Aug 19, 2017

Tips for a fast update.


An outdated home can be a source of stress. It can be from clutter we all collect, a style that doesn't feel right, or things that have lost their function. Bust your stress with a quick and inexpensive update. Use my 5 tips individually or all together to transform your space!

  1. Bring the outdoors in. Nature is refreshing and relaxing. Add some plants. Succulents are easy because they require very little water and look amazing. Bring out the silver plated creamer you inherited, use it as a planter for some hens and chicks.  Put already potted plants into an attractive container.  Don't think you can grow plants? Try a vase of fresh greens or flowers. Still not convinced? Hang an inexpensive poster of a fabulous flower or landscape. 


  1. Remove your window coverings. Let your view – whatever it is – be unobstructed. Take away anything that makes the window smaller or blocks the light. Remove fabric panels, the extra layer of sheers under a valence, blinds, and top treatments or anything that you don't absolutely need for privacy. That is guaranteed to transform your room instantly. Removing the heavy drapes lets a ton of light into this great room and provides more transitional look. 


  1. Declutter. Put everything away that you don't use on a regular basis. Find a place for mail, magazines, dog leashes, shoes, and the items that seem to get left in every room. Can't bear to put them away? Get a big chest or basket and put it all in there. Do the same for furniture and accessories. Pare down what you don't use that just takes up space. Have more time? Remove everything that is not of  importance to you. Create piles labeled "Donate" "Keep" or "Trash". You will find that 'less is more' and removing the clutter you see every day will help you de-stress. Organize things that you see every day; Your bookshelf, your kitchen shelves, and any surface that has "stuff" on it. The addition of glass canisters  and baskets on open shelves makes everything look clean, neat and easy to find for cooking and baking.


  1. Rearrange. Take items from one room and place them in another. A small change like swapping out a lamp, a table, or chest of drawers will make a room feel different. Take your sofa off the wall it is on and place it elsewhere. Don't have another wall? Try floating it in the middle of the room. That often gives the perception of more space even in a small room. Rearranging is free. It is the fastest way to give every space in your house a new look. Here, the display console from the living room is fab bedside storage.

  1. Add drama. Get a gallon of paint and a roller/pan set for under $20 from a big box store. Paint one wall your favorite color and work everything in around it. Have a small budget? Install a glamorous new light fixture that you will see the moment you walk into the room.  More inspired? Take a dated (or hated) piece of furniture and paint it. Think about removing the existing hardware and any trim that comes off easily, and use a color that you absolutely love. A light sanding, a primer coat, and regular house acrylic paint and voila. I recommend a satin finish for durability. A wooden chair looks dynamic in red!

  1. Create mismatch. Are your nightstands matching? Do all of your end and coffee tables have the same look? Are your sofas flanked by matched lamps? Swap things from room to room and create mismatch. That will give you a fresh style, design interest, and add tons of personality.  Have more time?  Put some of the matched pieces up for sale and replace with stylish new pieces that you've been admiring.  Switch from a square end table to a round pedestal style. Take away a nightstand and replace with a cool bombe chest.  An end table from the living room along with its ceramic lamp can look dynamite in the bedroom. Here, the bedroom table is moved to the living room.


  1. Add new color. Find an item that your eye goes to in a color that you love. Is it a Green glass vase on your dining table?  A stack of colorful coffee table books? A beautiful piece of art that makes you feel grounded?  Place it front and center where you will see it every day. Color is inspiring and a color you love that makes your heart sing will destress and make you happy. Recovering a barstool is easy, and look what a difference it makes!