Think of your home as yourself. Over the years you’ve surely purchased new up to date clothing, gotten a new hairstyle, but if you’re still wearing that blue eye shadow, you’re out dated! Same goes for your home. If you put in some updates… but you still have that old flooring, out dated furniture, trendy decor or color from years gone by – your home probably looks dated!
YIKES!
If your home is dated and you’re ready to update it, I think it’s a good idea to start with some classic elements. Paint is the most affordable and can make a huge impact on updating your space. If you have some money to spend, try updating from that old shag carpet or update your 80’s style couch for a classic sofa that’s been around and will most likely still be in style for years to come. If you choose what’s “In-style” today – it may look great now, but I promise you, when a new trend comes in (and it will) your home will shriek “70’s” “80’s” “90’s”, etc. If you’re the kind of person who redesigns your space every few years, it’s probably not that big of a deal, but most people keep major purchases (like a sofa) for about 10 years! Don’t get caught in that trap, buy some classic major elements and add more interchangeable trendy items to make it uniquely yours. Take a weekend and do a little updating. It’s easy and affordable to update a room with paint, change out pillows, some art and accessories to completely update or change a room.
As seen on Oprah: NATE BURKUS’S FIVE WAYS TO GIVE YOUR HOME AN INSTANT UPDATE
Time Warp 1: Busy patterned rugs underneath busy patterned sofas
Update: Patterned rugs and patterned sofas make for a cluttered look. Update the old sofa with a simple slipcover, and replace patterned rugs. “A simple rug—cotton, wool,” Nate says.
Time Warp 2: Ruffled throw pillows
Update: Replace ruffled pillows with modern linen, cotton or velvet ones. “You can find these absolutely everywhere,” he says.
Time Warp 3: Dried flower arrangements
Update: Get rid of those dried flowers. Try replacing them with an elegant, live orchid. “It really does make a huge difference,” Nate says.
Time Warp 4: Ruffled curtains
Update: When you ditch those frilly curtains—which you really should do—Nate has a trick to make your windows look bigger. Above the top of the window, hang an inexpensive bamboo shade and add simple cotton or linen draperies.
Time Warp 5: Multiple photos in a single frame with matte cutouts
Update: While photos are an important, personal decoration in any home, Nate says the multiple-photo frames actually make those photos seem less important. “You don’t have to throw anything away, but just frame them individually,” he says.
