HOME DZINE | Interior Home Improvement and Home Renovation Ideas

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How to Maintain and Care for Your Building Materials Post-renovation

Continue reading to discover essential strategies for maintaining and caring for your building materials post-renovation.

Skills You Should Have To Do Your Own Home Improvements

With so many homeowners tackling their own home improvement projects, it helps to know what skills you need to do these with a professional outcome.

Are South Africans Taking Home Renovation Into Their Own Hands?

According to Remax, South Africans are turning to home renovations to increase their property value but are looking for ways to reduce costs.

When Do You Have To Worry About Cracks in Walls

We all know how to fix hairline cracks but what do you have to do for larger cracks and when should you be concerned?

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Fashionable Fireplace Ideas From Cemcrete

A built-in fireplace is still one of the most popular and practical ways to heat a home and Cemcrete finishes give any fireplace a fashionable look whatever the style of the home.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Interior Architect

Here are a few reasons why hiring a professional interior architect is the best choice when remodelling a property.

Underfloor Heating: Understanding Heat Output

Before you decide to install radiant heat floors in your home, it’s vital to understand how much heat they’re going to put out.

Ideas for Modernizing an Old Staircase

Here are some ideas that you can put to use to modernize an existing staircase.

DIY Solution for a Mobile Room Divider or Partition Wall

Closing off an area in an open-plan home with a mobile room divider or freestanding partition wall are an easy and DIY solution using board products or brick and mortar.

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Plan Successfully for Home Improvement Projects

Every homeowner wants to do the occasional home improvement project and planning a successful project is all about sourcing the best materials at the most affordable cost.

Tips To Organise And Make More Use Of Your Garage

A garage is a catch-all for anything that has no other place to go but it's clever to keep a garage organised to make full use of it.

Ideas On How To Modernise A Dated Home

If you live in an older - dated - home and want to give it an updated look on a budget, take a look at these easy decorating ideas.

Avoid These Home Design Mistakes When Renovating Your House

To help plan with your renovation project, here are some of the home design mistakes to avoid.

Why It's A Good Idea To Renovate Before You Move In

If you are thinking about buying a new home, you might want to consider what renovations need to be done before moving in.

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Renovate to Sell your House

With property values taking a negative dive, you want your house to shine above all the others, and these jobs will pay off at the end of the day.

Time for a new front door

Not much thought is given to the front door of a home, but this is one part of a house that demands attention if you want to add curb appeal to your home.

Save Money On Renovation Costs

When looking to take on a bathroom or kitchen renovation it helps to have some control over the costs and there are a few ways that you can do this.

Using Refurbished Wood For A Sustainable Home

In recent times, the world has seen a decline in the number of trees and with this came the decision to refurbish, or re-use wood, rather than buying new.

Ideas to Disguise Cracks in a Rental Home

When you rent your home there are going to be times when you need to disguise cracks, especially if you have a landlord that doesn't regularly undertake repairs.

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Helping Your Parents Age in Place

The rising cost of long-term care for the Baby Boomer generation means more people are living at home longer.

Make More Use of an Enclosed Balcony

An enclosed balcony can be transformed into an extension of your living space to add more room.

Installing new handles and lock on interior doors

To tie in with replacing all the old hollow core doors with new modern doors, it was also necessary to add new hardware with modern door handles and locks.

Fit new interior doors

Another task on my home facelift can be ticked off... that of replacing old hollow core doors with new modern interior doors.

Insulate Your Home Against Climate Change

The high temperatures this year are a sure indication that climate change is about to heat up our lives - now is the time to look at home insulation for comfortable living.

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Finish off with Over Skirting

A small passage was finished off with simulated wood polymer Over Skirting.

Tite Waterproofing Range at Builders stores

Consisting of four waterproofing products, the Tite range of products is exclusive to Builders stores and backed by the Sika South Africa guarantee.

Flip not flop!

Flipping property has become an excellent way to climb the property ladder

Install A Fireplace

Winter is spreading her icy tendrils across the land, so what better time to install a fireplace. We show you how to install a Megamaster Verano Fireplace.

