If you’ve ever spent your day off perusing Pinterest and admiring the spacious, unique and trendy home decor projects of bloggers and interior designers, you’re not alone. Many of us are always looking for new ways to make our homes look more inviting and like something out of an episode of HGTV. A lot of those projects take time, money and effort–something that not everyone has. How can you give your home a facelift without tearing down walls or rewiring the electric? Here are some fun, unique ways to update your home–all without needing to get out the hammer and screwdriver.
Lighting
A little lighting can go a long way into transforming your space. Figure out which areas in the rooms of your home seem a little dark and then add a couple of floor lamps. You’ll instantly notice how much brighter the room feels–literally! Look for unique hanging light fixtures, as well, such as reflective chandeliers. They’ll catch the light and make the room feel much bigger. You can also replace any table lamps with new bases and shades, a simple and quick switch that will leave guests wondering what you did differently.
Curtains
If you think your room doesn’t need a curtain, you’re actually wrong. Curtains are great for adding another layer of design to a room. Even if you have a great view of the outdoors from your bedroom window, finding the right curtains to frame it will make the view even better. Consider finding blackout curtains that keep light out at night for when you’re sleeping. You can find them in all different types of patterns and colors, so they’re perfect for adding something a little extra to your decor!
Photos
Creating a gallery wall is a great way to add something extra to your decor. There are so many ways that you can arrange photos–trailing along your staircase, lined up symmetrically on the wall behind your couch or even down the hallway. Some people even print all their photos in grayscale to make the gallery even more cohesive. Play around with frame sizes and shapes, and don’t forget to find some unique personalized picture frames to show off the family’s hobbies and interests!
Brighter, Not Darker
When giving your home a facelift, focus on brighter colors and not darker hues. If you do bring in any jewel tones, use them as accents in the pillows and other smaller decor pieces, such as clocks. Brighter colors tend to make rooms feel bigger, especially off-whites and pale grays. Walls that are too dark will make the space feel closed in. If you still decide to go with a dark wall color, make sure you have lots of bright pieces to contrast!
Ditch the Bulk
Leave the clunky furniture of the early 2000s. Instead, focus on finding smaller, more functional pieces, such as storage ottomans in place of coffee tables and mixed metal end tables. A trendy combination lately has been wood and metal, so finding pieces with wooden table tops and metal legs will really help open the place up. This is especially good if you want your home to feel more open-concept but don’t want to knock down walls.
Cabinets and Knobs
Don’t want to pay for new cabinets? Replace the doorknobs and slap on a new coat of paint! You’ll be surprised at how quickly your kitchen will look completely different when you switch out brass knobs for glass ones and white cabinets for black ones. Visit your local hardware store to get an idea for what you like. Forewarning: There will be a lot of options to choose from, but that’s okay! Purchase a couple of each type to figure out what you think will look best in your home and then go back and get the rest. Make sure you pay attention to where the knobs are placed on your kitchen drawers, though. You don’t want to purchase horizontal handles when there’s only one hole drilled in the center of your cabinet door!
Accents
Sometimes you just need a new set of couch pillows and other accent decor items to make your home feel fresh and new! Consider switching out the blankets you have with some new ones, such as a personalized picture blanket to spread across the back of the couch with your latest family portrait on it. You could also consider adding some smaller detail pieces, such as a miniature globe or even a set of porcelain bookends. Even rearranging the kids’ karate trophies can make the space feel fresher.
Outdoor Furniture
Don’t neglect the outside! If you’ve been avoiding having cookouts and outdoor parties because you cringe every time you look at your backyard, now’s the time to change it. Spend the day giving some TLC to your backyard. Plant fresh flowers and greenery, install some string lights and bring in some new outdoor furniture. Make your outdoor space feel much more inviting by adding pavers and even an outdoor rug. Consider adding a fire pit or hammock, too!
If you’re adding greenery, make sure you go to your local nursery prior to purchasing any plants. You want to make sure to add plants that will thrive in your local environment, especially depending on the season. If you’re not big into watering your yard unless absolutely necessary, they can also help you find great greenery that needs minimal maintenance but will bring new life to either your yard or in your home.
Not every home project needs the fanfare of busting through walls or tearing down backsplash. You can still make your home feel fresh and new by switching out smaller accent pieces and plugging in some new light fixtures. Even if all that seems too hectic for your schedule, sometimes even a fresh coat of paint to the walls, rearranging the furniture and doing a deep clean of your living spaces can make a huge difference in how your home feels.
Author Bio: Ashley Peterson is the Director of Marketing at GiftsForYouNow. Her favorite part of her job is connecting others with sentimental and personalized gifts that foster lifelong memories. Ashley is also a mother of 2 and enjoys spending time with her family exploring the outdoors.
