Interior design trends tend to change every seven years. Do you remember the “hunter green” color scheme that was very popular in the 1980’s and carried on into the 1990’s? Only then was it replaced with gold tones and now blue-grays. I’ve consulted on hundreds if not thousands of homes over the years prior to them going on the market, and I’ve seen all of these color schemes from different eras that have come and gone. Oftentimes homeowners don’t change their style with the time or I find that it’s not the home that’s dated but rather the personal property in the home. This combination can make it more difficult to sell your home and can decrease the value of what your home may be worth. If you’re looking to update your home and give it a fresh new look, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. Here are some affordable suggestions on things you can do to give your home a fresh new look whether you are selling or just looking for a change:
Lamps: Pleated lamp shades are out and drum shades are in! Mercury lamps are very popular and trending right now and can be quite beautiful. You can either update just the shade or replace the whole lamp. Donate former lighting to a worthwhile organization such as Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.
Linens: Do you have the bedroom blues? Many department stores have “bed-in-a-bag” ensembles that include comforter, bed skirt, and matching pillow shams. Oftentimes the set will also include accent pillows as well. Many department stores carry a great selection of current design trend bedding sets – Belk, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Home Goods, and even Wal-Mart has a great bedding line from Better Homes and Gardens!
Pillows: I often see dated tapestry, floral, and ruffle pillows when consulting on residential real estate. Switch out the pillows on your sofas for a fresh new look. You can layer pillows in each corner of your sofa – for example a print pillow layered over solid color pillow of similar color scheme or vice versa.
Area Rugs: Both pillows and area rugs can make a statement in your living quarters. The colors in both should complement each other rather than compete against each other. Target sells many great area rugs at affordable prices – check out their Threshold brand of rugs. Lowes Home Improvement is another great place to find area rugs that are both attractive and affordable.
Bathrooms: Bathrooms are often the smallest rooms in a home, making them very affordable to spruce up. All you need to do is buy a new shower curtain, bath towels, and new floor mat. Again the Threshold brand at Target has many new exciting design choices to choose from in their Bed & Bath department. A fresh coat of paint on the wall can help tie it all together for relatively little money spent.
Jamie McNeilis is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Centerpiece Home Staging in Cornelius. Email Jamie at Jamie.McNeilis@CenterpieceHomeStaging.com for home decorating and improvement topics you would like covered in Home Decor
