Bed Sizes Demystified: Which Size is Right for You

Want a new look for your home but cash strapped? There are some easy to follow and apply home decor tips which is easy on the pocket.

By Guest Blogger Danielle McAnn

Want to try some home improvement but don’t think you have the cash for a big makeover? Well, there are many affordable options available and many people are taking notice.

Take a look at these handy tips and ideas to help you with some small home improvement projects that could transform your entire space.

For those on a budget, wall paper is a great choice to jazz up the entire house or a single room.

Wallpaper

If you haven’t visited a wall-covering retailer lately, you’re missing a treat. With the revived popularity of wallpaper, stores are offering an expanded range of choices. The prices of some of these may knock your socks off too.

But take heart. You don’t have to cover every wall to make a dramatic change. Papering only a single wall will do, and that’ll make some of those fine, expensive papers or fabrics affordable. It’ll also lessen the time, effort and mess of papering an entire room. This is an especially good solution for a room with plain walls, slim baseboards and window trim, and no built-ins. You create instant character. There are some great bold options and some nice subtle patterns too.

Tip: Begin by taking a photo of your existing room and measuring its dimensions. Take these with you to the interior design or wall-covering store. Ask a specialist to help sort through options that’ll work well with your existing furnishings. The specialist will also help you pick the best wall for the new paper and estimate the amount to order.

Not only track lighting looks fancy but they are easy on the pocket as well.

Track Lighting

Track lighting lets you put light exactly where you need it—on counter-tops, walls or objects—and brighten just about any area. The tiny halogen bulbs emit a dazzling white light that illuminates colours brilliantly.

The price of track lighting has dropped in recent years. And many systems now operate on standard household voltage. That means you don’t have to install a Transformer—just connect to any existing junction box in the ceiling.

Tip: The “rail” system that hangs below the ceiling like we show will hold both spotlights and pendants. Rails typically run either 4 or 8 ft. You can bend the rail for a more decorative appearance and position the lights anywhere on it.

Don’t have the time or money to get the whole house painted? Just get the trims of the walls painted for a brand new appeal.

Trims and Paint

By adding two simple lines of trim—a chair rail and a crown moulding—you create the perfect framework for any handsome two-colour wall combination. This is one of the secrets of fast, easy redecorating.

Tip: To have the biggest colour impact, paint your trim. This also simplifies installation. You don’t have to cut perfect joints, because a little filler and paint will leave them looking sharp and crisp. You can also use less expensive materials.

Danielle Mcann is a copywriter working with Sunlite Mitre10. When Danielle’s not writing content she enjoys swimming, shopping and taking her Golden Retriever dogs for a walk.

20 Jan 2026

Let your daily dining experience be second to none. We bring industry experts to show you how:

Beautifully hand-carved wooden furniture, extravagant fabrics, elegant chandeliers, mirrored walls, dramatic wallpaper and a warm rug underfoot — if you are ready to shake things up a bit, we’re all set to help you create a dining space that promises to wow. But before that, take a moment to consider what it is exactly that you want in the room.

For sophisticated sit-down dinners

Being formal is not about getting stiff with the space. Avoid dominance of any single element. “A monochromatic colour scheme is preferred and symmetry in furniture placement is advisable. Fresh flowers, tall vases and pillar candles – couldn’t get more festive than this,” says interior designer Shantanu Garg. Choose matte black pendant drum lights and dress the windows with shutters and blinds, as they look neat and add on to the minimal look.

For informal brunches with your BFFs

Be it brunch, lunch or just drinks, an informal dining space needs to be planned in a more relaxed tone. Mandeep Nagi, Design Director advises, “Opt for low seating with colourful cushions and keep the dishes to a bare minimum.” Talking about table settings, Shantanu Garg says, “Use varied colours and quirky prints, and place a fruit basket instead of a flower vase.” Bohemian lighting designs work best to set the mood for a casual family dinner.

Festive fervor

With unbridled imagination, create a visual delight with an exotic centrepiece that will enliven your dining space. Adding to the dressy look, beautiful long trellis arrangements can work best for the dining area. Remember, when decorating the dining table, detailing is the key. So, if you are planning to use flowers opt for fresh ones and team them up with colourful candles and t-lights in vivid votive holders.

