Can’t decide what is best for your home? This advice can change the way you and others see your home, not to mention lift a little bit of the weight of indecision off of your shoulders.
1) Repurpose, Don’t Buy Expensive
One of the best ways to save money is to repurpose unique items into something new. Don’t go buy a $500 chandelier, use mason jars to create your own rustic masterpiece.
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2) Use Your Corners
If you want to save space, then use the space you have. That includes corners you can fill with corner cabinets, corner shelves, or corner tables.
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3) Use Legged Furniture
Furniture with legs make your floor space look much bigger and makes your room feel more breathable. Flow is everything in a house and you should incorporate it wisely.
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4) Use Bright Throw Pillows
Pillows that match your couch can be quite dull and doesn’t mesh well. Try to add a pop of color by adding your favorite bright throw pillows to your livingroom furniture.
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5) Organize Your Cords
Messy cords is one of the most common complaints amongst American home renovators. Try building a cord hideaway or tape your cords to the corner where the wall meets the floor.
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6) Less Is More
Minimalism is in right now and with good reason. A room that feels fresh, inviting, and clear makes you feel more at peace. Try cutting down on clutter and see how you feel.
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7) Maps Make Great Wall Art
It doesn’t matter if it’s a wooden map or a simple paper one from a souvenir store. Maps make great wall art in a study, bedroom, or even living room.
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8) Fit The Season
You take your Christmas decorations down after Christmas, so stick with the seasons too. When it’s summertime, make it feel like a beach or forest. When it’s winter, let it glitter!
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9) Paint Your Walls Light Colors
White walls make a big difference. But if you’re not into white, then try a pastel blue or an off-white color to brighten the place up. The room will look so much bigger.
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10) Small Rugs Always Work
Don’t listen to those who say small rugs don’t look good in big rooms. They actually make a great foot-warmer next to your bed or a placement in front of the closet.
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11) One Over Five
If you have to choose between five small items or one big one, then choose the big one. It’s not just about decluttering, it’s about what is going to look best in your home.
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12) Fireplaces Never Go Out Of Style
Everyone loves fireplaces. If you can’t have a real one, invest in a fake fireplace to bring life into your living room. In the summer, you can decorate the hearth with fairy lights or plants.
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13) Try Round Furniture
Round rugs are ideal, especially under round tables. But any round furniture can draw your eye inward and make the room appear bigger and more immaculate.
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14) Make Small Changes
Before completely renovated a room, consider making small changes. Rearrange the furniture or get a new centerpiece for the table. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference.
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15) Contrasting Ceiling
Painting your ceiling a different color than your walls can really complement the rest of the room. Try doing one white and the other a bolder color, but be careful.
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16) Try Sliding Doors Or Screens
Sliding doors are perfect for studio apartments. You can have two rooms in no time divided by a Japanese room divider or sliding barn doors. It’s all regulation too!
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17) Paint Your Switches
Light switch and outlet covers are not at all cheerful. Try painting them the same color as your wall or decorate them for kids’ rooms with shapes and character decals.
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18) The Same Carpet Throughout
Changing carpet can divide your house up and make it look small and choppy. Have the same carpet all the way through your house to create the best flow.
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19) Invest In Real Flowers
Fake flowers will do if you don’t have time to take care of them, but add flowers either way. They make a much better centerpiece than a statue of an owl or elephant.
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20) Surround Yourself With Happiness
This is the single most important piece of advice. No matter what, do what makes you happy. If you don’t like what a designer has to say then don’t do it. Surround yourself with what makes you feel good.
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21) Decorate Your Halls
It’s easy to hang a family picture on your hallway and then call it good. But adding bookshelves, wall art, and other decorative items can bring up the apparent value.
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22) Islands Save Space
If you have a small family, consider foregoing a dining table and adding barstools to your island. It gives you space to eat without taking up extra space that a table does.
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23) Measure Your Furniture
Make sure you know how big your furniture is and how big each space is before ordering. You want don’t want awkward spacing, so make it count.
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24) Use Your Space
Unless you really want to bare down, then you can use every inch of space that you have. This is one way to go and works great for people who like to collect.
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25) Hang Your Pots And Pans
This looks so cute and gives you a place to put them for easy access. Buy a pot rack or make your own above your countertops. Either way, it’s adorable and efficient.
