Five Easy Ways to Update a Tired Room

Five Easy Ways to Update a Tired Room by Debra Kristi, authorDo you ever feel like you’ve gotten bogged down in the muck of your reality? When that happens to me I need a little something to spice up my life. Nothing major, just a minute change. Most of the time I direct this ‘change’ to my environment – my home decor. Honestly, I tend to get this way far too often. Drives my husband bonkers. To him, change often incites dollar signs in his eyes. *snickers*

I don’t know about you, but I tend to wander from room to room in my house envisioning what could make each space more inviting. It’s a talent of mine. Or…if you ask the husband, sometimes, it’s a curse. 😉 I see worlds of possibilities at everything I look at, that’s how I operate, and I’m not always allowed to step all the way to the other side, bringing my visions to fruition. But, with a few tweaks, I can create a fair compromise.

Husband likes to remind me I live on a zero budget. Hehe. That would be partly because I spend all our money, and then some, on editing and craft education. Hey, it’s a worthy expenditure. You all want extraordinary books, don’t you?

Ready to jump down the rabbit hole of a mini room refashioning? Here we gooo….

Five simple and inexpensive ways to give a tired room new life.

Pillows: Never underestimate the power of a pillow. Be it in the bedroom, family room, living room, etc. A throw pillow can make a tremendous visual impact. It’s all about color and texture. You can buy new pillows with little investment or recover your existing ones in textiles you already have in the home. Try enveloping your tired pillows in a favorite sweater that no longer fits, decorate it with large buttons. Or a denim shirt you no longer wear. Your closet can be a fabulous source. I’ve been holding on to brilliant hippy shirt my daughter used to wear, waiting for the spare time to make that too-awesome pillow for her bed.

Side-note: Throw blankets have a similar effect as a pillow switch. Also, drapes (like the ones you can get from IKEA, can easily cover a wall for a quick change in room colors.

Wall Art: Rearrange or change out your wall art. Sound like a lot of work? Not really, and you might find yourself extremely pleased with the end result. We have a small garage with no room for shelves down one side of the car. There I hang extra art: paintings, prints, pictures, posters, whatnot. They’re always ready for a quick swap with anything in the house. Of course, we all have our favorite pieces and I’m not telling you to banish those to the garage. Heck no! Pick a few choice items and give it a try, moving them, swap them with others from another room and see what you think. Did you create a fresh feel?

Knickknacks: We all have them. We probably have more than we need. The key to decorating with knickknacks is less is more, pair in odd numbers, and ideally, unique and significant pieces will make more of an impact. I recommend choosing a few items that have special meaning. Family heirlooms, gifts, handcrafted items, had-to-have pieces, etc. Items with a story to you can share. And I am will to bet you have several in your home at this very moment that you can switch out to not only give one, but two places a fresh feel. Go for it!

Furniture: When we move into a new space we usually decide where everything is going, move it to its new ‘proper’ location and then leave it there – like – forever. Have you ever watched a sitcom where the lead is constantly rearranging her room out of a sense of frustration or some other driven emotion? I’m not suggesting you rearrange your entire room, nor am I suggesting you go shopping for new furniture. Both are heavily time-consuming and unnecessary. Not to mention emotionally taxing. Instead, pick a piece or two, maybe even a few, which are relatively easy to move. Things like a large plant, small shelf, table, or display cabinet, even a chair or two. Try them in a new location, and see if that doesn’t create a new, energized design.

Flowers: Real ones! Add a splash of color. If you don’t already do this every now and again, you’ll be amazed at what a difference one simple act can make. Not only is the color a wonderful addition to the room from a decor stand point, but the flowers add a psychological element. They’re a constant reminder of our vitality and our connection to something larger than ourselves. They prompt us to slow down and enjoy the moments. 

My mini refashioning in no way means I don’t want to eventually replace my tired furniture, but I’m making it work…for now. You can do the same.  (Tired furniture, you ask? My cats have clawed the sofa to shreds and someone, who will go unnamed, carved a very long sentence along the edge of the coffee table. Ah, family life. Ha!)

 Have any suggestions to add to this list? We’d love to hear them. Do share!

.☆¨¯`*★。。☆¯`*★..

I’m a mother, a fantasy author, and sometimes DIY home decorator. Watch the blog, going forward, as we take a new direction. My true direction—my messy life. Living every day in reality and making time to play on the other side, bringing bits of whimsy into normalcy.

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Until next time, keep it real while keeping it magical!

8 thoughts on “Five Easy Ways to Update a Tired Room”

  1. Scott L VannatterScott L Vannatter

    Love the post! I am reblogging it or, at least, linking to it for tonight.
    I now need to get my energy level up to where I act on these wonderful ideas.

  2. PatriciaPatricia

    Even the addition of a doily or a table runner can make a huge difference. I’m in this mode right now at the Baer House; changing things up, bringing pops of color, bringing ligh to an otherwise dark area. I’m having fun, but that zero budget does hamper the progress.

    Thanks for the tips and ideas. I need your decorating eye here in Mississippi.

    Patricia Rickrode
    w/a Jansen Schmidt
    Patricia recently posted…What’s Upstairs At The Baer House?My Profile

  3. Jennette Marie PowellJennette Marie Powell

    For me, it’s amazing how much a room’s look can change when all I do is pick up the dog toys!

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