Paint it to give your home an identity or switch it out as the seasons change to satisfy your craving for a makeover without breaking the budget. Without having designated storage areas, clutter is more likely to accumulate. Have a designated spot for certain items in your home to help avoid clutter.
In her spare time she loves to play D&D and video games, garden, sew costumes, and go to Disney. She lives a full, happy life in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan with her partner Greg, her daughter Alexa, their two dogs, Hunter and Chloe, and their sassy orange cat, Butterscotch. Two-tone blue stripes at the base of the floor-to-ceiling drapes and a deconstructed striped rug add sophistication to this seafront living room on the Spanish island of Mallorca. This living room from Jessica Nelson Design has a glass and black metal wall that floods the space with light and gives it an indoor outdoor feel. This cozy Swedish living room from Fantastic Frank has a chunky low-slung sofa with minimalist lines that makes the ceilings feel even taller. Take the stress out of hanging your artwork and stack it casually on the floor against the baseboards instead, like this cool and colorful Barcelona, Spain apartment from Fantastic Frank.
Work with Light
She recommends trading out your lampshades, painting the lamp bases new colors, or even wrapping the lamps with cord. Vibrant paint and striking wallpaper are two great ways to make your walls stand out. But if going bold with all your walls sounds a little overwhelming, consider taking a risk on one wall and leaving the rest the way they are.
Contrary to popular opinion, your furniture doesn’t need to be placed directly against your walls. And be sure to keep your stains consistent from room to room, too. “If you have mismatching stains, it’s just going to throw the entire design off,” Bodiya says. So don’t force yourself to get rid of stuff just to get rid of it. She recommends leaving a 4-foot-wide walkway between larger pieces of furniture, and leaving 14–18 inches of breathing room between smaller pieces of furniture. When laying out your furniture, be sure to give yourself and your guests plenty of room to move around—designers call this circulation.