Jennifer Sheahan: How to give your home a January refresh
Swap out handles: Pictured here is Jennifer's downstairs bathroom. Picture: Moya Nolan
I embrace Christmas wholeheartedly, but by the time January rolls around I’m feeling a bit antsy and ready for something new. Taking down my Christmas decorations makes my house feel a bit empty for a while, but it’s also not a month where I have extra money to spend. I don’t think I’m alone in feeling like January is approximately 7,324 million days long, so I like a little project around this time of year to give me something to do.
Here are some easy, inexpensive things you can try when you’re bored this month and as a bonus, they’re also easily reversible if you hate the results.
Nothing gives your home an easier, quicker facelift than a change of hardware. This could be kitchen handles, bathroom vanity handles, wardrobe handles, or door handles — anywhere there’s a handle, you can swap it. First, check your handles to make sure you can easily remove them — the vast majority simply have a screw somewhere that you remove.
Then measure what depth (how thick the door is) and what size you need for your replacement handle. Shop for new, prettier handles at Ikea, handlecraft.ie, Superfront.com, Oliver Bonas, Woodies, busterandpunch.com, and Knobs and Knockers. Screw in your new hardware and relish the sense of accomplishment. So simple you can do it whenever you want. Have a bunch of different handles for every occasion, why not?
If you’re feeling like you need a pop of colour somewhere, but you don’t want a full accent wall, then choose somewhere less obvious like an alcove, skirting, architraves, bannisters, behind shelves, or stair risers. These areas are small, so adding some colour is easy (and reversible), but it will still make a big impact. If you’re painting, first prepare the area with some light sanding and mask off the area with Frog tape.
You can also look for peel-and-stick wallpaper for the easiest way to add some pattern — these are easy to apply but also peel right off if you don’t like them. Finally, if adding more colour sounds like too much, you can add a metallic accent using gold leaf (or silver or copper leaf). This is inexpensive and widely available, and is easily applied — simply brush on and seal with varnish.
Mixing up your lampshades is another great way to bring in something new with minimal effort. You could swap fabric for glass, or add a fringe to an existing lampshade. This is a great excuse to go browsing secondhand shops for some fabulous antique lampshades or have a look on Etsy for some incredible handmade ones. Shady and the Lamp in Terenure in Dublin has a fabulously dramatic range of lampshades if you’re in the area. If you have light fixtures you’d like to update, this is more complicated than just swapping lampshades and will involve some rewiring which is very doable but please consult a professional (or a good YouTube video if you feel confident!). Please do not electrocute yourself here — turn off the electricity at the mains before touching anything!
Window treatments is a fancy term for curtains and blinds and anything else you use to cover or surround your windows. An easy way to switch up your style is to swap out your curtains or add a layer on to what you currently have — for example, add a sheer blind behind your curtains, or add accent voile curtains over your existing blinds. Layers add depth and elegance to your home — it’s a good idea to choose contrasting textures to maximise this effect, such as rough linen blinds with smooth silk curtains.
To make this extra easy, you can use a tension rod within your window frame which will support a blind made of light fabric. Another simple uplift (literally) is to raise your curtain pole. This will give your room the illusion of height. It doesn’t matter if your window doesn’t go all the way up to the ceiling — the curtains can be hung a lot higher, ideally about 5-10cm below the ceiling. Ensure your curtains reach the floor — it’s fine if they are a little too long, but don’t hang them too short!
It depends! When buying car insurance, your provider will ask if there have been any modifications made to your car, and you must declare to your insurer if you make any modifications while under their cover. If you do not declare this, your insurance may be invalid if you get into an accident. What exactly those modifications are can vary from insurer to insurer, and if you’re planning a microcamper conversion then it’s best to check with your insurer first. If you go ahead with a conversion, there are specialist insurance companies out there who are equipped to provide cover for camper vehicles — check out Arachas, Dolmen, Ornella, Carole Nash, and LHK.
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