It’s always great to start the new year off with good advice from one of Rose Morrison’s new articles, New Year, New Decor: How to Revamp Your Home for a Fresh Start.
Many thanks to Rose for her guest posts for Slipcovers for Your Walls, casartblog for Casart Coverings, removable wallpaper and decor. Be sure to read Rose’s bio at the end.
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Many use the new year as an opportunity to make positive changes in their lives. One of the easiest ways to enhance your living is to revamp your home and give it a fresh start. How can you improve your surroundings and make your house even more fun? Use these eight ideas for ringing in the new year with upgraded home decor.
1. Add Comforting Scents
There’s nothing like arriving home after a long day and being embraced by your favorite scents. Gingerbread, vanilla and sandalwood are a few of the most desired aromas, whether from candles or essential oils.
Enjoy your favorite scents all day by using an automated diffuser. These devices release aromas at particular intervals, depending on how often you want them to disperse. Simply add your favorite essential oils and fill your house with terrific smells throughout the day.
Adding plants is another excellent way to add comforting scents to your home. Take advantage of jasmine, lavender and other low-maintenance plants to add irresistible aromas to any room. Find something aesthetically pleasing to you to get the most out of it. A 2022 Building and Environment study finds beautiful indoor plants benefit your health and well-being.
2. Increase Natural Light
A new year brings positivity and a bright future for your personal life, so embody the optimism by increasing the amount of natural light in your home. It makes any room feel bigger and more inviting while reducing the need for lamps and other fixtures. Plus, you’ll increase your intake of vitamin D — a nutrient nearly a billion people worldwide are deficient in.
Another significant benefit of natural light is the energy you’ll save. It brings warmth and lets you depend less on your heating system to stay comfortable. Using natural light enough can lower your carbon footprint and utility bills, so open your curtains and blinds more often.
Additionally, consider replacing your windows with larger ones to allow maximum daylight. Your living room and plants will thank you for the increased sunlight and the aesthetic it brings.
3. Choose a Theme
Your home’s aesthetic should give others a glimpse into your personality, so choose a theme to reflect your interests. For example, make your house feel like you’re at the beach with blue walls, ocean artwork and seashells spread around. Your guests will feel like they’re at an oceanside condo, even if you’re far from the sandy shores.
Consider a cloud theme for your home if you have a vast imagination. Clouds represent dreams, thoughts and the passing of time, so put decor in appropriate places. For example, daylight pillow shams are excellent for couches or bedrooms if you’re aiming for this look.
[Reference link to Casart Decor Cloud Collection]
4. Install New Flooring
Installing new flooring is a practical upgrade for your decor and your feet. Old floors can be noisy, difficult to walk on and a liability when they start to crack. Consider giving your interior a makeover by installing laminate or vinyl if you’re on a budget. These options are affordable, easy to install and customizable with numerous color options.
If you can allocate more money to this project, contemplate getting hardwood flooring. While it typically costs more upfront, hardwoods last a century or more if properly maintained. Additionally, wood flooring increases property value because it’s attractive to buyers.
5. Show Off a Mural
Leveling up your home decor is fun and brightens your home, but what if you feel something is missing? How decorated are your walls? Consider a mural for your interior if you’re looking for something unique. You can place this statement piece in your bedroom, living room or another area you see fit.
Murals are another way to incorporate your personality into your home. Pick something simple like flowers or fireflies for a subtle approach that’s still a conversation starter. Murals are also ideal for covering imperfections, such as holes or cracks.
Conversely, you can choose bolder designs with birds, fish or fantasy worlds. An Alice in Wonderland mural is excellent for those who love the Victorian England-based story.
[Note: Using murals to personalize a space is on trend for 2024 in this recent Homes & Gardens article.]
[Reference link to Casart Decor T3 (Tots, Tweens, Teens Collection) and Nature Notice 2 design]
6. Paint Old Furniture
Furniture can last many years but slowly break down after constant use. If you want to keep your couch, nightstand and dining room table, give them the care they deserve. For example, give your wooden furniture a fresh coat of paint to liven it up. Color breathes new life into your decor and helps it match any unique style you’re introducing.
Painting furniture is a relatively easy job you can do alone or with a partner. However, you should use the proper precautions before proceeding with this task. Before starting, you should prepare the wood by sanding and applying primer. When you sand the surface, you ensure a smoother finish once you finish painting.
7. Furnish Your Patio
When upgrading your home decor, you may focus on the living room, bedrooms and kitchen. However, you shouldn’t forget about the outdoors because it’s integral to your living space. Your patio, porch or balcony are excellent starting areas if you and your family spend time here.
Make your outdoor spaces an extension of your interior by adding sofas, hammocks and coffee tables. These furniture pieces create an extra space for entertaining guests, spending time with family or doing remote work throughout the day. Research shows about 40% of Americans work from home at least once a week, so outdoor spaces for logging in are becoming more commonplace.
8. Start a Garden
Another practical and stylish upgrade for your decor is to start a garden in your backyard. Planting fruits and vegetables is a fantastic New Year’s resolution if you want to eat healthier and be more sustainable. Home gardens provide fresh food all year, and you can earn cash if you sell produce at your local farmers market.
Gardens are practical for everyday use and add beautiful aesthetics to your home. Flowers, fruits and vegetables add a pop with vibrant colors and their different shapes and sizes. Beautify your yard with a walkway and string lights. Consider adding LEDs because they use 75% less energy while lasting 25 times longer than your average incandescent bulb.
Ringing in the New Year with Upgrated Decor
The new year is an excellent time to make changes in your life. Start it positively by revamping your home and improving the decor. Choose the projects and decorations that best fit your personality and add your personal touch to the home. Your house should feel like an oasis of comfort, and these eight ideas are terrific for getting started.
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Additional posts & resources:
- 7 Design Trends We Want to Leave in 2023 and Take Into 2024
- Design Trends Over the Years
- Getting Outside While Staying In
- How to Find the Interior Design Style that Speaks to You
- Create a Gorgeous Kids’ Room that is Chic & Playful
Many thanks to Rose for this inspirational article on revamping your space for the new year with new decor.
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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