The New Year is a time for making positive changes for yourself and your environment. After all those Holiday decorations are put away, its a great time to update, rearrange and declutter your rooms.
Work on one room at a time so the job doesn’t seem so daunting. Start with the living room, its usually the least cluttered and reworking this space first will motivate you to move on to other rooms.
(model home photo)
Living Room redesign…
* Take all of the accessories and small furnishings out of the room. Mirrors and artwork as well.
* Clean the room (easy, with not much in it), touch up paint on the walls.
* Draw a space plan, or physically move the large furniture pieces into a new arrangement in the room. Be daring…try diagonals, float furniture in the center of the room around a focal point. Remove furniture that doesn’t fit or is worn or faded.
* Bring back in ONLY pieces that compliment and service the new room arrangement. Occassional tables, rug, lamps, art etc.
* Leave out 1/2 of the accessories for now, and try to appoint the room with your favorite larger pieces first. Live with it this way for a few days. If it feels refreshing and complete, leave as is.
* Don’t bring back …broken lamps, flat and faded pillows, dead or dying plants, small or unrelated nic nacs, old magizines or newspapers, too many family pictures, the treadmill, the moose head (sorry moose lovers) etc.
* Rehang the artwork and mirrors to relate to the new furniture arrangement.
* light the room appropriately. Buy a new lamp or 2 to do this.
* Remove heavy formal drapery. Replace with simple straight hanging silk or linen floor length lined drapery. This instantly updates and relaxes a room.
* Replace old throw pillows, turn, vacuum, and fluff cushions on the chairs and sofa.
* Add a small vase of fresh flowers from your yard, grocery store, Costco, or florist. This brings life to a room.
* Add a new fresh scented candle.
Step back and enjoy your new redesigned room. Then move on to other rooms. Have a goal of doing one room a month until all is decluttered, updated and organized.
It’s documented that clutter and disorganization contribute to anxiety and stress… something we don’t need any more of.
We would love to hear any additional tips you might have on this topic. Thanks and Happy New Year!
1. Oh you’re blogging close to my heart on this one Cathy! I’ve already taken down my Christmas tree and have rearranged accessories, etc. for the new year in the living room, family room, and the kids rooms. I even reorganized my inventory of staging accessories in the basement! Now I’m tackling the master bedroom. It’s an annual, cleansing tradition with me!
by Susan Smith — 12/30/07 at 11:40 am #
2. WOW Susan,
You’re way ahead of us! Good for you! I did take down my Christmas decorations…I put them up so early this year, I was ready to clean up.
Sounds like you’ve reorganized every room already. You’re putting me to shame. It usually takes me a few months to get organized. My biggest job this year is my garage…a real mess…this will take me a few months to do. LOL. It feels so good when you accomplish a big task like this.
If you get a few minutes, come on over, I’ll put you right to work!!! LOL.
by Cathy — 12/30/07 at 10:59 pm #
3. I’ll be right there! I get a real rush out of organizing and redesigning (yea, I know…get a life!) I’ll post a pic of my basement project once we kick the heavy trash to the curb tomorrow.
Here’s a tip I forgot to mention…take a pic of your room and reverse it (or use a mirror). It’s amazing what our eyes categorize as landscape over time! You’ll find ways to do even quick updates that will improve a room! It really helps with balance issues!
Susan Smith
http://www.roomsthatwork.com
by Susan Smith — 12/31/07 at 1:24 pm #
4. I loved the idea of remodeling rooms after the Christmas decor comes down. My husband and I recently vacationed in Northern Italy and I fell in love with the Tuscan look. I want to redo my whole house , but it has to be a gradual change. Do you have any ideas?
Beth
by Beth — 1/1/08 at 10:11 am #
5. Thank you, HomeGoods, for saving me from sitting on the floor and in the dark in my new condo. My home hasn’t sold in another city and I have relocated, so my furniture is sitting 1200 miles away! I love the pieces I have purchased and little by little with HomeGoods help, my new home is coming together.
If I could offer a suggestion: a deliver service (there are pieces of furniture I would have purchased, but cannot transport).
Wendy Busch
by Wendy [...] — 1/1/08 at 10:50 am #
6. Great tip Susan,
Reverse picture of your room. Sometimes you get so use to living with all the clutter and disorganization you don’t SEE it as others do. Thats why starting with a nearly empty room and a new arrangement will shake you out of your rut, and then you can see things in a new light and perspective.
Thanks so much.
by Cathy — 1/1/08 at 10:58 pm #
7. Hello Beth,
It sounds like your trip to Northern Italy made a lasting impression on you.
You say you want to redorate in the Tuscan style. A very popular style because its so “livable”. The Tuscan style is inspired by nature and the countryside of Northern Italy. Casual European simplicity comes to mind… old stone walls and farmhouses, scrolled wrought iron, warm colors, comfortable furnishings.
You might want to start out by making an album of all the things you like.
Cut out pictures of rooms, visit resturants or hotels, with this style, and take pictures and write down what inspires you. Look at wall colors and furnishings to pull together a color scheme. In other words, do alot of Homework before you get to the Home Work.
Good luck and enjoy the process.
by Cathy — 1/2/08 at 5:48 pm #
8. Hi Wendy,
It sounds like you’re getting your new home pulled together. Yes, HomeGoods always comes to the rescue!
Your question about delivery service… Customer service will address that and will post a response for you here.
