Take a minute to look around your home…when is the last time you’ve really looked at the art on your walls or paid attention to the accessories on your shelves? Do things feel dingy and old? Seen them all before? You can make your home feel refreshed and new by making a few small, inexpensive changes.
Paint: One of the largest impacts on a room is paint color. If it’s been a while since you’ve last painted, consider putting a new color on those walls. Painting can seem daunting, but each job is as simple as we make it. Water-based enamel in an eggshell or satin finish is great – it can be cleaned lightly with a sponge and a little water, and reflects a little light, adding depth to a room. Flat enamel is another popular choice. Popular colors today are earth tones – in particular grey. A light, warm grey can make a room feel modern yet warm, and help the walls disappear. It can also go country-chic – it is very versatile. “Swiss Coffee” is a super easy choice for a white. It is the standard creamy white that is used as a base to mix colors, so there’s no mixing or matching needed. You can add color into the mix in different ways such as drapery, pillows, and rugs to keep it from looking too generic. If the room isn’t the main room in the house, you can experiment with a bold color choice, but sometimes a bright color in a main room can get old fast.
Accessories: Pillows, curtains, throws, and rugs can add texture and warm up a room. Fun prints or patterns can add personality, and textures can add sophistication. Light colors help a room feel airy, and darker colors add warmth and coziness, and can make a room feel more formal. It’s best to take into account the amount of light your room gets on a daily basis to help guide you in the direction of drapery color. Be sure to see the blog entry on furniture stores for recommendations on places to find inexpensive accessories.
Reorganize and Reuse: Another idea to help revamp a room is to reorganize and reuse furniture. Perhaps arrange the existing furniture in the room in a different way. Are there items in other rooms which can be used in this room? Can you switch out a thing or two? Reusing different furniture, art, and textiles from other rooms in the house can help the whole home feel like a new place without any shopping! A small drafting stool from a desk no longer used can make a great side table to a living room chair. Two or three small end tables put together in a group can make an interesting coffee table.
The fun in all of this is being creative and trying to reinvent with minimal spending, and ending up with a whole new look. Good luck!
