Beautifying a room doesn’t have to be a major ordeal nor does it require great expense. Most people have the basics while others need additional items to aid the process. These five steps can help in beautifying your space.
1. What state is the room in? Is it filled with clutter? Is there stuff all over the floor, furniture, in boxes and bags? If so, eliminate the clutter. Sort it, purge what you don’t need, contain the rest and find a home for it. Papers, books, clothing and assorted items don’t live on the floor or atop tables or furniture. These items belong in closets, cupboards, the garage and the like.
2. What state is the color of the walls and the condition of the flooring? If the paint is outdated, stained, faded, and drab, one of the easiest and least inexpensive ways to spruce up a room’s appearance is by painting it. What color you might ask? Visiting paint stores and looking at the vast array of selections can feel overwhelming and daunting. Start with a favorite color and something that can work with existing furniture and other decor. Bedrooms work best with soft, muted and calming colors since this is a place of rest. Other rooms can take bolder colors, especially as accent walls to bring some “pop” to a space. Many people are afraid of color, though many crave it, and shy away from anything too bold. It all depends on the room and it’s purpose. Gray and beige/earth tones can work while accenting with bright and vibrant furniture, throw pillows and area rugs that have pattern and some spice. Eliminate the beige on beige because it’s safe. A grey wall with pumpkin colored pillows on an espresso colored couch will make a room stand out. Shelter and interior design magazines provide plenty of help as well as sites like www.houzz.com. Replacing faded rugs and carpeting and refinishing floors, while greater expense, gives the room a whole new look.
3. What state is your furniture in? If you have sagging couches, torn armchair corners, frayed rugs and stained fabrics, then it’s time to invest in something new. Buying a piece or two at a time can assuage tight budgets. My suggestion is spending a bit more for quality rather than settling for the throwaway Ikea couch that will last a few years. Investing in well made furniture that isn’t trendy and faddish, will be a worthwhile investment. Find fabrics that can withstand usage by humans and pets. Make sure you find comfort with style and design.
4. Layout your room with planning. A floor plan makes planning much easier when you have a scaled drawing and measurements of your desired furniture. You can plan on paper ahead of time and make sure what you have works effectively in terms of flow of traffic, proximity to other furniture (couch to coffee table) and how it fits the space. Too often I see people push all their furniture against the wall as if it’s being held up by a gunman. Let furniture have some breathing room and live in the space.
5. What are you doing with accessories and photos? Too often people have photos spread all over the walls and on too many surfaces. Group photos together so they interact and relate. Get the same or similar frames so they tell a story. Edit out and keep only the best ones. Use decorative accents judiciously. We don’t need to fill every empty space. Pick and choose what really works best, stick to a theme in color or playing with size and shapes. Create unity amidst the variety.
Have fun with your surroundings and make them both functional and beautiful.
If you should need help organizing and/or beautifying a space, feel free to call Creative Space Organizing for help at 510.501.1213.