The new year is often associated with change – a time to put the negativities of the past and change for the better. People are often inclined to change something in themselves at the start of the year – from something small like getting a new hair color to something substantially larger, like changing careers or planning to get married to their significant other. We have all done it at some point since we believe there should be progress in ourselves or at least there is hope for progress, so why not include the look of our homes in that change as well?
In this article, I will share some decorating ideas that will hopefully spark your creative side. I should say that not all of these ideas are trendy and whatnot, some of them may even be classics in their own, but if you have not applied them in your home, the change can be beautiful. If you have not tried them, I encourage you to do so. If anything, the new look should be an interesting change in your humble abode.
- Go green. Plants can instantly change the look of the room. Plus, they take in carbon dioxide and help produce oxygen. I’m sure we have seen those small plants placed in bathrooms. What’s the first thing you notice? I myself have always noticed that the room looks more alive. Most of us don’t have picture perfect bathrooms worthy of being featured in magazines, but we can add color and life just by adding a plant or a terrarium. It’s not just for bathrooms. Terrariums look great on desk tops and since they can be small, they don’t take up much space.
- Pick a theme. If you have a bit of extra budget and time, you can pick a theme for some rooms in your home. Do your children love the beach? Why not pick a nautical theme for their room. Decorate it with anchors or a ship’s wheel and pick some starfish-printed curtains for them? Make sure that the room does not get too cluttered with the same stuff. Gold looks wonderful and classy in a living room, but too much gold will make it look overpowering and quite tacky.
- Frame it up. I’ve always told my friends that living in the digital age has made it easier for parents to take snap shots of their little ones any time of the day. We all have our favorites and the ones we won’t touch with a 10-foot pole. Get those pictures printed in a bigger size and have them framed. They look especially nice on staircase walls. After some time, you will see how your baby has grown over the years and you can look at the images wistfully.
- Lights. It’s no secret that lights and their settings can instantly make a difference in a room and a person’s mood. Sunlight in the morning looks cheerful and happy; dim light looks romantic. There are many affordable chandeliers in the market today and you can even make one of your own if you’re handy with electrical wires. This does not just apply to living rooms and bedrooms. You can even change the lighting in your kitchen if you think your overhead light is too bright.
Your home is your sanctuary, so it’s crucial for your well-being that it looks like a place you want to be in at the end of a long day. Don’t neglect it and try to make it look pleasing with the resources that you have so that when you come home after a day outside, it will welcome you into the comfort of its arms.