If your living room furniture hasn’t been moved in years, if your window treatments are discolored from age, or if the color of your walls has remained the same since the day you moved in, then you may be considered a reluctant redecorator. For years it was a term my friends used to describe me. In my 20’s I worked 16-hour days and the idea of revamping my living area on my days off didn’t exactly appeal to me (to say the least). But, as time passed so did my reluctance to redecorate. Today, I am just as busy, but now the idea of “spicing” up my living room with a new wall color or a new piece of furniture is rather exciting to me. Some projects take longer and require more effort than others, but there’s no better feeling than being able to stand back and admire your handiwork. Here are some simple ideas that have been known to motivate even the most uninspired homeowners.
Determine a Layout—Before the heavy lifting begins decide where you want to place each piece of furniture, paying attention to scale and proportion. If you are looking to invest in new furniture think comfort (there’s no sense in wasting money on furniture that looks good, but no one wants to sit on) and stick with neutral fabrics. A cream colored sofa is a wonderful backdrop for splashes of color that can be introduced through pillows and blankets. Chairs are a wonderful accent to a comfy couch and can help anchor a seating arrangement. However, it is important to make sure that they are proportional to the couch. Another tip: ditch the coffee table. I switched out my rectangular table for two small end tables. The arrangement opens up the room and gives my daughter more space to play. In addition, their size allows for mobility — they can be easily moved anywhere in the room.
Select Wall Color—A famous designer once said, “The biggest decorating mistake people make is choosing the wall color first.” The rule to remember: color should be chosen only after the fabrics and flooring has been determined. After all, it is far easier to take a swatch of fabric to the paint store to color match than to coordinate fabrics, flooring and furniture to an existing wall color.
Choosing Fabrics and Flooring–I’m not big on area rugs, but someone once suggested that a large rug helps to combine all of a room’s components. For example, a rug with bold colorful stripes could be used to bring out the color of the drapery while simultaneously introducing a host of new hues. The stripes could also complement a couch of pair of chairs that are covered with a solid fabric.
Accessorize the Room–I love to accessorize a room with family photos in standing picture frames. Of course, with dozens of frames, space becomes limited. I used to compensate by getting rid of lamps, porcelains, vases, etc. I have since learned that this is not a good idea. To avoid a cluttered look and introduce light back into the living room I have learned to purge 10 percent of the room’s accessories. Instead of dozens of frames taking up every inch of flat space, I now have a lovely colleague of pictures in identical frames hanging on one wall.
Redecorating or even rearranging a room takes effort, but it doesn’t have to be a chore as long as you plan ahead and focus on the outcome. Often, once a decorating project is complete, the amazing results will make you forget about how hard you worked to achieve them.