5 Signs of New Life for Spring

April is on the way; maybe you’ve been thinking of changing the entire mood of your home just like you’ve seen on DIY home shows?  Those remodeling and reality real estate shows make it look so easy to redo an entire room in a single weekend even when you are a complete amateur.

Most of us know it isn’t that simple, but there are quick and inexpensive ways to: REFRESH YOUR HOME DÉCOR WITHOUT HIRING A DESIGN ARTIST!

What mood do you want to create?  What lifestyle would you like your home to convey?  March with its blustery wind and cold rain has set the stage for blooming buds of colorful joy to pop and you can do the same in your home.  Here are a few design tips to help you get started.

• No need to buy all new pillows – slipcover your throw pillows for instant fresh appeal.   If you are crafty, sew them yourself!  What a terrific way to introduce fresh color without all the expense!
• Change up your throw rugs for a dash of difference
• Everything old is new again.  Try rearranging your wall art for a whole new look.  You can substitute hangings from one room with another, arrange a whole new display or add accents for an appealing new look.  The best fun is seeing which family members notice!
• Who says the china closet has to live in the dining room? Repurpose furniture from one area of the home into another; rearrange your furnishings for a fresh perspective
• Window treatments accomplish so many tasks for us; subduing sunlight, affording privacy.  They also lay a foundation for a room’s ambiance.  You can try something as simple as adding some lightly colored sheers between the drapes to change the mood.  Or keep the existing sheers and change up the heavier framing panels, even add them if they aren’t already there.

Have you ever wondered what you might accomplish if you took repurposing even further to suit your individual needs? Without lifting a single hammer or removing any walls.

I have a friend who chose to be a little daring.  Seeing the possibilities in breaking free of conventional norms and realizing their little dining room wasn’t suitable for the large family get-togethers they hosted regularly, she did something unconventional about it.  Turning the spare bedroom into a cozy but still completely suitable living room, she then spread her dining table out in its full glory in what had been the family room!  She also gained the added benefit of the table leaves no longer needing to be installed for each dinner, then removed and stored until next time.  Now when the family gathers to eat and visit everyone is part of the conversation around their comfortable dining table.

These ideas and others are useful as well in staging a home to show its best, or help potential buyers visualize room usage when selling a house, too.