10 Tricks to Creating a Fresh & Interesting Home All Year.
For as long as I can remember I always loved rearranging my bedroom and playroom as a child. I would spend hours figuring out new and interesting layouts for the rooms even if the old layout technically “made more sense”. Throughout the years, this has not stopped. From my dorm room to more bedrooms, to all the different living rooms Aaron and I have had. I’ve always found a way to spice things up at some point and give it a different layout. I didn’t just stick to furniture either, I found myself rearranging and changing out my decor a lot more than what was considered “normal”. What felt like a regular thing to do in my eyes, became extra apparent that it wasn’t when my mom or my friends would come over and the first things they would say would be “oh you moved this…this is new…woah you changed this from last time…”
What I’ve realized from this reflection on my habits is that I personally require fresh spaces to keep my creative energy flowing. I feel excited and inspired when I walk into a newly reimagined room in our house. For many people, this may be odd. If you’re someone who struggles to decorate/arrange your space to begin with, having to then reimagine it may seem daunting and maybe pointless. I know many people I’ve talked to feel that the way they have their furniture arranged and their decor displayed is the only way it would work since it’s always been like that. So what happens when you never reimagine it? You fall into having a home that over time may feel outdated/untouched which will result in an overall dull aftertaste for you and your guests.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinking… “I’m not about to drop a bunch of money on new decor or furniture every season Marissa!” Trust me, that is not what I’m suggesting here. Heck, I wouldn’t even do that! I’m the type of person who doesn’t even drop a bunch of money in the first place. Which is why I’m going to break down my 10 tricks to creating a fresh & interesting home (on a budget).
1) Scents
This might be the easiest of them all, whether you’re a candle, wax melt, incense, or essential oil person this is something you should consider. I have personally always been a candle person (even though I’ve recently been considering just using essential oils due to artificial fragrances causing harm to human hormones…I digress). As a candle lover though, I always try to make sure I’m aligning my scents with the smells of the season. For example, if it’s spring I love a fresh lavender or floral scent and in summer I lean towards fruity tropical scents. If it’s fall I’m a sucker for a warm cozy scent with pumpkin, and in winter I love crisp natural smells like pine or evergreen. Having these different scents for your home throughout the year helps set the mood and bring out different feelings when you enter.
Below I have linked some of my favorite scents for each season.
2) Furniture Layout
For some people, this truly might not be possible. Sadly, there are some spaces that are so small or odd-shaped that they have one layout that works well. If you have a space like this, keep your large pieces of furniture where they are and maybe try and move some smaller things around like the coffee table, a side table or even adding something like a foot poof.
Fortunately, for most people rooms are pretty rectilinear or square so the options are plentiful (even if you don’t think so). Start with your couch and television if it’s a living room or the bed if it’s a bedroom. Is there another spot in your room you could move these pieces where they would still make sense? If so, great, then you can start brainstorming where secondary elements like chairs, tables, and dressers would go. Even if it’s small pieces of furniture that you switch up. Think about different places that accent chairs or side tables could live other than exactly where they currently are. Find inspiration pictures you’ve seen where you like the layout and try to mimic it in the best way possible.
Top Row: 3 pictures from our rental living room when I had all the furniture against the walls.
Bottom Row: 3 pictures from our rental living room right before we moved when I had the furniture angled differently.
Designer Pro Tip: Try to avoid putting all your furniture against the walls. It’s an easy thing to do and feels most natural. However, rooms feel a lot more dynamic and inviting if some of the furniture is off the wall and creating a conversation space. For example, you could have your couch against the wall but have two accent chairs next to the couch but not against the wall. This is mainly a rule of thumb for living rooms. If it’s a bedroom, your bed should be against a wall and not floating in the middle of the room. haha
3) Change/Move your Decor, Art, or Pictures
Here’s a simple one, change out some of the decorations that you have displayed. If you have shelves hung up, this can be pretty painless. All you’d have to do is rearrange how you have frames set up and move a couple of trinket items. This could be taking something like a vase that was displayed on your coffee table previously and moving it to the shelf above the couch. It will immediately give it a new feeling.
Consider swapping out the photos you currently have displayed and put new updated ones in the frames. This goes for art too, if you have something abstract hung up you could hang it in a different direction or put a new art print in the frame. You could also consider thrifting or spray painting some new frames which would also give a fresh look.
If you’re afraid of commitment when hanging frames or decor on your walls, I HIGHLY suggest getting the command hook and loop sticky pads to secure your frames. They are very durable and last a long time. This allows you to change up how you have stuff hung up without worrying about putting a bunch of holes in your walls. These are fabulous for gallery walls.
