A fresh look

A gallery wall can make a small statement or it can be a room’s dominant design element.

Make the old seem new again 12 Foothills April 2021

STORY BY ERIN REBAR

Something as simple as swapping out the colors of your throw blankets and pillows can completely alter the feel of a room.

Simple ways to refresh your home

Let’s face it: most of us are probably getting sick of our own homes. And who could blame us? After all, we’ve spent an unprecedented amount of time within the same four walls, which can make what once felt like a sanctuary feel more like a prison.

Luckily, there are ways to make the old seem new again. These simple tips will help you refresh your home in no time, and you won’t need to break the bank to do it.

Rearrange what you already have

You don’t need to go out and buy a bunch of new decor to breathe fresh life into your home. You can completely change your entire living space simply by rearranging what you already have.

While changing the layout of your furniture will have the most dramatic impact, sometimes it is better to think small. Consider arranging small knickknacks and other items in clusters on your shelves and tabletops. In interior design, these small collections are called “vignettes” and are meant to create focal points and tell a story. Candles, books, small plants and any knickknacks or collections you may have accumulated are good candidates for vignettes.

If you don’t have a ton of shelf space, you can also apply the same principles to your wall art. Rather than spreading your art around the house, hang pieces with similar or complementary elements together to create a “gallery wall.”

Erin Rebar photo Indoor plants do more than just look beautiful — they help to improve the air quality in your home as well. Even more, the simple act of caring for a plant can help to improve your mental health and relieve stress.

Erin Rebar photo When creating a vignette, try assembling similar items in odd-numbered groups. A collection of three, for example, adds more visual interest than a pair.

Change out your accent pieces

Perhaps the quickest and easiest way to make a room feel brand new is to change out your accent pieces. Throw blankets and throw pillows are generally inexpensive, and swapping out your current ones with something in a different color or style can completely alter the feel of a room. You can also try changing your curtains or adding/swapping out rugs. To change up your bedroom, consider indulging in some new bedding. In your bathroom, you can swap out towels, your shower curtain, or your bath mat for a quick-and-easy update.

Add a few plants

A succulent nestled on a shelf, a vase of cut flowers in the center of your table: these small touches can easily elevate and enliven any room. The best part? It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to add a plant or two to your decor. Succulents and other small

The combination of lighting and color provided by furniture and plants can make a room more inviting.

plants can often be found at grocery stores or nurseries for as little as a dollar, and thrifted containers can make stunning pots.

Depending on the variety, cut flowers can be on the pricier side (especially when you consider how often they need to be replaced), but cheap bouquets can be found at the grocery store or the local farmers market.

Pay attention to scents

When decorating our homes, we tend to forget one powerful factor — the role scent plays in generating mood and creating ambiance. On top of changing the mood, scent also helps with forming and recalling memories; a whiff of freshly baked cookies, for example, can bring us back to our childhood, while the smell of sunscreen can remind us of a day on the beach.

These things can be used to our advantage when trying to create a sense of home. Something as simple as a scented candle can completely alter the atmosphere of a room. A carefully chosen scent can make you feel more alert or imbue your surroundings with a sense of comfort and warmth. If you aren’t into candles — or simply want more options — you can try an essential oil diffuser, fresh flowers, or incense.

Throws in a variety of colors and textures come in handy when changing out a room’s accent pieces.

More light, please

Lighting can make or break a space. The right lighting can create a sense of whimsy or elegance, draw the eye to focal points, and just generally open up a room. Increasing light can help improve our mood as well — something we all need these days.

Lighting doesn’t have to be limited to lamps and overhead fixtures. Try stringing some fairy lights on your wall. You can also use candles or tuck an uplight into a corner.

When you are playing with light in your home, don’t forget about its opposite. Purposefully created shadows also play a role in creating mood. Shadows can add drama, depth or mystery. By playing with the placement of the lights in your home, you can create interesting shadows around vignettes or other focal points you have arranged. F

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