Looking to add some zest and life into your space? Try using color and textures for some creative decorating. It’s a simple way to enhance your room that also won’t take up much of your time. Here’s 4 quick tips to make your room sing:
- Rule of Three
If you’re adding a new color into the room that is not currently a part of the design scheme, be sure to use it in three locations. For example, elegant wall stickers, throw pillows and a vase. Or, a rug, curtains and a carefully draped blanket.
- Create Balance
Find two colors you love and create harmony and balance with them by grouping different items that contain both of the colors. For example, if your accent pillow is patterned with plum and pale green, place it alongside a few other pillows that are a solid of your featured color. Choose different styles of fabric as well, silky smooth vs. nubby wool.
- Same Theme – Variable Size (or Color)
Here’s a fun tip that is modern, but still maintains a sense of uniformity. By keeping the same theme throughout the room, like stripes, you can add interest by either changing the width of the stripe or the color around the room. For example, if you cover all your chairs in a striped pattern, vary the pattern just slightly by allowing the stripes to have different widths, or colors. Looking for stripes on walls? Try stripes wall decals instead of painting.
- Trust Your Instincts
Sometimes you just know when it’s working. As you mix and match colors and textures in your room, you really just need to trust yourself. If it feels like it’s a hit, it probably is. Bottom line is that you are happy with the end result. So, add things, move them around, then stand back and take an objective look. If something needs to be removed, that’s OK too. If you’re unsure, leave it alone for a bit and go into another room. When you look again with fresh eyes, you’ll have your answer.
Looking to save money on your next decorating project? You don’t have to buy a store full of furniture to change the look of your room. With a little creative thinking, you can re-use and re-purpose furniture and other things you already have to make that room shine. Follow these steps for some ideas that will inspire you, save money and get those creative juices flowing.
- Assess
Take a good look at the furniture you already have, in EVERY room: Tables, chairs, couch… every piece in your entire house. Don’t forget the pieces you’ve hidden away in the garage. Is it working where you have it? Is it the right size for the space it is in now? Would it be better in the room you are re-decorating? Is it worn and needs repairs you can do (ie. Fabric fraying, wood a little dinged, paint chipping). Quick fabric and paint changes can re-fresh tired furniture, so, don’t throw it away!
- Review
Look around at the room you want to re-do. What pieces should be taken out? Can you take a piece of furniture and turn in on its side (like a bookshelf)? How about painting? Paint is not just for walls, though that will also help your budget makeover, furniture can also benefit from a paint job too (just remember to sand off the old paint or stain first). And, draping fabric, scarves or table cloths over end tables, chairs or even book shelves can also re-fresh tattered furniture. You can also DIY and recover fabric chairs with a little effort.
- Swap With Friends
Can’t quite get the look you want with the furniture you already have? Visit your friends and neighbors and suggest a furniture swap. (Don’t forget to check their garage too). They’ll get a great piece to update their space and you’ll have something “new” to complete your look.
- Repaint and Rearrange
Definitely repaint your walls as that is the easiest way to change the look of a room. And, don’t be afraid of color. The room will seem much more professionally decorated if you choose a color that is not plain old white. Then, rearrange by taking everything out of the room and starting over with the new furnishings you’ve discovered around the house or from friends. Place larger items first and fill in with the smaller pieces.
- Accessorize
Check you closets for items you haven’t used in years, such as pillows, throws, remnant fabric, even an old skirt can become a new pillow with a little sewing, or, cut the seam and drape it over the furnishings. Rearrange items from another room to the one you’re working on if it’s better suited for the color and style you’ve chosen. Decorating items are everywhere in your house already, even in your clothes closet. You know how much you loved your favorite scarf or skirt when you bought it, maybe you haven’t worn it in awhile and it’s time to re-purpose it and enjoy it in your home decorating!
If you limit yourself to what you can work with, you’ll find you end up with great results. Putting parameters around your decorating project helps you come up with something unique and different, all because you didn’t go with your first choice and just run out and buy it. You don’t have to spend money to end up with a beautiful look. It just takes planning and time to think about the best way to use what you already have. So, be creative, re-use, re-purposing and change it up. Get those creative juices flowing and have fun decorating.