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26) Rustic Always Works
Because Joanna Gaines is so popular, rustic has made a huge comeback. Decorating your house in whitewashed furniture and farmhouse items always looks good.
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27) A Little Gold Goes A Long Way
Never overdo it with gold decor, but if you can throw in a little gold then definitely do it. Find an item or two that speaks to you and display it properly for a great spark.
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28) Set The Table
Even if you’re not having company, try keeping your table set to see if you like it. It also gives you a reason to use your favorite dishes that never see the light of day.
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29) Bedside Low Lights
Dim lights in the bedroom are everything. Keep them on either side of the bed to brighten up the place day and night without overpowering the relaxing bedroom feel.
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30) Start Blinds At The Ceiling
Rather than starting your blinds at the top of the window, start them at the ceiling and your room will look much taller. You can even have them reach the floor as well.
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31) Don’t Skimp On Some Things
While it’s great to save money when you can, some things are worth the investment. As a rule of thumb, if it’s going to last five years, then go ahead and splurge on it.
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32) Bunk Beds Still Work
Every set of sibling should have bunk beds at least once in their life. It’s the perfect space saver and of course everyone wants to argue over the top bunk.
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33) Open Concept Living Room-Kitchen
If there’s one thing that adds space to a house, it’s open concept. Omitting the wall between your kitchen and living room can do wonders for the flow of your house.
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34) Hang Your Favorite Dishes
Even if it’s just three plates, or one special one, hanging your dishes on the wall can make your kitchen look high end with little effort. Try it and see for yourself.
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35) Spread Your Light Out
For a small room, a chandelier just doesn’t work. Try spreading out the like by adding small lamps or ceiling lights around the room. Edison bulbs are really in right now!
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36) Keep Your Rugs Timid
Bright rugs can bright a room down. Stick to soft colors and you should be save. Lavender, beige, and soft aquamarine are all at the top of the list right now.
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37) Never Underestimate Fairy Lights
Fairy lights can make any room look like a fantasy movie. Hang them above the bed, behind sheer curtains, or add them to mason jars for the firely effect.
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38) Store Stuff In Baskets
Baskets look natural and homey. Keep a few on hand for anything and everything. You can even set up a little false shop as a nail salon or Bath and Body Works station.
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39) Focus On The Entry Way
The entry way is the first thing that people see when they enter your house. Keep it fresh and interesting with plants, pictures, and a bench. And make sure it’s always clean.
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40) Use Mason Jars
Mason jars never go out of style. Use them to store your baking ingredients and more. You can use them in the bathroom for cotton balls or the bedroom for nick nacks.
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41) Always Have A Fruit Basket
Fresh fruit is a necessity in any kitchen, so why not put it on display? Set a basket or bowl on the counter and entice visitors with apples, bananas, and more.
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41) Chalkboard Walls
Chalkboard walls are amazing for households with kids. It allows them to write on the walls whenever they want and allows you to create a different masterpiece every day.
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43) Keep Shelves Sparse
Most of the time, you’ll want to space your items evenly on your shelf and not crowd them. That’s what will look the cleanest and most refreshing. But this one is up to you.
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44) Find Focal Points
While it’s nice to have a lot of unique pieces, find something that is different that you want to be the main attraction of the room. It can be something small or even a chair.
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45) Five Foot Rule
It’s best not to center your pictures on your wall. Instead, start them about four and a half to five feet from the floor. That’s your best bet for a good balance.
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46) Stick To Classic Repairs
When it comes to repairs, you might want to stick to the old way, especially in simple repairs. Newfound ways can be interesting, but most of the time, you start with the basics.
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47) Different Material Furniture
Different materials are so cool! Especially when it’s on the same piece of furniture. Something that is half-metal and half-wooden is better than a solid piece.
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48) Don’t Fold Couch Throws
It used to be mandatory to have a throw on the back of your couch. Now, it isn’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have one. If you do, make sure you leave it relaxed instead of folded.
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49) Mirrors Add Space
Mirrors in general add space to your house. Add one in each room for easy access to make sure you’re always looking fine and because they make a room look so much better.
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50) Mirrors For Closet Doors
Put mirrors on sliding closet doors to make your bedroom look twice as big. Whatever is mirrored looks like extra space to the untrained eye, plus it’s an extra mirror!
