We welcome another informative article from guest writer Rose Morrison on 10 Ideas to Transform Your Space. Perfect for the summer when we stay cool indoors during hot summer months.
Please be sure to read Rose’s bio below and follow the link to her other articles on Slipcovers for Your Walls.
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Everyone wants their home to be beautiful, restful and inspiring. However, that’s much easier said than done. Home decor is expensive, and many homeowners don’t have the time or finances to invest in a full-on renovation. It can also be challenging to know exactly how to create the space you want.
Fortunately, you can take many small steps to positively change the feel of your whole home. Most of these design tips can be achieved with little expense or trouble — so they’re perfect for busy, frugal homeowners. Here are 10 easy ideas to transform your space and show your home some love while gaining a fresh new feel.
1. Hang Mirrors
Lighting is incredibly important for setting the mood in your home. People operate according to a natural circadian cycle based on the sun. You may have noticed that bright rooms energize you, while dimly lit spaces make you feel relaxed and sleepy. The human response to light explains why candles feel so cozy and it’s challenging to be productive in a dark room.
Adding a mirror to transform your space is an easy way to reflect natural light and brighten a room. It can also make a space feel larger, depending on the size. New mirrors can be fairly expensive, but you can find them in thrift stores for much cheaper. Used mirrors often have beautiful frames that can add vintage flair to your space.
2. Take Photos
Another easy design trick is to take photos of your space. Then, leave the room to look through the pictures. Sometimes, clutter or design issues escape your notice because you’re so used to seeing them. Digital images will show you a different perspective on your space, helping you see your home with fresh eyes.
The next step is to go back through the room you photographed and clear away clutter. It’s usually better to declutter before you invest in new storage. What you own will accumulate to fill the space you have dedicated to storage. Once you’ve decluttered and reorganized, take another picture to see the improvement.
3. Change Artwork
There are many ways to decorate your walls, ranging from photos to shelves to tapestries to floral items. Some people even combine style with storage and hang their bikes up as part of the decor. Whatever you’ve done with your space, it can be refreshing to change it up every once in a while.
You can fill in old nail holes with spackle or simply cover them with new art. Determine where to hang new pictures by taping appropriately sized squares of paper up first. You can move them around until you find the perfect arrangement. Changing the colors and ideas hanging on your wall can change the feel of an entire room and transform your space.
4. Repaint the Walls
Consider repainting a room if you’re willing to commit a little more time and effort to a house project. Painting isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and it only takes a few supplies. The most important thing to remember is that you will spill paint during the process — so cover the floor with newspaper and wear old clothes.
A fresh coat of paint can make all the difference for your living space. Dark colors tend to make a room feel smaller, but they make a beautiful statement on an accent wall or wainscotting. You can also repaint wooden furniture like tables, desks and buffets to change the feel of a room. Follow a tutorial to achieve a professional finish that will last.
5. Edit Your Closet
Closets quickly get out of hand, especially the ones where you store your clothes.
Reorganizing your closet will help you feel on top of life again, although it can take some time. Start by pulling everything out and finding any garments scattered throughout the house, like coats, shoes and seasonal items.
Marie Kondo, an organizing consultant from Japan, suggests sorting one type of clothing at a time. According to her KonMari cleaning method, you should only keep the items that make you feel happy and peaceful. Fold everything neatly so it’s cared for and visible for use. You can donate extra clothes that are still in good condition.
6. Add Wallpaper
Wallpaper can add a lot to your home. It’s a statement piece that will instantly change the entire mood of a room, whether you prefer bold patterns or delicate flowering vines. It used to be difficult to remove, but many modern wallpapers can easily be taken back down when you’re ready for a change.
You don’t have to cover a whole room with wallpaper. Instead, it can be an accent piece used to bring focus and direction to a space. You can hang it on one wall or run it around a room to contrast with painted wainscotting. Wallpaper can also be used to highlight ceilings, define recessed nooks, and cover the tops of tables or dressers. [All these uses will help transform your space effortlessly if the wallpaper is repositionable, removable and even reusable.]
7. Switch Textiles
You can also refresh your home’s decor just by switching out textiles or fabric accents. For example, invest in a new set of drapes and pillowcases for your living room. Having two to three sets of shams, blankets and curtains is an inexpensive way to change your home decor seasonally.
Follow this pattern to update your bedroom sheets, bathroom linens and kitchen hand towels. Many people go with one dark and one light option for their bedrooms and bathrooms. When your towels start getting grungy, you can rip them up and reuse them as rags.
8. Move Furniture
Rearranging your furniture is a fun way to get a workout in and give your home a new look at the same time. Start by clearing off tabletops and moving smaller items into another room. Then, you can try repositioning rugs, couches, bookshelves and other furniture. Don’t be afraid to remove an item permanently if that improves the space.
Think about directionality and create different zones with rugs and furniture groupings. Give your new arrangement a few days before deciding if you like it. Take pictures along the way so you can remember what you changed. If it turns out to be awkward or irritating, you can easily try a new arrangement or go back to the old one.
9. Bring in Plants
Indoor plants help turn a house into a home and instantly transform your space. There’s something about bringing greenery indoors that makes a space feel cool, fresh and alive. Opt for faux plants if you’re worried about keeping this kind of home decor healthy. You can buy species that flourish with little water or sunshine, but artificial varieties are the best option for rooms with no windows.
Many plants also purify indoor air by recycling carbon dioxide, absorbing toxins and emitting fresh oxygen. Some of the best ones for air purification include snake plants, pathos, spider plants, rubber plants and English ivy. Start with a few and then grow your collection to suit your comfort level.
10. Tidy the Outdoors
The outside of your home deserves a refresh just as much as the interior. Set a timer for 20 minutes and see how much you can tidy and organize your outdoor area. Sweep off your porch and get rid of any accumulated garbage. You can also switch out pillows, take down spider webs and shake out the welcome mat.
Walk through any green areas in your yard, picking up twigs and branches and any trash that may have blown in. Clean up any dog poo. The bushes and plants by your walkway may need to be trimmed so people can easily access your front door. In just 20 minutes, you can significantly improve your home’s exterior appearance.
Create a Fresh Living Space
Just a few changes can transform your home at a low cost. Combining a few of these tips could upgrade a whole room. The best part about these design tips is that each can be personalized to create a space you’ll uniquely love. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and remember that it takes time for your living space to become the homey place you want it to be.
Many thanks to Rose for this article with lots of helpful space transformation tips that help us transition our homes into a new season.
About the author:
Rose Morrison is a home improvement and design writer.
She is also the managing editor of Renovated. Follow her on Twitter to see more of her work.
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