If you believe you lack the hours or the budget to update your living space, reconsider. You don’t need to renovate every room — refreshing one, two or even three areas is very doable. It can take just a few hours, an evening or a single Saturday afternoon to create a refreshed appearance and atmosphere. You can update something in each room without stepping far from home, other than perhaps a quick trip for a can of spray paint or a new shower curtain.
“Shop” What You Already Own
“I always tell people to ‘shop’ their home,” said decorator Stephanie Everhart, owner of So Be It Interiors in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Rework and renew your rooms using the pieces you already own.”
Interior stylist Joseph Marini, owner of At Home With Joseph, also encourages preserving existing items while redecorating. Simply reconfiguring a room with the same furnishings can create a dramatic change.
“If you have a sofa and two armchairs positioned diagonally from the sofa,” Marini suggested, “try moving them to face the sofa, or place them side-by-side at a right angle. Adjusting the orientation of furniture in your living area can transform the whole space.”
Reassess Your Present Layout
Think about shifting one or two pieces to breathe new life into your home, especially when entertaining. Place an upholstered chair in a kitchen corner so the cook can chat with a child or friend while preparing meals. Add a side table or set it beside the kitchen table to hold a glass of wine or a mug of hot chocolate.
Alternatively, convert the kitchen table into a game table between meals. Stow all but essential cookbooks in a box and tuck it in the attic or a closet, then fill the former book shelf with a stack of Rummikub, Checkers or Candy Land. You can even keep game boxes in a laundry basket under the table.
Another option is to move the kitchen table into the family room where people gather around the TV for a movie or game, making it a puzzle station. Shift the coffee table into the kitchen next to that comfy chair or small sofa. You’ll create a cozy seating nook in the kitchen and an additional activity zone in the family room that invites all ages to interact.
If you’re not hosting, you can still form new nooks that provide a fresh experience. A solo puzzle table is a calming pastime while you listen to music, a podcast or watch a film.
Clear a bookshelf and turn it into a hot chocolate or tea station. Gather some enjoyable flavors, honey and toppings alongside a few favorite mugs.
Whether you’re moving large pieces of furniture or tucking books into a closet to carve out a tiny spot, update something big or small across a few rooms to achieve a renewed look and feel.
9 More No-Cost Ways to Refresh Your Home
Here are additional ideas from Marini and Everhart:
1. Create an inviting outdoor area.
A strand of lights and a handful of potted plants can create a delightful space. Whether in your yard or on a shared stoop, fresh air does wonders. Bring potted plants from indoors to enhance an outdoor seating area. If you lack patio furniture, move a kitchen chair and small table outside for a few days when the forecast is dry.
If you don’t have battery-operated lights or an outdoor outlet, let the sun and stars light your special spot.
2. Try a new way to make your bed.
Fold the duvet or bedspread down to the lower third of the mattress and lay a blanket across the upper portion (hotel-style). If you normally prop pillows against the headboard, lay them flat in stacks on the bed. You can also borrow throw pillows from the living room for a bedroom refresh.
3. Grab paint and a brush to renew furniture.
“When I tire of furniture, I don’t hesitate to paint it,” Marini said. “Use leftover paint you have. Most pieces look great after two coats. If the finish is very glossy, a little sanding helps.” Imagine turning your brown coffee table into white, corn-silk yellow or a vibrant orange.
4. Give attention to window treatments.
“One thing that always freshens a home is labor-intensive washing,” Marini noted. “Take curtains down, launder them, dry and iron them. It provides a real sense of accomplishment.”
5. Bring the outdoors inside.
You don’t need an elaborate flower garden to create a centerpiece or fill a bedside vase for yourself or guests.
“Just clip some greenery from your bushes or trees if flowers aren’t available,” Marini said. “It instantly freshens a room and adds a personal touch.”
6. Revamp your bookshelves.
Everhart suggested several approaches, such as:
- Use a spare quart of paint tucked under the laundry sink to add a contrasting color to the back of the shelves.
- Organize books by color. “I love removing those glossy jackets so the true color and texture of the books show,” she said. “Seeing the spines, especially of older books, is really appealing.”
- Place some books upright and stack others on their sides, leaving room for a photo frame or cherished trinket. “Bookcases should include items that tell your life story,” Everhart said.
7. Showcase collections by grouping items together.
Take your father’s cufflinks out of a felt pouch and display them in a small glass dish. Line up favorite snow globes on a windowsill. Thread grandma’s vintage cookie cutters onto a ribbon and hang them from a doorknob. These groupings recount stories and transform old memories into refreshed moments.
8. Rework frames and photographs.
Photos are integral to home decor. Swap a few older images for newer ones. Place a smaller picture in a frame and use fabric as a backdrop. If frames are cramped on a shelf or desk, try hanging several on the wall to spread them out.
9. Re-cover a chair to give it a fresh appearance.
You can rejuvenate your living room or den by updating a single piece. Add a soft throw to a sofa or reupholster a chair. With a staple gun and a couple of yards of fabric, a patterned shower curtain or a vintage tablecloth, you can do a simple re-covering job. For more decor ideas, follow Everhart (SoBeItInteriors) on Instagram and Facebook, and Marini (AtHomeWithJoseph) on Instagram and Facebook.
Contributor Katherine Snow covers ways to make and save money as well as related topics. Her work has run in the Tampa Bay Times, Charlotte (N.C.) Business Journal and Greenville (S.C.) News. She is the author of “Rules for the Southern Rulebreaker: Missteps & Lessons Learned.”
Adam Palasciano contributed to this piece.
