Sometimes we need a change, and a great way to do this is by redecorating your house – or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new house and need to make it feel more homely. Sometimes it might just be buying some new couches, other times it can be a full makeover for your home; new couches, new paint, new lighting, the lot. Either way, it might be a challenge to know where to begin. Never fear, it doesn’t have to be too difficult, as long as you plan ahead and work out what it is you want to do. This article will cover 10 tips for redecorating your home.
Make a budget
Like anything, it’s a good idea to set a realistic budget before you go out on a shopping spree. If you’re completely redoing your home, you might want to stick to a set budget. If you have just moved into a new home, it may be tempting to go out and purchase as much as you can, but it’s a good idea to go through your finances and work out a budget you can reasonably afford, without it taking a hit to any other living expenses, like food, or rent.
Plan and take measurements of everything
Planning ahead will make picking your furniture and decorations so much easier. Measure the floor plan of your house, and designate areas where you want the couches, television stand, wall paintings. Print out a sheet of paper showcasing the floorplan of your house and take it with you to the furniture or homeware store so you have a quick and easy to see reference.
Pick a theme
Okay, so you’ve worked out what your budget is and how much room you have. Now it’s time to pick an interior theme, so your home has a uniformity to it and everything stylistically blends together. A great way to check out some themes is to look at some of our favourite designer homewares in Australia from Cranmore Home. They have a great section on their website that categorises their products into “collections”. One theme is the Coastal Interiors collection, which consists of warm whites and rattan materials, to give a sense of life on the beach. If you want something more modern try taking a look at their Contemporary Interiors collection, which has a trendy yet timeless style to it that is both minimalist and fun.
De-clutter
If you’ve lived somewhere for a long time, chances are it has accumulated a lot of clutter. Sometimes the reason you may feel like your home is always a mess despite you spending hours cleaning it, is that it needs a good de-clutter.
Sort out everything in your home into groups: rubbish, donating, selling, and keeping. For the most part, these groups are self-explanatory, but just remember the more you keep the more clutter you will have. Try to limit the items you’re keeping to ones that you use regularly, and have actual meaning to you, otherwise, you can sell, donate or simply throw away.
Light and neutral wall paint
For the most part, neutral and light coloured wall paint is the best way to go, as it shows a more inviting and light interior. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with colours, if anything it means you have more freedom to pick some great feature wall colours or accent colours, to give your home a personal touch.
Place rugs under furniture
If you find a rug that you’ve fallen in love with, it should be scaled to the room it is in. For example, if you want a rug in the lounge room it should fit under all the furniture and the coffee table. This looks clean, neat and actually serves a purpose, as most people don’t sit on the couch with shoes on – hopefully – and need somewhere to rest their feet. In a dining room, in a similar manner, it should fit underneath the dining table neatly. Floating rugs without a coffee table or desk on them can sometimes make the house look messy.
Take advantage of natural light
There are some ways to brighten your house more, and that usually comes down to what kind of blinds you have. If you have a fairly dim home, remove the old blinds and hang up some that are lighter in colour, so they allow light to travel easier.
Another way to encourage light into your home is to hang up some mirrors, they give a sense of wider space, and reflect light through the rooms.
Use up empty space
Do you have a corner that looks empty and boring? Fill it with something – try out some side tables, or perhaps fill it with a bookcase. Don’t try to overdo it and fill every corner of the house with something, but just at least one corner in the lounge room and dining room.
Reuse some of your old stuff
Remember when we said to keep some of your old stuff? Well, this is where you can repurpose it. Perhaps you have an old reading chair, a place by a bookshelf with a desk and lamp, to make a quiet place for reading and studying. If you have a favourite old painting, place it somewhere new, usually, that will be enough to make both the painting and room feel fresh.
Don’t be afraid to mix it up
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles, so long as you don’t go overboard. Mixing and matching different themes in styles is a great way to make your home feel unique to you. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed get in touch with a styling expert, Jayne, from the wonderful Cranmore Home.