Pictured below: Same entry table with 3 different decor arrangements. That’s how much of an impact just swapping around decor you have already laying around is.
4) Throw Pillows & Blankets
Pillows and blankets can get expensive, but if you every now and then add a new one to the mix I promise it will be worth it. This is another great seasonal thing to do. I like to swap out some of my “everyday pillows” for specialty colored/patterned ones depending on the season. For example, if it’s fall/winter time I usually like to incorporate some darker colored pillows or ones with plaid on them. This helps tie in my other holiday decor. If it’s not fall or winter though I usually stick with my neutral everyday pillows. I do the same thing with throw blankets depending on what thickness or style of a blanket I’d like on the couch during that time. These are easy items to store away in a spare room or bin while you enjoy some different ones. This gives you the option to bring out the stored ones at a later date which I think makes them feel new again.
5) Give it a Room Swap
Piggybacking off of the last point of storing stuff away for a bit. Think about how you could just place some decorations or pillows in different rooms when you’re tired of seeing them in one room. I do this trick A LOT! If I get sick of seeing a particular vase or throw pillow in our living room I’ll put them in a spare bedroom and TADA, all of a sudden the vase and pillow feel unique, and new to that space. It’s a way of reducing waste and money on buying new, and instead, using what you already have but reimagining it somewhere else in your home.
6) Paint an old piece of furniture
If you’ve had something for a long time and you’re not a huge fan of the finish of it anymore, consider painting it or staining it a new color. This could be a great way to save on buying a new piece of furniture, and instead, just give something you already own a new look. You guys know I love to refinish furniture and breathe fresh life into pieces that have become outdated. Obviously, if this piece is a family heirloom or an antique, don’t jump on the opportunity to paint. Consider painting for pieces that you won’t care what the original form used to be.
If the idea of furniture scares you, try smaller items. For example, you could spray paint old frames or vases a different color or change the color of hardware you have on existing furniture.
7) Add Something New or Take Something Out
If you’re someone who finds decorating an entire room to be exhausting, overwhelming, and pricey, think about freshening your space up in a smaller approach. Instead of buying a bunch of new items to swap out, think about treating yourself to one new decor item a month, or a quarter, or even a year. Incorporating new things here and there will eventually make a difference.
If you’re a person who tends to collect too many things, maybe you could try removing one item from your house before you purchase a new item. One out one in rule! This could be a nice way to make sure you don’t end up with a lot of decorations creating a busy space.
8) Bring in Greenery
If giving your home a fresh feeling is important to you, greenery will be your best friend. This doesn’t mean you have to live in a jungle of greenery, but just adding a couple of live plants to your home will 1) improve air quality 2) make your space feel more dynamic and interesting. Greenery is neutral, meaning it fades into the background of the overall look/feel of your home. If you know you can’t take care of a live plant or you have animals that don’t allow you to have plants, there are lots of artificial options out there.
9) Consider New Lighting
Maybe all you’d have to do to give your space a little jazz would be changing out what lighting you have. If you have had the same two lamps in your living room for as long as you can remember, maybe adding a new one to the mix would be a nice touch! Even changing the location of where you have your lamps can make a huge difference in how a room feels.
I love looking at thrift stores for lamps. The lampshades on them aren’t always the best, but if you save money buying the lamp itself from a thrift store, then you can feel better splurging on a new shade. Most of the time I choose to refinish the lamps I purchase from the thrift store. I usually just spray paint hem or use paint and baking soda to give them a ceramic look.
10) A Different Rug
Lastly, the most expensive trick out of the ten I listed here. You could change out your rug. A rug defines a space which is why it’s so critical to have one. What a rug also does is change the feeling of a space. For example, if you used to have a bold patterned rug and you changed it to a muted textured rug your room will feel completely different all because of the rug. So if you’re okay with spending some money, getting a new rug could be the option for you.
One of my favorite people to follow, Katie @florencerevival shows how changing out your rug can change the look of your space.
So there you have it, my 10 tricks to creating a fresh & interesting home all year long. If after reading this post you still don’t feel confident applying these tricks to your home or you’re unsure what items you should change up, swap, buy new, or keep as is, I’d love to help you out! I offer free consult calls with all my clients so I have a better idea of what they are looking for assistance with and after that we can figure out the best plan of attack is for you. Contact me here!
Leave me a comment if any of these tricks seem like something you’d want to try out this year?
