We have officially turned a corner in our pandemic lifestyles. We’re flinging our doors open again to friends and family after two long years of mostly isolation. And add to that, it’s spring and we just naturally have a little pep in our step at this time of year. So combine these two things and if you’re like most of us, you’re looking at your house and feeling a little overwhelmed. How to get this place whipped into shape before having people back over is a question a lot of us are asking. I”m sharing some of my favourite ways to update your home without buying new furniture. Yes, it can be done!
EASY WAYS TO UPDATE YOUR HOME WITHOUT BUYING NEW FURNITURE
I’ve spent years in my career looking at homes and figuring out what needs to go and what can stay. We always want to blame the furniture but a lot of times the furniture isn’t at fault. We’ve thrown pieces together that might not work well together or we bought the furniture and completely ignored the rest of the puzzle pieces. So before you run out dropping money on the big pieces, let’s try and salvage what you have.
1/ REARRANGE THE FURNITURE IN A ROOM
This seems too simple to be effective but trust me, this works. When you moved into your home you may not have even had time to really consider what the best possible layout was. The movers were unpacking the truck faster than you could decide and you made a snap decision.
Now you have time so give it a try. If you like to really plan first then plot it all out on a piece of paper. If you’re a bit more spontaneous (or if you really need to see it to know) get a couple of helpers and just go. My best suggestion is to take as much of the art, lighting and decor out of the room first as is possible. If you can manage to take out the tables, even better.
Start by tackling those large furniture pieces. Play around and find what works best for you aesthetically. You won’t be in love yet so be patient. Once the big pieces are in place, start slowly bringing pieces in. Bit by bit you’ll start to see it take shape and you’ll be amazed because it can feel like a brand new place.
2/ SHOP YOUR HOME
When pieces sit in the same place year after year, we begin to ignore them. They become like paint on the wall and just disappear. If you want to switch up multiple rooms or even a whole floor, begin by deciding what will stay and what will go. Maybe you decide all the furniture will stay but you’ll move around all the artwork and accessories.
Take every single piece into a neutral zone like a spare room or even the hallway. Start with the first room and look for cues in the furniture, rug, flooring for colours that will complement what you have.
Now go to your makeshift store and start pulling in pieces of art. If it works you have a new colour palette and you can continue to bring in more pieces until it feels complete.
You’ll be amazed to find that piece that you once loved now has a new life again. And your eyes will continue to focus on and appreciate these things once they have new surroundings.
3. PURCHASE NEW ARTWORK AND/OR DECOR
If you’ve moved around all the pieces in your home and you’re still left with a feeling that something’s missing, determine what it is. Is there a need for something extra on the walls, on the shelves or tables? Now consider your design style so that when you go shopping you can narrow down the options. Want to know how to easily figure out what your design style is? Read this post.
Make sure if you’re shopping for artwork that you take some measurements before you go. Try to figure out how much space you want to fill and measure that out. Stick those measurements in your phone and take a photo of the area as a reminder. It’s amazing how just being in a store filled with beautiful things can cause memory lapse. You can completely forget what you’re there for so be prepared.
4/ PAINT
This one takes a bit more time but if you’re really feeling like your space has got a case of the blahs but you don’t want to invest in new furniture, this could fix that. If it’s been 10 years or more since you last painted, you’re definitely due for a new colour. Read this post to find out my favourite Benjamin Moore colours.
Colour is making a comeback so if you’ve been living with all white or grey you’ll dramatically change the feel of a room by adding some colour to the walls.
The best part of these suggestions is that they can all be done in a weekend if you’re really determined to get it done. My best advice is to plan this time out. Don’t try and do this while you’re in the middle of a big work project or about to go on vacation. Give it your full attention because there’s nothing that will suck the joy out of a home decorating project more than dealing with it for weeks on end.
If you still think your home could use something more, contact me to discuss how I can help you tackle those bigger design projects in your home.