A stunning makeover for boring doors

Here's an easy way to give doors a makeover with pine moulding strips and glue.

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Getting the Most Out of Your Kitchen Update

Considering updating your kitchen? If so, it is one of the best rooms to update in your home to increase the value of the home, along with updating bathrooms

Renovations - When to hire a professional

When it comes to home improvements or renovations it's good to know when you should hire a professional to do the job, in order to ensure your investment retains its value.

Space saving doors

Doors can take up a lot of floor space, but by dividing the door into two halves you are able to cut the standard 820mm arc down to 410mm - saving you floor space.

DIY Tubelite Skylights

Brighten up living spaces with a Tubelite Skylight - one of the most affordable and easy ways to flood living spaces with natural light.

There are many misconceptions around home automation. Many homeowners aren't sure about where to begin and below is some guidance on the common myths around automating your home - brought to you by Homemation.

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How your ceiling impacts on home comfort in winter

Heating and cooling homes with open floor plans can be challenging but you don’t have to give up comfort for space. "An open plan home needn’t mean giving up the creature comforts of a warm quiet living space during cooler months.

Fill the gap with Sika Boom

Use Sika Boom for fixing, insulating and various filling projects in and around the home.

How to afford your new home

So you’ve bought a new home, successfully made the big jump to owning something a bit bigger, but inevitably this comes with some additional costs.

What home electrical alterations can I do?

On Home-Dzine, and when hosting a DIY Divas Basic Electrical workshop, we receive lots of enquiries as to what a homeowner can and cannot do themselves. Here are some guidelines for what electrical repairs you can do at home.

Luxury vinyl tile for today's floors

Luxury vinyl tiles are definitely an option to consider when looking for flooring alternatives. Vinyl planks simulate the look of real wood without the noise, durability or cleaning concerns. Now, you can install vinyl floors over ceramic tiles.

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Top DIY home improvement projects

There are many DIY enthusiasts who prefer to spend their annual holidays catching up on home improvement projects. We take a look at some of the top DIY projects that you can tackle in a week or two.

Do I need a handyman or contractor?

On Home-Dzine we regularly receive requests for advice on home maintenance, home repairs and home improvement, and whether it is better to hire a handyman or contractor. Here are some tips on who to call if you need jobs done around the home.

Trending... Tiles that look like concrete

Many homeowners would like to incorporate concrete finishes in a home - without the mess, hassle and cost normally associated with these finishes. A new trend is to use concrete-look tiles.

Decor and design is in the detail

Any home can be enhanced by adding architectural detailing with the installation of decorative mouldings. Dylan Miller from Swartland, offers some insight into how mouldings can add character and style to any space they grace.

Tips for drilling through tiles

Too many homeowners put off bathroom projects because it involves drilling through tiles, but if you have the right tools and accessories drilling through tiles is a quick and easy project.

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No more messy paint stripper

I decided to take on the task of repainting all the burglar bars and security gates at home. While I started off with paint stripper - I soon gave this up and took a faster and less messy route.

Painted staircase

In an older double-storey home a wooden staircase is a traditional feature. If you are looking to remove carpet or update a staircase, here's a way to dress up a wood treads and risers for a modern look.

Attic or loft conversion

Hard to believe that this spacious living space was just an attic space. The attic conversion added to an average 4-bedroom home and garage.

Ideas for a garage conversion

If you are looking for ways to add more living space to a home floor plan and have a garage (single or double) that isn't being used, perhaps you should consider utilising this valuable space in other ways with a garage conversion.

Add glass panel to hollow core door

I have done quite a few projects that look at how to dress up a plain hollow core door. I'm going to show you another way to dress up a standard hollow core door by cutting and fitting a frosted glass panel into the door.

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Add decorative trim to hollow-core door

In this DIY project we’ll show you how easy it is to transform plain hollow-core doors into a feature using inexpensive pine moulding. It is a simple and affordable way to add detailing to boring doors and one that you can easily do in a day.

