We’ve put together some tips with the help of Doyle McCullar of
Doyle McCullar Fine Interiors. The goal: re-imagining a room’s design and then using what you already have to pull your vision together at no cost.
Pull Away from the Wall
In many rooms, all the seating is up against the walls—creating an unwelcoming look. “Rearrange the living room furniture to create a new focal point,” says McCullar. For example, you could pull the sofa and loveseat away from the wall and arrange them into an L-shaped area, midroom. Shine, restore and refresh the surfaces of wood furniture, which may be dusty from having been against a wall, with
Pledge® Lemon Wipes.
Use Bookshelves as Dividers
Bookshelves can help break up big spaces into more manageable, livable areas. Put a bookshelf next to a sofa to serve as a divider and create a more private space.
Create a "Zone"
A rug adds instant definition by breaking up a large room and creating a “zone.” Take an area rug from another room and use it in your bedroom seating area or beneath a group of living room chairs to quickly reinvent and pull together the whole space.
Lift Up Your Lamps
Literally. “Add height to existing table lamps by placing them on top of large books with attractive covers,” says McCullar. You can even create custom book covers yourself.
Tell a Color Story
Tabletop accessories have more impact if you group like colors in one room. “Go through the house and find accessories from one general color group, and put them all in the same room,” says McCullar. Doing this creates a story with color and makes things look focused and cohesive.
Let There Be Light
"Throw open the shades and blinds you normally leave closed," says McCullar, noting that will help you look at the space in a new light. Also remember that the cleaner your windows are (try
Windex® Crystal Rain™ , which has a clean, fresh scent), the more you can maximize natural light during the day and make your room "glow."
Rethink the Walls
Check the attic and basement for forgotten art; everyone seems to have old photos, prints or paintings tucked away. "Change the pictures on the wall with ones you have stored, for an instantly fresh look," says McCullar, noting that this is one of the most dramatic ways to change a room’s look.
Reposition a Vase
Often, colorful vases get lost in living or dining rooms, even if they’re on shelves or in a display cabinet. If that’s the case, McCullar says, move them to a sunny windowsill in the kitchen to better reflect light and create a more playful look.
Move Your Pillows Around
"Try switching all the accent pillows from the bedroom with the ones in the living room," proposes McCullar. If you have pets, don’t forget that accent pillows are typically cleaned less frequently than seating surfaces and collect plenty of pet hair (since pets love to lounge on them). Remove pet hair quickly from pillows and other upholstered furniture with
Pledge™ Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair.
Group Collections Together
To add an interesting focal point to a room, consider all the types of items you collect and then pick one and group all like items together. Accessories are more effective in a grouping of four or five on a shelf or cabinet, rather than one or two per room, where they might get lost among the other elements.
Make Potted Plants More Important
If plants are not in visually appealing pots or a big plant appears to be teetering in a little pot, it’s time to reimagine your houseplants. "Repot a large plant into a larger container than what it’s already in, using one you may have stored in the garage," says McCullar.
Bring In Nature
Don’t be afraid to blur the lines between inside and outside by bringing the outside in. If you have a backyard, you have access to instant décor. "Make an arrangement of newly budded branches from trees or flowering shrubs in your yard to bring a bit of spring indoors," says McCullar.