Enjoy your new home and thanks for your comments.
by Cathy — 1/2/08 at 6:07 pm #
9. Sorry Beth… I can’t spell…. change “redorate” to” redecorate”… and “resturants” to “restaurants”…..and anything else, just ignore. I need to use spell check more… too lazy.
by Cathy — 1/2/08 at 6:18 pm #
10. That is a georgeous room!
by Paige — 1/3/08 at 1:20 am #
11. Our tree is still up! WE always try to conserve the holidays as best we can!
by Paige — 1/3/08 at 1:22 am #
12. Cathy,
Thanks for the info..without realizing what I was doing, I remodeled the guest bathroom last year in the warm earthy colors you mentioned with the peaches, olive green and terracota flooring..then I looked at my sunroom and the rest of the house and realized that everyroom in the house had a lot of Tuscan look to it already. I think I can buy a lot of accesories and shed the colonial american ones, then it wont be as hard as I thought. Thanks for the tips and I will start thinking earthy colors now
by Beth — 1/3/08 at 11:45 am #
13. Hello Paige,
Yes, this room is very well designed.
Many people enjoy leaving their tree and decorations up for weeks and months. How wonderful it is to enjoy the Holidays for as long as we want. Have a great New Year and write again soon.
by Cathy — 1/3/08 at 1:26 pm #
14. Hi Beth,
It sounds like you got a good start with your bathroom. The Tuscan style you want is great, just be careful not to get it too “Themed”. Let the “feel” of the rooms speak to Tuscany, not all the furnishings. Many times we tend to over accessorize and it becomes to Kitchy. Its better when a style is subtle, an undertone or feel you get…not a “theme park”.
Sounds like your’re thinking things through and much success to your endeavor.
by Cathy — 1/3/08 at 1:54 pm #
15. After helping a friend paint their apartment (which needed it) a latte color with a red accent wall, which really popped the room and give it a classy look. Another friend recently purchased an condo and painted the whole place before moving in and add a few accent walls in a rich chocolate with taupe walls. I went back to my apartment of all white walls and could not live another day with it.
So I decided to paint a accent wall. (I will only have to paint one wall when I move, not the whole room) Well of course I couldn’t use red or the chocolate color which I love, I don’t care for blues or greens, I wanted a color that would surprise you when you enter the room…..PURPLE. Yes, purple. The color of passion, which is how I am feeling about my life right now @ 52. (Another story) So off to the local HD paint dept. Gathered all the deep, dark shades of purple and went home and narrowed it down to three shades. Posted it on the refrig for a couple of days and picked the one that I kept saying I like frist, before the doutful thoughts creeped in to my mind (choosing purple will do that). Back to the paint department, with supplies in hand, 1 gal of grey primer, 1 gal of Proper Purple, roller, etc. So on New Year’s Eve I put the primer on the walls. (I STRONGLY suggest that if you are painting a vivid color on white walls to USE the grey primer, you will NOT get the color you want.) Oh, did I mention that I was also going to do a accent wall in my bedroom the same color. (You should get bold @ 52)
Went to bed with the normal thoughts, PURPLE!? Woke up the next morning, had a couple of cups of coffee, looked at the grey walls, I could take the purple back and choose another color, like a rust, or camel (there goes that fear of color creeping in). But I stuck to my guns and went ahead and put the purple on the wall. It took me all day to do two coats on each wall, loving the true color appear as it dried. It made the room feel cozy, it darken the room at night.
Now several trips to Home Goods is in order for the year to find items that will shine with my purple backdrop. Wish I had a picture to share now, but I will in the next couple of days. Stay tune!
by Toni — 1/3/08 at 2:04 pm #
16. BRAVO TONI !!!!!!!!!
I love what you did and how you went about doing it…with a passion…a purple passion !!! Listen, age has nothing to do with wall color. Go for it. An Accent wall is exactly that… ACCENT. It in itself is ART. An area of impact that gives life and energy to a room. So glad you repeated the color in your bedroom as well. Most of all, I’m glad you didn’t back away from your vision. So proud of you! Let me know when you send pictures…I will look at them and give you the “thumbs up!”
Great post!
write back soon.
by Cathy — 1/3/08 at 3:21 pm #
17. My room layout is similar to this photo, fireplace and all. I have a grand piano that came with a husband, so it’s not going anywhere. My room is about 20 x 20, so the piano must go against a wall. I had a plexiglass top made for the piano and it works very well as a buffet table. But, how can I decorate around the piano?
Rita
by Rita — 2/7/08 at 10:08 am #
18. Ho Rita,
A grand piano is hard to hide in a room, so make it another focal point.
Play up its “grandness”. I’m not sure where in your room you have the piano,except against a wall. You could center it on the wall (give it a little “breathing ” room if you can) with the long side near the wall, opposite the fireplace. (if room permits). Add a large mirror above it or a grouping of series art. A tall vase of flowers or blooming branches looks wonderful on top. Or 2 tall topiaries or trees on either side of the piano.
A grand piano makes a “grand” statement in a room, being a second focal point after the fireplace wall. Dress to impress.
by Cathy — 2/8/08 at 12:44 pm #
19. Cathy, I’d glad to hear you say that age has nothing to do with how you want to decorate a room. If you saw my little home, you’d think it was decorated by a five-year-old with a box of crayons! LOL Seriously, I love fun colors. Nothing dull in my life.
by Janice — 2/29/08 at 6:54 pm #
20. Hello Janice,
…Love your colorful style! No, age is just a number and the higher the number means we can use more colors…LOL. I bet your home is a place you love to come home to and puts a big smile on your face when you open the door. Thats how it should be. Enjoy your home and all the colorful spaces in it. If it makes you happy…thats all that counts.
by Cathy — 3/1/08 at 2:05 am #