How to fit a door knob

We have covered fitting a door handle and lock to an exterior or interior door, but what if you prefer to fit a door knob. While the principle is basically the same, a door knob is easier to fit. Here are the instructions for fitting a door knob to any interior or exterior door.

Fit and install over-skirtings

No more ripping out skirtings boards! Now you can fit and install over-skirtings to add a decorative finish to a home. Over-skirtings are manufactured to fit over the top of most standard skirtings and are easily cut, glued and installed.

Smart investments for kitchens and bathrooms

In a newly built home the homeowners will design a kitchen that meets their immediate needs, but in an older home it's nice to know that improvements can be done to keep up with modern trends.

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Adding a rope bannister to staircase

A staircase blocks a lot of light and makes the staircase cramped and dark. After looking at various alternatives I stumbled upon a rope bannister as an affordable way to finish off a staircase...

Bamboo... More than just floors

The buzzword all around the world these days is ‘sustainability’. Going green is even becoming an increasingly prominent trend in home décor, as we look for ways to beautify our living space, while helping the environment.

Add decorative cornice to bathroom

In the bathroom they never bothered to fit a cornice around the top of the wall and it always looked unfinished.

Glass... sustainable design option for home interiors

Judging by the number of queries I receive, there are plenty of homeowners out there who are living with facebrick walls, especially with a fitted fireplace, that hate the look. While we have previously look at painting a facebrick wall, another option to consider is cladding the wall.

Clad a facebrick wall

Door option for a home

Make a lasting impression and add value to your home by choosing doors that reflect style and personality. Choosing the right doors for a home is the difference between standard builders-grade doors, or a door that stands out and adds architectural interest.

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Fit a new exterior door

Many homeowners put this project on the back burner thinking that a new door is too expensive and it isn't easy to fit.

Reclaimed timber ceiling

If you have a little DIY know-how, you can be creative with reclaimed timber and completely alter the look of a room in just one day. Many tend to overlook a ceiling, but here's how you can transform a ceiling using reclaimed timber.

Dress up a plain door with vinyl planks

Turn a simple sliding door into a feature by adding vinyl flooring planks. Today's vinyl flooring comes in a wide range of styles and you can match the door to your home decor.

Give your home a mini facelift

Updating the decor in your home doesn't have to be a long, laborious or expensive process.

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Shutters - Style without compromise

Adjustable shutters allow you to control the amount of light you let into your home, depending upon the time of day and location of the sun, and still have air circulating through your home during the hot summer months.

Restore an old home

If there is one property option that South Africa has, it's older homes, and not all are located in undesirable suburbs. In fact, some of SA's most upmarket suburbs are dominated by older homes.

Luxury bathroom tile options

If you are planning a new bathroom renovation or building a new home, creating a relaxing sanctuary is one of the leading home improvement trends and ceramic tile creates dramatic first impressions.

DIY concrete countertops

When most people think of DIY concrete countertops, the first reaction is that making a concrete countertop is not easy. Well, there is a fair amount of work involved, but at the end of the day you could save yourself thousands of Rands with do-it-yourself concrete countertops.

Add wall cladding

Wall cladding is becoming a popular trend in homes as manufacturers introduce DIY alternatives to solid rock. Available locally, wall cladding in supplied in ready-made panels that resemble to look and feel of natural stone and rock.

Beautiful walls... naturally!

These days it's easy to have good looking walls without the hassle or fuss of installing tiles. Cementitious (cement-based) products are now easily available off-the-shelf for any savvy DIY home improvement enthusiast to tackle themselves.

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Frameless glass windows and doors

Sit back and enjoy the view when you install frameless windows, frameless folding or sliding doors, as these offer an unobstructed and panoramic view of the surroundings.

Brick veneer wall cladding for indoors & outdoors

Not only does cladding with brick veneer add texture and architectural detail to walls, it's also a great way to cover up walls that are prone to hairline cracks, have a rough plastered finish, or blank walls that lack interest.

