one on your bed, couch, or chair. Their addition will bring instant visual appeal. Are you bored with your headboard? For a super simple project, take the measurements and hit up your local fabric shop. Secure the fabric around the back of your headboard using a staple gun. If you’re feeling crafty, check out these 9 fabric DIY projects by The Spruce Crafts. Click Here

With both parents and all of my siblings either current or former serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, my family is intimately familiar with all that goes into a move—whether across town or across the country. The options when buying that new home are seemingly endless, from proximity to grocery stores and other amenities, to neighbourhood walkability, to, of course, number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

As more young couples and families begin to look at buying their first homes, one factor stands out above the rest in ways that it may not have before— a home’s proximity to good schools. Whether purchasing because of a move or simply as the next step after renting, for many the consideration of local elementary and even high schools, and the catchment district into which their new home may fall, is front-of-mind for young buyers in today’s market.

Throughout my nineteen years in real estate, I have worked with people of all age and income brackets. As time progresses and with some becoming repeat clients, it has been interesting to me to see the way that priorities change over time. Many clients who were young singles when we first worked together are now parents (or soon-to-be parents), and are buying in specific neighbourhoods because of their little ones’ future schools!

It’s not only parents with University and College dreams who are house shopping with specific schools in mind, either. In a Realtor.com survey of almost 1,000 prospective buyers, more than 90 percent said that school boundaries were an important factor in their search. Whether looking for a solid French immersion program, a plethora of after school activities, or simply a high overall school ranking, the reality is that a high priority is being placed on schools.

This also has farther-reaching effects on the real estate market than may seem obvious at first. As more parents pay attention to the Fraser Institute rankings and public opinion on schools in their prospective neighbourhoods, many forward-thinking buyers without children, and who never intend to have them, are purposely buying within the boundaries of good school districts too. Why? Not only do neighbourhoods and communities with good schools often attract better amenities and resources, but this higher demand for homes also naturally increases the value of the homes in that area. Beyond the home’s increase in value, is the high likelihood of being able to resell easily when the time comes; homes in good school districts are always in demand and unlikely to leave sellers waiting for too long.

I never imagined, at the beginning of my real estate career, how much I would learn about the relative merits of elementary and high schools. Whether you have kids now, plan to someday, or simply want to ensure you get good value in your next home purchase, school districts have become one of the most important considerations you can make. Time to study up!

With both parents and all of my siblings either current or former serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, my family is intimately familiar with all that goes into a move—whether across town or across the country. The options when buying that new home are seemingly endless, from proximity to grocery stores and other amenities, to neighbourhood walkability, to, of course, number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

As more young couples and families begin to look at buying their first homes, one factor stands out above the rest in ways that it may not have before— a home’s proximity to good schools. Whether purchasing because of a move or simply as the next step after renting, for many the consideration of local elementary and even high schools, and the catchment district into which their new home may fall, is front-of-mind for young buyers in today’s market.

Throughout my nineteen years in real estate, I have worked with people of all age and income brackets. As time progresses and with some becoming repeat clients, it has been interesting to me to see the way that priorities change over time. Many clients who were young singles when we first worked together are now parents (or soon-to-be parents), and are buying in specific neighbourhoods because of their little ones’ future schools!

It’s not only parents with University and College dreams who are house shopping with specific schools in mind, either. In a Realtor.com survey of almost 1,000 prospective buyers, more than 90 percent said that school boundaries were an important factor in their search. Whether looking for a solid French immersion program, a plethora of after school activities, or simply a high overall school ranking, the reality is that a high priority is being placed on schools.

This also has farther-reaching effects on the real estate market than may seem obvious at first. As more parents pay attention to the Fraser Institute rankings and public opinion on schools in their prospective neighbourhoods, many forward-thinking buyers without children, and who never intend to have them, are purposely buying within the boundaries of good school districts too. Why? Not only do neighbourhoods and communities with good schools often attract better amenities and resources, but this higher demand for homes also naturally increases the value of the homes in that area. Beyond the home’s increase in value, is the high likelihood of being able to resell easily when the time comes; homes in good school districts are always in demand and unlikely to leave sellers waiting for too long.

I never imagined, at the beginning of my real estate career, how much I would learn about the relative merits of elementary and high schools. Whether you have kids now, plan to someday, or simply want to ensure you get good value in your next home purchase, school districts have become one of the most important considerations you can make. Time to study up!