Have you ever sat down after a long day, looked around, and felt out of place in your space? Does your home just feel like an old version of you? Or maybe you have simply been living in your home and not quite given it a personality of its own. Your home should be a sanctuary and one that reflects your style, aesthetic, and vibe, and if it isn’t, it is likely time for a change.
How to Choose
Sometimes it is hard to know if a room can be renewed with a simple refresh or if there is a need for a more extensive remodel. Multiple factors go into deciding what extent you may want to tackle your new design. These include:
Budget: A full remodel is often, but not always, more expensive than a refresh.
Time: A remodel will take more time with not only the potential construction but also scheduling and quoting of bids if a contractor comes into play. And, in some circumstances, a remodel can stir up time-consuming steps concerning potential neighborhood, HOA, city, or historical restrictions.
One thing is for sure, both a refresh and a remodel will breathe new life into your home, reinvigorate your space, and reflect your ever-evolving style.
Refreshing Your Space - The Power of Small Changes
In the event you decide that a refresh is the best choice, you’ll find that many small changes can be very powerful when transforming your room(s).
Declutter and Repurpose
A great place to start is with a committed decluttering. Ridding your home of things that weigh it down, do not reflect your current vibe, and that are not sentimental in value will help free up the space creating a canvas for new design. While doing this, consider items that can be repurposed with some creativity, such as furniture that might have lost its luster but might have potential with a fresh coat of paint, new stain, or updated upholstery.
Reevaluate Lighting
Lighting is crucial when developing the feel of a room. Take into account the fixtures and lamps that contribute to the current room you are redesigning and decide if they need to be sold or donated or if they might be refinished for a new look, either with a new lampshade or a new coat of paint. If they don’t provide the amount of light you desire, consider that as well. Lighting is not only part of the aesthetic but it is also a large part of the function of the space.
Inject Vibrant Color
Color is another way to completely inject new energy into a room. The addition of a bright woven rug, beautifully patterned draperies, vibrant pieces of artwork, or even freshly hung wallpaper can add the “wow” factor a space lacks. Paint and wallpaper are two rather quick ways to make a splash without a full remodel. Wallpaper is a great jumping-off point when creating a cohesive design for your new space. From the colors within the pattern of the paper, and taking into consideration adjoining rooms, you can pull a new shade to paint trim, crown molding, and baseboards. Don’t be afraid to add color, it is often the missing piece of the room’s personality.
Remodeling Your Space - The Big Transformation
If a full remodel is what you have the time, energy, and budget for, then you will have a little more extensive work cut out for you.
Commitment to Extensive Work
Not only will you likely have to hire help but you will have to commit to unusable spaces within your home while construction is underway. There will be a revolving door of contractors and with that, its own set of challenges. Financially, you must also prepare for inevitable adjustments as the remodel is underway, changes are made, and problems are solved.
Renovating Key Areas
With a full remodel, it is also important to think through what will add value to your property both in how you occupy and enjoy the home and for future resale. Often, kitchens and bathrooms can bump up the value of the home and help with future market value. When working with a budget, decide what parts of your home will benefit most from the remodel and start there. Keep in mind that when you alter a space, there will be future expenses as well.
Choose New Furniture Wisely
New furniture and rugs, lamps and window coverings, artwork, and lighting can add up quickly. With a renovation, it makes sense to choose quality furniture that will last, be sustainable, and will be able to evolve as your style does.
Mixing Old and New
A renovation does not necessarily mean you need to rid your space of everything that occupied it before you began. Tying in older pieces with newer items will weave your old style with your new, allowing you to repurpose some things and save some cash. Sometimes even just adding a new type of bulb to a fixture or simply switching out the throw pillows on a current leather couch can be small efforts that add up to big changes.
Whether you refresh or remodel, you will hopefully find yourself reconnected to your home. Our home, our sanctuary, should reflect our current energy and serve as a place for peace, creativity, relaxation, and, ultimately, renewal.
Think it is time for a refresh? Connect with Diane for project inquiries or design help.