Install Gyproc plastered ceilings

A flush plastered ceiling consists of steel branders onto which Gyproc RhinoBoard is fixed. All joints are covered with Gyproc RhinoTape and the ceiling then plastered with a 3 - 6mm coat of RhinoLite or CreteStone.

Install Gyproc M-Strip ceilings

Finally, an informative step-by-step guide on how to install an M-Strip brandered ceiling. I have yet to get round to replacing my one ceiling and this detailed guide from Gyproc is comprehensive enough that even a beginner DIY-er can install his or her own ceilings.

Using RhinoLite and CreteStone finishes

I receive a lot of enquiries from homeowners who have used, or had work done in their homes using RhinoLite and CreteStone. Most of the problems arise from lack of product knowledge, either on the part of the homeowner, or on the part of the contractor.

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How to add mosaic tile to kitchen countertop

I gave my kitchen countertop a makeover. After a couple of weeks of living with it, I decided I wasn't happy and wanted to consider another option - applying mosaic tile to a kitchen countertop.

How to remove and install new skirtings

In this article we show you how to replace standard skirting boards with skirting boards that provide an attractive finish and architectural detail to a room.

Don't tile when you can CemWash

Don't think that you have to tile bathroom walls and floors when there are so many other options to choose from.

Care for wooden windows & doors

There is a beauty to timber windows and the homes they grace, and if they are well maintained, they can last a lifetime. Charl Jacobz from Swartland offers some tips and advice on how to best maintain their beauty.

Interior & Exterior plaster finishes

If there are damaged walls in your home, areas where you have removed tiles, or walls that are uneven or highly textured, plastering is one of the ways to fix these types of defects. Using a plaster mix, plastering is the technique for covering up raw and rough surfaces.

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Rock wall cladding

I love the look of natural stone clad walls - both interior or exterior walls. It's a way to introduce texture and detail to an otherwise bland room. It's also a way to merge interior and exterior areas.

Tile over an existing tiled wall

Where tiles are still in good condition, and you don't want to paint over tiles, there is the option to tile over existing tiles.

Glass blocks let in natural light

I have always considered glass blocks to be perfect for bathrooms - they let in plenty of natural light without any loss of privacy, and now that they are available in soft and bright colours, you can use glass blocks in even more creative ways.

Installing wooden windows and frames

Windows are an important element in how a home looks. From a design point of view window styles are suited to particular styles of homes.

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Faux sandblasted effect for windows and doors

I have previously featured an article on how to create more privacy by using self-adhesive vinyl on glass. In this project I used the same self-adhesive vinyl to add a decorative effect to my sliding door, and at the same time add privacy.

Add architraves to windows

A simple frame and panel with applied mouldings gives an ordinary window an extraordinary appearance

Enhance a home with window shutters

Window and folding-door shutters are ideal for light, wind and ventilation control on a patio, garden room. or any room in the home. Not only do they enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home, they will also increase the value.

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Clad concrete or steel staircase

When you live in a double-storey home, or are adding an extra level onto you existing property, you're going to need a staircase.

Revamp an ugly fireplace

Whether your fireplace gets used annually or is just a hole in the wall that hasn't been used for ages, most fireplaces are a focal point in a room. Make your fireplace a 'stand out' feature with paint, tile or with a new DIY fireplace surround.

Staircases with style and flair

When your home is a double-storey or more, a staircase is a main element. It might be tucked away in a corner, but at the end of the day any staircase takes up a lot of space and grabs a lot of attention.

Adding window trim

Having already started adding trim around door frames and to corners in my home, the next project I want to tackle is adding window trim. I just think that windows look so much nicer with added trim, and they look more polished and elegant as well.

Let more natural light into your home

If you find that your home has dark areas that don't receive any natural light, there are various home improvement projects that you could consider to let in more natural light, or allow natural light into dark areas.

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Boring staircase becomes a "wow" feature

If I hadn't seen these pics for myself, I never would have believed that this was the same staircase. A fairly standard staircase is transformed into a dramatic feature in the entrance hall of this home.

