Very few times in life do we get the luxury of drastically updating our home interiors. Maybe because of a renovation, relocation, upsize, downsize or new property purchase you might get to start from scratch, but even then, there are the astronomical costs of buying furniture and nice finishing touches.
So unless you’ve got that deposit in the bank or are knocking down and rebuilding, you can kiss that sweet dream goodbye. Instead, why not try and add a spice of life to your living quarters with one of these top 7 ways to revamp your interior in the new year.
A new rug
There’s no better way to set the scene than with a rug. They’re diverse, dynamic and add both function and form to a room. You could go for something regally exotic like a Persian, or instead opt for contemporary. Because colour is such a striking element of interior design, a new rug is a good first step towards transitioning your current space too. You can easily go for a neutral colour like a grey or tope which will match future stylings.
Flowers
One habit that my housemate and I have gotten into lately is doing our best to visit the Sydney Flower Markets on a Saturday morning if we can. Two big bunches of Australian natives will last us over a week (with frequent water changes) and only set us back $20. You can get inexpensive and hardy glass vases at your local market or build up your collection from your favourite retailers. Flowers change the dynamic of a living space and you can colour match to suit your mood or room!
Canvas prints
Getting creative is a great way to personalise your home. Canvas prints can help you to make a statement with a special photo, memories or poster. If you’re a creative type then you could even design your own artwork using Photoshop or Illustrator and have it printed as a large canvas. There are great canvas printing services in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and other cities all over Australia.
Cushions
Depending on how much time you spent lounging about or entertaining will determine how much you care about your cushions. There are two ways to go about this. High end, designer cushions can cost anywhere up to $250 dollars (or beyond). Cheaper, store bought ones can fly out the door as cheap as $15. My sweet spot is in the middle, mixed around. That means a few lower end ~$40 cushions from some of my favourite well known retailers alongside some designer hero pieces. Spend money on decent filling, not just on the cushion cover itself.
Rearrange your furniture
As a visual person I need to see things to understand them. So whenever I’m thinking about layouts for rooms I need to actually move the furniture in order to make a judgement. This is both fun and incredibly tiring – but well worth it. Grab a friend or your partner and start getting creative. Would your couch look better over in that corner or your bed pulled out from the wall? Give it a go and at the end of the day you may have an entirely new looking interior.
Swap with a friend
Who says you have to buy everything yourself? Why not do a complete furniture swap with a friend and trade your couch, coffee table, media unit and other pieces. This will give you the refresh you need, save on money and mean your furniture will be in the trusted and respectful hands of your friend. When you’re sick of your setting you can simply swap back or bring someone else into the mix and rotate again!
Minimise
If all else fails then it’s time to bring your belongings back to basics. Get rid of any clutter or old pieces that are holding you back from a brand new you. Sell on Gumtree, give away, donate or simply bin anything that isn’t important, sentimental or tied down! Use the three month test – if in that time you haven’t loved it, moved it or used it – lose it! It might seem a bit extreme it’ll transform your space into a blank canvas.
This post was written with support from Classic Colour Copying.
