Left the reno too late? The micro updates to refresh your home before Christmas

It’s that point in the calendar when everyone starts asking “where did the year go?”

As the long weekend rolls out, the inevitability of Christmas beckons and with it, all the tasks around the house that have been left undone. While it is definitely too late to start a major renovation, there’s just enough time to do some small updates that will have a big impact when guests drop by. That is, if you follow a few simple guidelines to keep the project – and your sanity – on track.

Update your kitchen before the end of the year with new lighting and new cupboard doors.Credit: Laminex x Studio Doherty

Keep trades to a minimum

If you’re thinking that there’s time to widen a doorway, install a built-in banquette or redo that small second bathroom, forget it, says head of interiors at Studio Johnston, Stefania Reynolds.

“In terms of the reality of the availability of trades before Christmas it is really hard,” she says. “Everyone gets really booked up after September and people are reluctant to do small jobs like widening doorways.”

Better, she says, to zero in on tasks where just one trade is required.

“You need to narrow down your trades,” she says. “Changing the lighting is quite easy and you just need an electrician. If you have those hideous oyster lights or you want to add warmth, lights can make a huge difference.”

Swapping old fittings for sparkling new pendant lights can have a significant impact in the dining area or over the kitchen benchtop.

If you’re expecting guests, the bathroom can often end up being the hardest-working room in the house. It’s also where most people have time to themselves to cast their eye over your style. Reynolds says there are a few areas you can update, either by securing a professional or doing it yourself.

“You can change the tapware and update chrome tapware to brass,” she says. “There are certain finishes that are quite dated. You could swap it out for something in a beautiful bronze finish. Even going from a chrome finish to a brushed nickel will update the bathroom.”

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If your bathroom tiles are dated or you don’t like them, Reynolds says there are products such as microcement, a latex polymer and stone mix, that can be applied over tiles to give a concrete finish.

“It has a beautiful plaster finish,” she says.

Interior designer Michelle Viret says for an even more dramatic result in the bathroom, a bold wallpaper can have a transformative effect, although if you are unfamiliar with wallpapering, it’s a job best left to professionals.

“If you have tiling on a couple of walls, wallpaper can have a massive impact,” she says. “But you will need vinyl-backed wallpaper to withstand water in the room.”

Go bold with wallpaper in the bathroom, such as this custom-designed vinyl-backed paper, suited to wet areas.Credit: Michelle Viret Design

In soft traffic areas like bedrooms, Reynolds says replacing worn carpets can be done while you’re at work. “Old carpets are pretty awful and it’s really nice [to upgrade] if you have kids playing on the floor,” she says.

Time to DIY

In truth, tracking down any trades at this time of year may be a struggle. Interior designer Andrew Waller says trades such as joiners and even upholsterers have generally closed their books for the year by now. Instead, he says, it might be worth brushing up on your DIY skills and pulling out the tools.

If you’re in the market for fittings or fixtures such as lights, shelving or even furniture, he says it pays to stay close to home.

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“Local manufacturers are your friend if time is short,” he says. “They might be more expensive, but you don’t have to worry about shipping. Some suppliers want to do their shipping all in one go, which can slow down deliveries.”

Aside from shopping your way to a beautiful home before Christmas, perhaps the most accessible task is to pull out the brushes and the drop sheets and update your chosen rooms with a fresh coat of paint.

“Some people like to refresh a space per season; that’s something that will give a space an instant lift,” Waller says.

If you’re handy with the tools, Reynolds says you can update the kitchen with a new splashback and new cupboard doors.

“One thing that is super easy is changing the kitchen cupboard cabinet door fronts,” she says. “You can replace handles and cabinet door fronts and the kitchen looks new. A refresher of your door fronts and some really beautiful handles can have a huge impact.”

If the kitchen splashback looks tired and you don’t have the time or the skills to replace it, Reynolds says for an instant lift, you can adhere a piece of mirror, cut exactly to size by a glazier, over the existing tiles.

Made-to-measure window coverings can screen an unsightly view or manage heat penetration. They are also within the DIY realm.Credit: Tuiss Blinds Online

Window coverings such as made-to-measure roman blinds or sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains can still be ordered for delivery before Christmas and are suitable for DIY installation. They can also screen an unsightly view or offer some protection from summer heat penetrating the house.

“Curtains add a softness that is stunning and a relief from the harshness of glass,” she says. “Because it is summer, you can leave the door open and let the curtain billow. It can transform a room, and it’s a really easy change to make.”

Do the odd jobs

Pressure wash the exterior, fix or replace broken skirting boards, oil the deck. In short, it’s time to tackle all those tasks you’ve been putting off over the winter. When in doubt, Reynolds says, it’s worth assessing your home as guests might do, starting with the front door.

“The sight line from the door instantly sets the tone of the space in the first three seconds – and you never get them back,” she says. “Add some greenery to the space with plants to create softness.

“The key to the micro-renovation is to make it easy, fun and achievable. And make it realistic. It’s pre-Christmas, so don’t add any more stress.”

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