Make Your Home Shine (NOW)

We're entering the last week of January and heading toward what can be some of the longest days of the year. It's about the time we begin wishing for warmer weather and a sign of the Spring season to come. 

Well, we have some hard and cold days still ahead of us, so we probably should make good use of our time by at least freshening up our homes!  Last week, Kelli and I were in Dallas at the 2016 Dallas International Lighting Show.

And, we found lots of new inspiration and great fixtures that will be featured in our ever expanding K. Renee showroom.

This is one of my personal favorites and I can imagine it gracing an entryway and shining as a beacon of welcoming light. Many times, we think of lighting as something that is just done once…when the home is built. But for those of us who live in older homes, the decorative lighting can easily date our homes and are often fixtures that represent either our ‘old’ life or someone else’s taste. 

Maybe you chose the fixture or someone else did. It doesn’t matter. The good news is that you don’t have to build something new to live in ‘the home of your dreams’.  You can make it shine right now!  Your home, big or small, traditional or modern, can become a much more personal and enjoyable space by just making some easy but important changes.

So, let's talk about seven easy tips that can make a big impact and elevate your home from being tired to being dreamy. It only seems obvious for me to begin with decorative lighting.

Stop thinking of your decorative lights as permanent fixtures. Changing your lighting is much easier than knocking walls down or replacing flooring. All it takes is picking out an inspired light fixture and calling an electrician. 

Lighting has a huge impact on our mood, especially on days where we don’t see much sunshine.  I can honestly say that the new light fixtures in my home simply make me happier and are a big part of creating an updated look.  

Revamp Your Entry Way. An entryway is often one of the most neglected places in a home and often becomes a functional place to collect shoes and drop keys.    However, your entryway provides the first impression of the rest of your living space.

This space is a threshold between the outside and inside and does need to have some functionality.  But who says that functionality can't be beautiful?   A textured or patterned rug will serve you well in the harsh winter months when wet and muddy shoes are a consideration.    But also don't forget that your entryway is where a first impression is formed.   Think about adding bold artwork, a beautiful chandelier or a comfortable settee to this important space in your home.

Play With a Boring Bedroom. Many of us have at least one basic, lackluster bedrooms in our home.  Making a difference in this room can be achieved in a matter of a few hours.  Even if the walls are a simple white there is no need to paint. The secret to creating an inviting bedroom is adding layers and texture.   Add a tufted headboard, bring in a beautiful pillow and bedding story and lots of layered textiles. 

It’s easy to create a stylish, fresh and airy bedroom with just a few new things!

Make your home fragrance as important as your perfume or cologne. The first thing that hits you and your guests when you walk in the door is how your home smells. The best fragrance usually comes from baking cookies or roasting something delicious. The worst? Frying, broccoli, and pets. Yuck.

And unfortunately, all the good and bad smells created in our homes get into our upholstery, drapes, and carpet. The best way to resolve this fact of life is to select a ‘welcome’ scent created by a diffuser or a candle strategically placed near the entryways into your home. Find a scent that represents you and what you love.   

Look for dust collectors.  It happens in all of our homes. Memorabilia and random accessories that have been collected over the years just might be making your home feel like a time warp. It’s important to make small additions to your home over time as well as to continually edit as you evolve and change. Let go of the guilt created by accumulated things and furniture that doesn't really suit you anymore. Box them up and let them go! And let a new story shine…

Bring your guest bathroom back to life.  I have a couple of bathrooms in my home that quite frankly need to be remodeled. But I really don’t want the expense of ‘construction’ right now. Gratefully, there are tons of things that can be done to spruce up any bathroom in our homes. The first is to do a deep clean of not only the room but the grout, floors, and walls.   Then it is time to have some fun.     

Add a new grouping of accessories on the vanity.  Change the rugs, towels and even the mirror above the sink.     You can add some new artwork to set the tone and even change the light fixtures to brighten and beautify the space.   

Fill up bare walls with a great piece of artwork. Sometimes having a bare wall is the best choice for an area of your home, but most of the time an empty wall makes a home feel unfinished. 

 

Hallways and staircases often get neglected by default.  Adding artwork is a quick and easy way to add warmth and some new excitement to your home.

The bottom line… give your home a chance to shine in 2016. You can make your home feel new or more ‘you’ again without knocking down the walls.    Just start with one space.   If you don't have ideas for what you could or should do in your home, we love a challenge and are never short of suggestions for improving your space.   Dreaming with us doesn't cost a thing.    And you never know, you may just fall in love with a new view of your home.

P.S.  For those of you reading the blog, we begin our final reduction of 70% at our CLOTHING store today!