Change Accent Pillows
When done each season, it's a way to be trendy without making everything in your house a trend.
Add an Area Rug
A rug anchors a furniture grouping, promotes an orderly feeling, and defines a space. Use painter's tape to outline various sizes on the floor to get an idea of how a rug could work in the room. In dining areas, the rug should be large enough to contain the chair legs when someone pushes back from the table. If you're hard-pressed for space, the rug needs to at least contain the legs when the chairs are pushed up to the table.
Try a New Color
A powder room is a great starting point. The room doesn't get a lot of use, so you can experiment with color and go for drama.
Throw Out, Recycle, or Donate
If there's a chair no one ever sits in or a table that just collects junk, get rid of it. Same with old TVs, cell phones, and computers. You'll feel lighter -- and your home will be more comfortable.
Reorganize a Bookcase
This brings an instant sense of order. Place books so the spines are at the very front of the shelf. Don't randomly intermingle objects with books; set aside one shelf for displaying your accessories.
Change the Wall Color
Painting is the cheapest way to redesign a room. A new color can change the tone of a room, and you can easily do-it-yourself.
Give New Life
"You don't always have to buy everything brand new. Look at some of the good pieces you already have and see if they deserve a new lease on life by being repurposed into another room." A new stain or coat of paint usually changes an existing piece of furniture enough to give it a whole new life.
Add a Pop of Color
"You can't go wrong with a fun yellow throw pillow in any room." A few accents in citrus hues add a level of interest to any color scheme.
Change the Mat on Artwork
I often find it's the color of the mat, not the frame, that dates a picture. Change the look of the piece by swapping out a light-color mat for a dark one or vice versa. Or choose a new color of mat and use the art in a different room.
Look for Bare Areas
Ask yourself what simple items could add interest. A change may be as easy as rearranging furniture or putting an oversize potted plant in a corner.
Tidy Up Your Entry
It's a visitor's first impression, so don't let it become a dumping ground. Designate a place for mail and keys, like a small decorative tray or bowl. Add a basket for shoes at the bottom of the stairs so you can grab the basket on your next trip upstairs and put things away all at once.
Rearrange Art and Accessories
Put something in a different place (such as rearranging a shelf display) and all of a sudden a room feels fresh. When hanging art, be sure not to go too high. A good average eye-level height is to have the center of a painting 5 to 5 1/2 feet from the floor.
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