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51) Mix And Match Chairs
This is a cheap way to create an adorable bistro-like kitchen. Get all different types of chairs for your table or get a cheap set and paint them different colors.
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52) Glass Furniture Is In
If you can get it in glass, then do it. You can create the illusion of large spaces with glass furniture. Glass tables are especially in right now, from desks to dining tables.
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53) Plan Your Renos
Before you even get started, plan out your renovations and stick to them. This will ensure you save money when you can and have everything you wanted to begin with.
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54) Light Up Your Kitchen
Adding lights under your top cabinets is something you’ll never regret. Your kitchen will become your favorite place in the world if you do! Light is everything.
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55) Don’t Touch The Wall
Furniture should not touch the wall. Not only can they scratch, but it also creates the illusion of a cramped space when you do so. Leave at least an inch between them.
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56) Leather Furniture Is Easy To Keep Clean
If you want white furniture or furniture that is easy to keep clean, try fake leather. It wipes off with a magic eraser, letting you have whatever color you want.
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57) Criss Cross Furniture
Having your furniture perfectly set parallel with the walls is so yesterday. Try getting creative and placing them catty-cornered or perpendicular to each other.
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58) Take Your Time
Don’t rush through renovations or you’ll regret what you do. Take your time so you can afford what you actually want and you don’t make any rash decisions.
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59) Wall Of Plants
A wall of plants can brighten up a room like nothing else can. You don’t need big windows or a stone wall to do so either. Just add a few to a bare wall in your living room or kitchen.
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60) Keep Mirrors Away From Doorways
Or at least away from the opposite wall. No one wants to walk into a room and see themself. Try putting mirrors perpendicular to the doorway or on the same wall as them.
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61) Build A Headboard
If you don’t have the skills to build your own headboard then hire a friend to do so. A unique headboard with repurposed furniture can make your bedroom.
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62) Keep Bathroom Rugs Cloth
You may be tempted to get rubber or plastic rugs for the bathroom, but don’t do it. Cloth rugs are safer, more absorbent, and make things look much higher end.
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63) Not Everything Must Match
If you want items to stand out in a good way, try mixing and matching. Have your theme, but don’t stick to it 100%. A single unique item can have an amazing effect.
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64) White Brick Looks Good Everywhere
White brick looks amazing in the kitchen, but can work anywhere. It has the perfect balance between rustic, industrial, and beachy. Three of the most popular trends right now.
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65) Sheer Curtains Are The Way To Go
Heavy drapes are so last century. Sheer curtains are what you’ll see in every new home in America. Especially ones that are white, cream, and pastel colored.
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66) Take A Picture
Taking a picture of your space can really change your perspective. Try it now and then look at your room as a whole as well as each detail within the picture.
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67) Don’t Forget Wallpaper
Wallpaper has a bad reputation but it can be done right. For instance, a cityscape mural decal can be gorgeous and bring life into your apartment or living room.
68) Get A Potted Plant
Potted plants are still in, especially unique ones like bonzai. Get yourself a plant and set it where visitors can see. You won’t regret the extra oxygen either!
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69) High Beds Are Better
Unless you want that Japanese look, you need a high bed if you want your room to look bigger and more inviting. For best results, make sure the legs are exposed.
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70) Glass Showers For The Win
A glass shower can make your bathroom look so much bigger. That is one of the primary goals when decorating and renovating. Next up is cleanliness, which this also takes care of.
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71) Limit Your Colors
Unless you are decorating a kids’ room, adding too many colors can really drain the place of peace and personality. Limit yourself to about three primary colors.
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72) Ditch Disposable Containers
Whenever you get hand soap, shampoo, and other liquids such as these, empty them into glass pump bottles. You can get a set online for a relatively low price and they make a big difference.
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73) Create A Window Seat
If you have a wide enough window, a window seat can use up space the smart way. Make sure you add storage underneath and make it as comfortable as possible.
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74) Put In Folding Doors
Folding doors can work out great if they suit your style. You can get white ones, wood grain ones, or paint them your favorite color. Perfect for closets and room dividers.
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75) Add Closet Lights
You don’t have to have a luxury closet to add lights. Even stick on lights can really brighten things up and make you want to pick out your next date night outfit.
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