Giving Your Home a New Look for the New Year

Giving Your Home a New Look for the New Year

The New Year is a perfect opportunity for changing things up, perhaps none more so than your home. Even the smallest modifications can have a big impact not just on your home’s design but also on the mood and overall well-being of all its occupants. You could even get creative with your she sheds, and do some decorating there too. By adding a little personality and style to the space you can make the perfect retreat. Here are a few simple ways to give your home (or she shed) a fresh, new look for the coming year.

Clean It Up

You’d be surprised at how much dust, dirt, and grime a house can accumulate over a year, even if you do clean it up every so often. Give your house a good scrubbing from top to bottom for the New Year. Not only does a clean home make you feel better (a clean home is actually good for your health), it also gives you a chance to declutter and get rid of things that you don’t need or use anymore. You can even donate or sell all the extra stuff you have. What’s more, a freshly cleaned home is also good backdrop for all the redecorating you’re going to do next. Remember: a clean home is a beautiful home.

Update Your Window Treatments

When it comes to home decor, window treatments like curtains, draperies, and shades are among the most versatile. They add a pop of color and pattern, and at the same time provide some shade and privacy. It also accentuates a lot of other design elements, like your furniture or paint. In addition, your window treatments can make a space look either bigger or cozier—no matter its actual size—simply by changing the length, color, and/or height of installation.

Use the Color of the Year

Each year, Pantone announces a color of the year. This 2018, it’s Ultra Violet. This is a bold color choice that is unconventional, mystical, and full of emotion. It might be a little scary to actually paint a wall with this provocative shade, so incorporating it in small doses could be your best option. Start with small things like accent pillows, table runners, or patterned curtains, for example, or perhaps an abstract painting with violet as a dominant color.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Rearranging your furniture is one of the cheapest ways to update the look of your home; all it takes is some lifting, pushing, and pulling from your end. To make things even easier, make a floor plan before you actually do the work, so you’ll know what goes where, and thus you’ll save time and effort. Deciding on a focal point will also help you figure out the layout and overall structure of each room.

Paint the Walls

New paint can instantly give your home a new personality. It’s also a good opportunity to experiment with color psychology. Bold colors like red, orange, and purple stimulate conversation — they’re perfect for living rooms and dining rooms. Green is best for relaxation, and thus works best in bedrooms, while blue is said to inspire productivity so you might want to try to paint your office in this cool shade. Of course, you can always go with your existing wall color; a year of wear and tear would have likely faded or dirtied the paint, and a fresh coat will work wonders in bringing your walls back to life.

Add Small New Touches

Small elements like new cabinet handles, door knobs, faucets, or lampshades make a big difference toward updating the look of your home. You can also think up of other items or places in your home that you don’t usually decorate. For example, switch plates are usually white or metal, so why not update them with a coat of red paint, or cover them up with an interestingly patterned wallpaper or washi tape?

New years are all about fresh starts, not just for yourself but for your home, too. After all, you’re going to spend another 365 days in it. The least you can do is make it a more comfortable and enjoyable place for you and your loved ones.