Clever way to add decorative skirtings

This is one clever trick that I am sure many of you will appreciate, especially if you are looking to add a nice, high detailed trim to the base of your walls.

Add detailing to interior doors

Standard home - standard doors! There's nothing special about the boring interior doors that get fitted to most homes. But there is a way to transform them into a unique feature for your home.

Easy way to add crown moulding

Forget about a hammer and nails, you can easily install the new style polystyrene crown moulding and cornice with a tube or two of No More Nails and a caulking gun.

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Install bi-fold closet doors

The level of effort in installing bi-fold doors really depends on the condition and type of door jambs you already have. In new construction this is pretty straight forward. You just trim out the door opening as if it were going to be a cased opening.

Remove and rehang an exterior door

Removing and replacing an exterior door, especially a front and back door, is as easy as removing the old one, making a few adjustments and then hanging the new one in place.

Hang a new interior door

Replacing a door in an existing door frame is easier and much cheaper than pulling out the trim and frame and installing a prehung door, because you have the old door as a template.

Install wall panelling

Panelling, wainscoting, board and batten - it's been a part of home decor for a long time. There are various design styles that can be applied to walls in a home, whether it's for a lounge, dining room, bathroom or bedroom.

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Wrought iron detailing

Whether featuring the flamboyant swirls and curves of Art-Deco style or the clean lines of minimalist design, decorative ironwork makes a statement. Iron pieces may be hand-forged or ready-made, but they will set the tone in a room or add contrast to a design.

Wall panelling adds architectural detail

Add interest to a plain dining room with this faux moulding project. All you need for this project is a few strips of pine and skirting, and some satin paint to finish off.

Install crown moulding

Installing crown moulding, like playing the piano, takes practice. Unlike playing the piano, however, most people can get the hang of it with only a little practice.

Remove and replace skirtings

In an older home you may find that skirting boards need to be replaced either due to rotting, damage over time, or simply to update a home. In this do-it-yourself project we show you how to remove and replace skirting boards.

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Solar tube skylights

Solar Tubes or Tubelites are an excellent way to get natural light into parts of your home that don’t have any windows, or rooms that are situated on the south-east side of a home. These skylights are one of the most popular home improvement projects being done right now.

Things to know about concrete countertops

We love our concrete countertops, but have also done some experimenting and would make a few slight changes. I’m hoping these will help some other brave people out who might just attempt this monster project too.

Visually enlarge a room with mirror doors

Whether you closet is in your bedroom, or in a small walk-in, adding a full length mirror to the doors will increase the amount of light in the room and add the illusion of space.

Brick veneer wall cladding for indoors & outdoors

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Kitchen renovation from scratch

The new dark wood kitchen features plenty of storage space and there was plenty of room to add an island that provides additional countertop working space and comfortably seats six.

Die huisie by die see

Deon purchased his first home by the sea and hopefully wants to retire there. But quite a bit of work had to be done. As an entry into our Home Improvement Competition, here's what Deon did to tackle all the problems and faults in his Huisie by die see.

Outstanding DIY kitchen installation

This do-it-yourself kitchen shows how you can transform any space with just a few basic tools. Loraine and her husband Cobi transformed a boring space into a beautiful kitchen.

A Benoni kitchen goes modern

After some constant begging and pleading, Morne tackled a kitchen renovation project in his Benoni home.

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Fireplace and wall cladding

Home-Dzine reader, Hilton Kinnear, installed a new fireplace in his home. Once installed, the next step was to add wall cladding to finish off the total look. The finished result is amazing!

Kitchen walls and countertops tiled

Suzette English transformed her dated kitchen by fitting new tiles onto the kitchen walls and tiling her kitchen countertops. To tie in with the new look, Suzette painted her kitchen cabinets in a crisp white colour, for a kitchen makeover that was affordable and worthwhile.

Home-Dzine reader adds wall panelling

Donavan Packaree, transformed his living room with wall panelling, moulding and trim for a dramatic and affordable makeover. Using instructions found on Home-Dzine, Donavan used SupaWood to create faux panelling around the bottom of the walls in his living room.