Design tips & trends
5 Stylish (and Easy) Room Makeover Tips
Have you ever had room envy? It may be from looking through magazines packed with glossy pages of beautiful interiors that have been professionally decorated. Or, it could be from visiting a friend’s house after they have done some renovations. You get back to your own home and wish someone could give your place a style makeover. Fortunately, there are some easy ways you can refresh a tired interior without breaking the bank—and most can be done in an instant.
1. Change the layout of your furniture
Sounds simple, but moving furniture around can change the whole feel of a room. How is the seating arranged? Can an armchair go in a different corner with a floor lamp so you have a reading nook? Does the coffee table work in another place? If you are dealing with a large space, use your lounge suite to divide the room and create a focal point.
2. Paint the walls
Painting the walls is a quick and affordable way to update a room. It can transform the personality of a space with only a weekend’s work.
If you are painting over a dark colour with a light colour you will probably need to prime the walls before the colour goes on. Or, add a third top coat to avoid patchiness. If you are going to paint the ceiling, do that first so you don’t get spatter on the walls. Pay attention to edges around doors and windows, they are places that people notice!
3. Play with on-trend accessories
Work with your existing furniture but change or add some accessories. Start by clearing any clutter so you have a blank slate. Buy a funky sculpture for your book shelf and add some cushions to your lounge. After high impact? Try a patterned rug in a bold geometric design to anchor the room.
4. Introduce a funky lampshade
You don’t want your bedroom or living room to be boring; you want it to reflect your personality so that you can feel more at home. Lamps with shades are an easy way to accomplish this.
Go to your local decorating store and get your hands on some wallpaper offcuts to re-cover your lampshades. You can pick up some fabulous designs for next to nothing and it’s a great way to experiment with colours and patterns. Lamp bases can also be painted to match the new shade.
5. Get some artwork
What’s the easiest and fastest way to make over a tired space or spruce up a lonely wall? Simple answer is artwork!
Online shopping means you can get digital prints delivered directly to your door. Or, check out nearby galleries and support local artists. Arrange for your artwork to be professionally framed (it’s actually not that much more expensive than the store-bought kind) and voila—drab walls are revitalised.