Order of work

The best way to get started is to create lists — one, to list down what you want to incorporate in your space, another with the limitations of the space. Use these two lists to work your way around creating the kind of dining experience you want. Your decision will also depend on whether your space is in the kitchen or is a part of the living set up. Although it becomes easier if the kitchen and dining, or living and dining spaces are part of a large proportioned room, it is okay to create an interesting breakfast nook for two in a small space as well.

The next step would be to create a wishlist with references, and recreating that look with a well-designed moodboard. Don’t miss out on fundamentals like the function of the space, the number of people using it, ventilation of the room and how much light it receives. Once you have figured the basics, you can then move on to the other elements — furniture, colour, storage, and display.

Don’t miss the details

• Ensure a seamless flow between spaces. A distinctive colour is a good option to help spaces feel connected.
• Use accessories to express your style and lend character to the space. They come in handy when changing the look for different occasions.
• Materials, lighting and furniture lend their own character and personality. There could also be a piece of art you love — offering an atmosphere that speaks for itself.
• Invest in a trolley with wheels that can serve as a side table, and can also make laying and clearing easy.
• For small spaces, it is ideal to add a large decorative mirror on the side wall to accentuate the feeling of spaciousness.
• Lighting can dramatically alter the mood of a room, so make sure yours is as flexible as possible. Opt for mood lighting with warm tones, and avoid bright and coloured lights.
• If you are planning a bar area, consider its relationship to the setting.
• Use natural materials like wood, stone and copper for an earthy setting.
• How about colouring different chairs in a single colour? Try this for an instant change. It not only draws attention to the shape of each chair but is easy on the pocket too.

Content: GoodHomes India | Feature: Vanita Arora

20 Jan 2026

Your guest room is an extension of yourself, a reflection of the warmth and affection you have for friends and guests. A classy, yet comfortable guest room is the first thing you can offer your guests as a host. Remember to:

Think like a guest first – which means you’re travelling with luggage and need more space than anything else. Don’t cramp up the room with furniture, rather keep it open to house the bags you’re guests are travelling with.

Add a personal touch – if you know your guests well enough, then you know the scent s/he prefers or the colors they swear by. They’d love to see the duvet in their favorite color or a particular mint on the bedside table.

Be practical in what you offer – No, your house guests aren’t looking for breakfast in bed or laundry service. They are happy with clean sheets, a comfortable blanket and closet space. They are looking for your company to be precise.

Check the bathroom – Place all toilet essentials in an easily-accessible space. Keep a few extra towels handy and the basic toiletries that your guest may need. Don’t worry about the finer knick-knacks.

Whether you have guests for a few hours or few weeks, offer them an unforgettable experience.

20 Jan 2026

Does your technology at home have a heart installed?

Does technology perform a give-and-take function in your home? Most houses only consume non-renewable energy without bothering about the sustainability of this scarce resource. If technology only creates more energy problems than it can solve, we will surely regret the consequences.

Technology undoubtedly provides comfort, convenience, and efficiency in everything we do but it is downright heartless. Take heart because we, humans, can lend these technological products a heart by showing how we passionately care about the future of our planet. We are masters of technology –therefore we should take control of it.

Here are some practical steps you can follow in order to give your technology at home a heart:

1.      Assess your utility bill. How surprisingly easy is it to review your utility bills? Shockingly, only a few people spend some time analyzing how much energy home technologies consume. By carefully examining your utility expenses, you can identify which appliances, devices, and electricity-dependent products waste the most energy.

2.      Regularly check your home for air leaks and insulation. Come winter and heating will be the most voracious of all technologies in your home. It accounts for over 40% of your utility bills. When you let warm air slip through cracks, you lose precious dollars and energy. Inspect all areas of your house for any possible leaks or cracks. Seal them before the cold season comes. Secure the energy efficiency of your home by adding high quality insulation at windows, doors, and walls.

3.      Use heating and cooling equipment wisely. More than half of your energy consumption goes to heating and cooling appliances.  Be a smart buyer- check for energy labels before making a purchase to ensure that you are using energy-efficient equipment to keep you comfortable during cold and hot seasons.  Program your thermostat to a comfortable level, replace or clean filters every month or as necessary, and check whether your windows and doors are properly sealed to prevent cold or warm air from escaping. These could cut your energy expenses at the same reduce emissions harming the earth’s atmosphere.

