The Unpacking is Over, Decorating Begins!

Are you unpacked? But wait…you still need to decorate! The beauty of a brand new home is that all your previous decorations are new again. Without even going out and purchasing new stuff, you can renew and refresh a room by making some simple design choices. This new location is a new opportunity to rotate the art, the furniture...and everything else! Pillow Talk: You know the decorative pillows that are on the bed, and always end up on the floor? Re-purpose those onto a window seat in the new home, or as couch accents in the family room. Hanging Around: Change up the pairing of your pictures and your furniture. Take something that was in the living room and move it to the dining room. You know that piece that was hidden in a hallway, think about putting it over an entryway table. Color Change: Was the old house painted in certain colors? Take a look at your accent pillows and artwork and pull out some different colors for the new house. It will take what was old and make it new again in a brand new setting. Play with Plants: Greenery is a perfect accent to breathe new life into your old furniture pieces. Do you have grandma’s old end table? Put a plant on it. New wide windowsills? Think about some herb accents. Throw it Over Here: A simple throw blanket in a different color can change the feel of an older piece much like pillows can. Think about adding a little color and texture to the living room or family room couch with some throws. Rug Exchange: Do you have a couple of area rugs? Try mixing them up with different furniture pieces. Knick-Knack News: Have little knick-knacks that sit on tables, in corners, and on shelves…move them around. Intersperse them artfully amongst book shelves, pair them with plants, use them up high over cabinets, intermix them on mantels, and choose wisely on table tops. DIY Redo: If you are really handy and have some old stuff, think about refinishing furniture. Sand it. Pick a new stain or paint, and give it new life! Combine items to make something new. Sculpting a new item out of old ones can lead to interesting lamps, coat hangers, plant stands…the possibilities are endless. Curtains: With a new home, there is a new opportunity for window coverings. Get creative. Are you the plantation shutter type, how about roman shades? Maybe light and airy panels, or something boldly accented to use with solid furniture colors. Get creative. Pro Tip: Don’t do all of this in one day. Tackle things bit by bit. Maybe one day is deciding where the wall art goes. Another day picking out window coverings. A good rule of thumb is to get the bigger heavier and lower items done first. Decide on which rugs go where (Preferably before the movers even moved in the furniture.) If you are taking on big DIY projects, think about refinishing bigger items and put them on a schedule. With that refinishing in mind then consider the rest of your decorating. Early on you'll want to pick out window coverings…unless you like living in a fishbowl. Paint sooner than later, but if you are moving into a brand new home, you may want to wait until after your one-year walk-through and let the house settle a bit before you paint.