With everything that is going on with the economy, we have decided to stay in our home for a few more years instead of moving. Can you give us some ideas on how to update and redecorate our home without spending too much extra money?
There are many different ways to change the look of a room or the entire home, giving it a fresh new look without breaking down walls or your bank account.
Get Organized
The simplest way to improve the look of any room is to straighten it up. We all let our rooms get cluttered and disorganized over time. This means having things in a room that don’t provide a function or add to the feeling or theme of a room or its true purpose. Being organized is like getting your room fit. Weed out the clutter, get the old magazines off the floor, and put away the items plastered all over the refrigerator and countertops. Get rid of what you don’t need or use, and with everything that is left, organize it in closets, drawers, or in decorative containers. You’ll be surprised how much better a room looks once it is clutter-free. As the saying goes, less is more.
Go With the Flow
Even in a small space, you can redefine the look and the purpose of an area by making it special from the entire room. Designate areas within a space with an area rug or by curtain panels hung in an archway. Even on the smallest of budgets, layout can be redefined by a change in color or texture on the floor or walls. This area should, however, be determined by function so that it has a clearly defined purpose and use.
Accessories
Nothing changes the style and voice of a room like changing out the accessories. Try some new lamps or artwork. Add some toss pillows to bring a new accent color into a room. Drape a throw over a chair to draw your eyes to a lifeless, drab corner.
As a test, take two rooms in your home and exchange three items from each room with the other. This will shake things up a bit without spending a dime.
Finally, don’t forget wallpaper can act as an accessory as well. Place wallpaper inside a bookcase; cut out the pattern and add it to a lampshade. Wallpaper the open shelves on a piece of furniture or wallpaper the inside of a niche or alcove. You’ll be amazed at how much impact a few strips of a fantastic wall covering can have to an entire room.
Paint
Paint can magically transform a room like nothing else can. Not only does it make the room look new, but everything in it takes on a whole new look as well. When the going gets tough, the tough get to painting! Of course, you can pick a color you have been dying to use but remember to consider your current furnishings, fabrics, and accessories. Make sure to pick a color that will compliment your current color palette. Then perhaps just paint one wall for accent – highlighting a headboard in a bedroom or the fireplace wall in a living room or den or a breakfast nook in a kitchen space.
There are numerous techniques to try as well, such as tonal stripes, created by painting two closely matched colors in wide stripes. Painting a piece of furniture in the room in a bold accent color is great to add new life to a dull, tired piece. Consider your ceiling as well. Add a few drops of wall color into your standard white ceiling paint to give it something special. And finally, many companies have translucent finishes to go over existing paint to add a shimmer to your existing space.
Plant It
A quick and easy change to a room is adding real plants. Not only do they generate better air quality, but they can add texture and shape to a room. Don’t just stick them into a corner. Use complimentary pots and place them in groups whether in a corner or on a table. Match interestingly shaped plants and leaves with unexpected containers. Look around your home for items to become an interesting container. A rule of thumb: the more interesting the plant, the simpler the container. There is no place in your home where living plants can’t make a space better.
Light Up Your Life
Lighting can give a room an entirely new look and mood and doesn’t have to be expensive. Change your regular incandescent recess can bulbs for halogen to give a space a clean white light. Convert one of your recess light cans into a hanging fixture to not only give a space more light, but to instantly bring strong character to the room by choosing an interesting fixture.
Use simple can-up lights to highlight floor plants or architectural features. Remember, you always want layers of light: the more layers and types of lighting you have, the more interesting the space.
Think Green
Today, with everyone trying to help our planet, what better way than to re-use or repurpose something that already exists? Check your attic or basement for items that can be an inspiration for your space, such as a new, exciting coat of paint on a piece of furniture, a new shade on a lamp, or a slipcover for an existing piece of furniture. And don’t forget; there are many salvage locations that have building and architectural parts that can spark your imagination to add some character to your space. The wonderful, old character of salvage pieces can add texture, history, and purpose to your room, while making a lower impact on the environment.
Would you like to have your design dilemma considered for an upcoming issue? Just send an e-mail to designerguy@haskellinteriors.com.
Hank Matheny, ASID, IIDA is the owner and principal designer of Haskell Interiors Design Collection located in historic downtown Cleveland, Tennessee. www.haskellinteriors.com.