4.      Cut on your water heating use. Water heating reportedly accounts for 18% of energy bill. To cut down on your energy expenses, try to consume less water, lower down the thermostat on your water heater, seal the insulation of the water heater, and invest on new, more efficient model.

By applying all these easy and practical energy-saving tips, you will be able to save money and energy for the future.

20 Jan 2026

Light is an essential part of our lives and it’s a good way to make a place more welcoming and joyful.

It’s very important for a person to feel comfortable and cosy at home, since everyone wants to make the best of the time they spend indoors. That’s why many people often try to improve something at home, be it a small decoration idea or a more complicated project. People can easily come up with a great idea to apply at home and improve their place.

This is the reason why many people use their imagination and create amazing lampshades that add a lovely vibe in the house. There are many great lampshade makeovers that a person can apply and enjoy.

Here are some tips on how to make a great lamp shade yourself.

DIY Fabric Lampshade Makeover

A nice idea to try at home is to make your own fabric lampshade makeover. What you need is a fabric marking pen, an iron, scissors, fabric glue and spray adhesive for fabrics. Measure the height and width of the lampshade and cut the fabric with the scissors according to the measurements. Then iron the fabric and make sure there are no wrinkles on it. Wrap the fabric around the lampshade and glue to it. Make sure you cover the whole surface. To finish the process, spray with a spray adhesive.

There are many different fabrics and patterns you can use and create a beautiful lamp to your taste. Use your imagination and make the best of your lamp, so that it adds a wonderful touch to the room.

Lace Lampshade Makeover

Another great lampshades makeover idea is to make one with lace. What you should start with, is to buy a balloon. You also need lace or a small lace tablecloth, that is big enough to cover the whole balloon when wrapped around . Paint them with enough of wallpaper glue, so that they soak in it.

Then hang the balloon on a string and wrap the lace on all over it. You can paint one ore coat of glue and allow the lace and the balloon to stick together. It’s best to let them stay like that overnight. When you’re done with this and you’re sure the glue has dried, pop the balloon and attach a nice cord and a lamp fitting. And there you have a beautiful and creative new lampshade.

Ribbon Lampshade Makeover

There are many wonderful ideas a person can come up with and create a lovely lampshade. Using ribbon is another super interesting way to turn your old lampshade into a super creative piece of art. To start with, buy rolls of ribbons in different colours. The colours are up to your taste. The more colourful, the more joyful your lamp will look. However, this depends entirely on your own taste and the interior of the room where you’re planning on placing the lamp. You also need glue and you’re ready to go.

Glue one of the ends of the ribbon on the inside of the lampshade. Then all you have to do is wrap the ribbon around the lampshade. Wrap and wrap till you cover it. Then use another colour and start wrapping again, but this time in another direction, so that the colours tangle and look beautiful. Wrapping it this way will give you the opportunity for a better tidy cleaning process after that.

Globe Lampshade Makeover

A super nice idea to make a lampshade yourself, is to use an old globe you have at home. This idea is great for two reasons – it’s creative and it’s ecologically-friendly, since instead of disposing the globe, you reuse it and put it back to life, making the best of it. It’s also very easy to make.

All you need is an old globe that you were planning on throwing away. Cut the globe in two halves and use one of them. Attach it on the lamp, making sure there are at least five centimetres between the globe lampshade and the bulb. Attaching it depends on the lamp itself.

20 Jan 2026

It’s that time of the year when you are all set to seal the relationship of trust and love with your brother. You may be living together or meeting each other after a long time – Raksha Bandhan is a celebratory occasion that calls for sprucing up your home a tad bit. Here’s how you can give your living room – the epicentre of your home a quick new look.

• Add some potted greens. It’s amazing how the look and ambience changes effortlessly. You start feeling good and fresh and it’s a great way to liven up the space.
• Re-arrange the furniture. Surprise your brother with a different placement of the furniture and leave him guessing what’s new in the room. Chuckle at his wrong guesses.
• Some mood lighting works wonders. After the rituals and ceremonies, dim the lights and light the candles. Sit back with your brother and reminisce the best days of your life.
• A DIY project isn’t always cumbersome and time consuming. Especially, when it’s for your brother you have grown up with, all you need to keep in mind are the memories that would bring a smile on his face.
• Throw in some warmth, cheer and colour with a comfortable rug. For all you know, you’d love squatting on the floor and munching away to glory on the rummy snacks you have prepared especially for him.

20 Jan 2026