We’ve all heard the phrase “There is no time like the present,” a saying made famous by Proverbs writer John Trusler, and we think it rings true when one is considering whether or not they should revamp there space. If you’re considering it, why not act on your instinct.
Transforming your home can help you stay organized, reintegrate decor you’ve forgotten you had and has even been proven to affect your overall well being. Some of you might already be thinking, “well it’s easier said than done,” and of course you won’t be able to redesign or repaint your entire home instantly. When it comes to redesigning even just one room in your house, there are many restrictions like budgets, location, and size, which limit your home’s improvement possibilities. However, for those looking for instant decor gratification, no need to worry, we’ve tasked Décor Aid’s interior designers with curating a list of design tips that can help you completely transform your room in 3 hours.
Unexpected Art Placement
“I believe art is subjective. Therefore it’s placement should be as well. When designing a space where we will place artwork, I almost always try to introduce my clients to new ways to hang their artwork,”Alex- Decor Aid’s decorator.
There are traditional art placement rules, such as all art should be 6-8 inches above the furnishings of the area. However, like art, interior design can be entirely subjective. Therefore a home with unexpected art placement can still be an essential part of excellent interior design. Instead of breaking out your handy leveling tool, consider going outside the norm and lean a single piece or a group of paintings up against a wall in the room you’re styling.
You can even try leaning them on your mantle top. Art placement like this will add both depth and mystery to any room. Have fun with this approach by trying out different arrangements. Switch around the pieces in various formations until it feels just right. The design tip will take no longer than three hours unless you own massive art pieces.
Hanging a rug
Why hang a rug on a wall? There are too many good reasons to list them all. Perhaps you have run out of floor space or are looking to create a new look for your home that won’t take a lot of your time or be a hassle.
“Accent rugs are great focal points when hung on a wall versus placing them on the floor in the traditional sense. Most clients are thrilled once they see how well it can round out a room” Decor Aid’s Maria T.
Rugs come in various colors, sizes, and textures. Those overly textured rugs are great for breaking up an otherwise flat wall and will create a fantastic design statement. Rugs in colors like red and orange can be subtle backdrops that add pops of color to an area of your home, but also bring warmth. While rugs in cooler shades like Blue, green or purple can help create a calming and serene atmosphere.
Turn Something Old Into Something New
When you get the urge to get rid of all of your old furniture stop yourself and think of ways you can repurpose items. Which brings us to a practical home improvement tip, which is to reuse, recycle and repurpose. Check all the passive space in your home like attics, closets and basements because you never know when you’ll find Grandma’s antique dresser which you can transform into a chic bench. This decor idea helps bring back functionality to that forgotten piece while also creating a sense of renewal that will reflect throughout your space, and there is no need to break the bank or worry about a budget.
“Once I had a client who didn’t want to part with any of her older furniture. So instead of sourcing all new decor, we were able to collaborate and find new ways for her to utilize her old pieces, with new functionality” Ali S.
Relocate your furniture
Just like with repurposing older decor, another useful interior design tip is to relocate the pieces in your home naturally. It can be as easy as swapping out the two armchairs in your study with the love seat in your family room. When thinking of relocating furniture, always ask yourself is there a location that would benefit from the piece in question more than its current spot.
“I’ve learned through experience that some clients are skeptical how big of a difference relocating furniture can make. But once they saw how amazing their living room accent rug looked in their newly painted guest bedroom, the clients were thrilled that they trusted my instinct to relocate versus sourcing all new mirrors” Decor Aid’s interior designer Meg L.
Relocating is excellent because it helps utilize the pieces you already have rather than spending money on new furniture that serves the same function just with a different look.
Add new textiles
If you feel like it is time to give your home a fresh new look yet don’t know how much time and resources you can commit to the project, you may want to consider adding in new textiles into your room transformation.
“I was once working with a couple who wanted all of their rooms to compliment any of the four seasons. So I sourced jewel-toned accent pillows, textured area rugs and cozy throw blankets. These new textures and shades added pops of color and helped bring personality and depth into the client’s home.” Maria T.
New textiles are great in rooms with neutral color palettes or any space needing not only color but texture and patterns as well. Textiles like throws, rugs and blankets are affordable ways to transform any room in your home. Adding new textiles is a tip interior designers use when working on projects with tight time constraints. Adding new textiles is easily a task that can take your room from boring and one dimensional, to a space full of personality, color and chic style.
Reposition your Mirrors
Like unexpected art placement, most people don’t realize that most mirrors should lean on a wall versus being hung in the traditional sense.
“I love playing around with mirrors when decorating a client’s home. I always tell my clients to view mirrors as decorative windows that will capture light and add a sense of depth to a room” David G.
Repositioning the mirrors in your home is another design idea to transform your room that you can complete in a few hours. Playing with the positions of the mirrors in your home will give you variations in the light reflected and sense of depth according to the distance from doors and windows. Another quick and easy design idea to consider when re-positioning your mirror is to follow the rules of Feng Shui. This eastern philosophy helps you balance your home’s energy by following specific decor placement rules. Whichever placement rules you stick with, your space is sure to have a sense of newness in as little as three hours.