Tips for Earth Day

It’s now chic to be frugal. It’s cool to conserve. It’s stylish to re-use!  Today it’s a total faux paus to even consider throwing it all out and starting over when it comes to room designs. 

I recently did a quick refresh of my family/dining room.  I was tired of the yellow paint.  Here are seven photos showing you the small changes I made.  I used the below tips making it affordable and fun!

• Re-Move or Rotate – Sometimes by just removing or rotating your belongings, your can achieve a fresh new look. I call it “curating.”  When you have too many family photos, baskets, books, a collection that has been your curio forever, or flower arrangements that have seen better days – Remove them and consider rotating them. Perhaps that collection can be packed away for a while or swapped with another. Those family photos can be put up on a hall wall, that floral arrangement can be rejuvenated and reused in another room.  Each year I restyle my book cases and rotate by season what I place on them. (See above my shelves at Christmas)



• Re-Arrange your room – Give your space a fresh *NEW look with a new room arrangement. As the season changes, so should your interiors. A change in your room’s foot print is a great way to revitalize your space. Take it a step further and switch out some of your furniture and accessories too. Swap out your dark wood side tables for those glass and metal ones from another room, or give your room a seasonal focal point by re-arranging the furniture to face your picture window rather than the fireplace.

• Re-Use Existing Things – Reinvent that tired floral arrangement by giving it a second life. Gather all your florals and stored stem and give them “re-do” by swapping stems, containers and greenery. That old dresser can be repurposed into an entry piece or dining buffet by reviving it with a fresh coat of paint, knobs and a great tassel attached to one of the drawers. A stale lamp can be given a new light with a new sassy shade, a new harp, or a nifty specialty finial. A favorite print can be re-matted and framed in a style or color. 

• Re-upholster or Slipcover – That much loved old couch, side chair or settee which most likely has great bones and could use a stylish new fabric, and plump new cushions. Above are my dining room chairs.  I've painted them THREE times!  And yes those are recovered seats.  Older pieces are built well, so if you’ve inherited a great arm chair or couch – it might be in your best interest to have it reupholstered or slip covered. Although a bit costly, it is a far cheaper design method than investing in an expensive high-end piece which could run you thousands. The upside is you can do custom detailing such as nail heads or more than one slipcover - Which will give you a couture look. 

• Re-juvenate - enjoy decorating your space with what you already have. I like to look around the house to complete each room. Maybe I'll find a faux fur throw, some coffee table books,  colorful pillows or matching lamps.  I move my things from room to room updating each look. (I also move my furniture, and please don't notice my lamps...I just saw that they are all on.  LOL)
   
  After one room is complete, you should have the confidence to continue decorating different rooms in your house in order to create the home of your dreams, not the home of someone else's dreams, and definitely not a boring box. The goal is to have each room look “ beautiful, fresh, current, updated.”      *** TIP Each year I host a Home Décor SWAP with my Home Decorating friends.  That is a great way to be green and trade wonderful home decorating items.  Contact me if you'd like an invitation to our next SWAP.   

Have fun decorating!  Until next time...   Jonelle'