Have you ever watched one of those makeover shows? Whether it is Extreme Makeover, The Swan, Dr. 90210 --- there’s always something people feel they want to change to get a different and better look. Spring is in the air! If you are ready to do a makeover in your home, read on….
You don’t have to do a whole decorating makeover to see and notice a change in your home. There are a number of things you can do in as little as an hour or a day that can make a huge difference.
Below are some ideas that can help bring a fresh look to your home:
Cover a Chair Cushion
If you have a chair or desk chair that is now looking tired and worn out, it is no trouble to put a new cover on it to give it a new and revitalized look. Turn the chair upside down and remove the screws that hold the pad to the chair frame. Lift the pad and lay it upside down on the new fabric you chose to use to recover the chair pad. Be sure to center any pattern or stripe on the chair pad. Carefully fold the edges of the fabric onto the underside of the chair pad and staple it down. Remember to not cover the screw holes! Before you reattach the pad to the chair frame, inspect the frame to see if there are any scratches to the wood that you can touch-up, polish or stain.
Add or Change Out Pillows to a Chair or Sofa
A boring chair or a dull sofa can really come alive with a splash of color or patterns. You can achieve this by adding pillows. Look around the room and determine what it needs. Does the room need color? Does it need a bold pattern? Or a subtle pattern? Does it need a colorful trim? Once you determine what your room needs, search for a pair pillows that will provide the “WOW” to your room. Then look for two un-matched pillows with the same colors but different patterns that you can complement the pair you have chosen. Look for fun pillows with fringes or beads or maybe pillows that have an interesting plush fabric.
Paint One Wall
If your room needs a pick-me-up, think about painting one wall with a contrasting color to create an accent wall to the room. When doing this, think about what you want to accomplish. You can create a backdrop for your bed by painting the wall behind it. Or frame your bathtub with a soothing shade. You might think about the wall behind the dining room buffet or a long hallway wall. How about the wall at the end of a long kitchen? Whatever wall you choose to paint will end up to be the focus of the room. Choose wisely, as that is where the eye will be drawn.
Because this is the place where you can be bold, and because you won’t be using a lot of color, don’t be afraid to choose a color you would normally not choose for the whole room. However, make sure that the color you choose will blend with the other things in the room.
Create a Single Canopy Over your Bed
You can add drama or serenity by constructing a simple canopy over your bed. One way to achieve this is to screw chrome, iron, or porcelain towel rings into the ceiling over your bed and pull a long width of fabric through them, forming a swag.
You can also hem four sides of a wide panel of fabric, cut the width of your bed long enough to go from the floor to ceiling and half way back again. Apply fringe or tassels to one of the short ends. Cut two wooden dowels the width of your bed. Hang the dowels from the ceiling across the top of the bed, about 12 inches apart. Swag the fabric panel over both dowels and pull the fabric down to the floor behind your bed. The other end will hang over your bed like a valance.
Another way is to cut a 12” wide board the width of the bed. Cover it with fabric. Staple fabric cut and finished about 18” wide along the two short ends and one long side. Screw the wood board to the wall above your bed, using L-brackets. Screw a large chrome, wood, or iron ring into the ceiling above your bed, near the wall. Pull a long length of sheer fabric through the ring, spreading the fabric out to the sides of the bed. You might attach the fabric to the side of your bed to hold it in place.
Trim up a Lamp or Lamp Shade
Give boring lamps a fresh, up-to-date look with trims coordinated to your decor. By using a glue gun, carefully attach braid, ribbon, fringe, beaded cording, or bias tape to the top and bottom edges of a lampshade.
If the base of your lamp looks tired, remove the shade and cords. In a protected area, spray paint the base. Use either a color coordinated to your room or theme, or choose a metallic spray finish in copper, brass, or brushed steel. Reattach the cord and replace the shade. Also try wrapping the base of your lamp in ribbon or cording. Do just the base, or go all the way up. This will give a totally new look with little work.
Clean Up an Old Piece of Furniture
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to rescue a sad looking dresser or shelf. By painting it with a fresh color, you will be surprised how the old piece can be transformed. Start by removing the handles and pulls. Then lightly sand down the wood, smoothing out snags or bumps. Wipe off the sanding dust carefully with a damp rag. Dry with a clean, dry rag. Paint the piece, starting with the frame, ending with the shelves or drawer fronts. Let the piece dry for several days. Think about painting the back of a shelving unit a contrast color from the shelves and frame. Books and objects will stand out with a contrasting background. Replace the shelves, drawers, and pulls.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
