If your
home décor is beginning to look a little “frazzled”,
then here are seven tips to give your room a quick
make-over without breaking the family budget. Not all
home decorating projects have to mean knocking down
walls and hiring a contractor. You can easily accomplish
these seven tips over a few days and bring a lifeless,
dull room back to life.
1.
CLEAN: If you have a family, then you probably have
newspapers, magazines, books, toys, shoes, clothes,
etc., that detract from the personality of your room.
Find or create new storage spaces for these items. Give
your draperies and upholstered furnishings a good
vacuuming. Remove all your decorative collectibles and
give each piece a thorough cleaning. You want the space
to have a fresh beginning.
2. FOCAL
POINT: If your room is lacking a focal point, try
painting one wall in a different, but coordinating
color, that complements the rest of your room and
furnishings. The newly painted wall will instantly
become the focal point of the room. Decorate the wall
with interesting art work or a large ornately framed
mirror. (If you opt to use a mirror, make sure it
reflects a pleasant view – never a blank wall or closet
door). Place a favorite piece of furniture against the
new focal point wall to complete the look. If your room
already has a nice focal point, consider giving the
entire room a fresh new coat of paint. A simple color
change can make an incredible difference in your room.
3.
REARRANGE THE FURNITURE: No matter the size of your
room, pull the furniture away from the walls. Place your
furnishings at interesting angles in front of your focal
point to create an intimate conversation area. If you
room is narrow, try placing the sofa on the diagonal to
make the room appear wider. Never arrange your room so
that the traffic flow runs directly through your
conversational area.
4.
REARRANGE THE RUG: If you have an area rug, turn it on
an angle and use it to define your newly arranged
conversation area. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting,
try layering a complimentary area rug in your
conversation area. (Use carpet-to-carpet tape to anchor
the area rug. This helps keep the area rug in place,
and, more importantly, helps prevent someone from
tripping over the edges of the rug).
5. ADD
GREENERY: Breathe new life into your room with the
addition of healthy green plants. Use plants of varying
heights and species for interest. Keep your plants in
good health and well-trimmed. (A vase of fresh cut
flowers is always a beautiful addition to any room). If
you have poor lighting, consider using good quality silk
greenery. Silk greenery is actually a safer choice if
you have small children or pets.
6. BUY
SOME NEW LAMPS: Nothing can make your room look more
outdated and stale than lamps from the sixties. Find
unique, interesting lamps that will make a bold
statement and relate to the personality of your room.
Look for lighting with three-way switches. This offers
you a variety of lighting options to set the mood in
your room.
7. ADD
PERSONALITY AND ACCESSORIES: Refresh your favorite
family photographs by treating them to a new frame. Hang
interesting artwork, mirrors or architectural pieces
that reflect your personality. Give new life to your
sofa and chairs with decorative pillows and throws. This
is an easy way to add color and texture to your room.
Create vignettes with your freshly cleaned collectibles.
Group them in odd numbers at varying heights. Use
hardbound books in stacks, or assorted decorative boxes,
to assist with varying the heights. Bring in some
candlelight to add drama and warmth. Last, but not
least, add something “unexpected” just for fun.
With a
little bit of imagination and creativity, you can turn
your “frazzled” home décor into a fresh, exciting new
space. Renew your passion for decorating your home –
“one room at a time!”
