Living room Refresh & Tips to Refresh Any Space
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My living-room was in a state of upheaval (aka. a mess) while I was busy working on my other property that I recently sold. Some parts were okay but others were desperately needing attention. I was behind on my “spring” cleaning and I was ready for a refresh. The walls didn’t need to be painted, fortunately, as they had been done a few years ago in Zeppelin Grey. Last year I had made over the fireplace wall so all I really wanted was to rearrange the furniture and update the decor. (One corner of my living-room is also my “office”.)
Refreshing Tip #1...Fix a problem
Approaching any new decorating projects, the function of the room has to be taken into consideration. This is also an opportunity to fix any problems. Maybe the “problem” is only making it lighter and brighter for the summer or warmer and cosier for the winter.
The main problem I had with my living room was that there wasn’t enough comfortable seating when I had family gatherings. At the same time, I didn’t want it to be too crowded. I was able to purchase a recliner wing chair, a pedestal side table and a new comfortable office chair from an online auction.
Refreshing Tip #2...Empty the room
If it is possible to remove everything from the room, this may help you see a space with new eyes. I wasn’t able to remove my large sofa, but with all the smaller pieces out of the way I was able to clean everything and move it around more easily.
Refreshing Tip #3...Clean,Clean,Clean
It only makes sense, if you want to refresh your space, make sure it is clean before you move things back in. Kill two birds with one stone by doing your seasonal, occasional deep cleaning and then decorate.
Refreshing Tip #4...Declutter things that no longer "spark joy"...
I probably sound like a broken record by now, if you’ve followed any of my other articles. If there is something you no longer love, need, use…get rid of it – pass it on (if it’s still in good condition) to someone who will appreciate it, or (if it’s not in good condition) recycle or trash it.
Refreshing Tips #5 and #6...Try different furniture arrangements and edit as needed...
After taking almost everything out, I tried different arrangements with the new pieces I wanted to bring in. I still found it too crowded so I removed one of the small shelves.
An alternative to taking everything out and physically switching things around is to draw a furniture plan on grid paper. Be sure to take proper measurements of the room, window and door placements, as well as any plugs and switches, or electronic hook ups. Make little cutout shapes for your furniture, also to scale, and move them around until you get a layout that works for you. There are also many free apps where you can do this online or there are paper kits you can buy.
Refreshing Tips #7...Shop your home...
Before you go and buy anything, look around your home and see if you can “borrow” something from another room. don’t get stuck in a rut by always using the same pieces in the same place, in the same way. Maybe a bedroom cushion would be perfect in the living room, or that picture in the hall would be great in a bedroom.
Refreshing Tips #8...Decorate with odd numbers...
You’ve probably heard this one before. When grouping decor items use the rule of three, five, seven, etc. Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye.
Refreshing Tips #9...Keep scale and balance in mind...
Scale is the size of an object in relation to its’ surroundings and other objects around it. A dainty side table next to an over-stuffed chair would look ridiculous. Balance distributes the visual weight in a room. This can be accomplished by placing things symmetrically, as in traditional design, or asymmetrically, as in a more casual design. Balance can also be created with repetition in colours, textures and patterns.
And the winner is...Arrangement #2...
I turned the sectional to face the window and rearranged the wall decor. The big clock was moved to the dining room and a favorite picture was brought back from the hallway. Someday I may get a new floor lamp, but for now my old garage-sale find will stay.
What room are you ready to refresh?
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