Revitalizing a tired room can be as simple as adding some colour, creating an accent area or simply re-arranging your furniture. By following some suggestions from the pros, I recently did a mini makeover of tired rooms that didn’t blow the budget or stress me out.
Start with color
The easiest way to change your room is to add a splash of colour. I took the back wall of my living room and painted it a rich olive green. Suddenly the whole room perked up. That dramatic splash of colour made all the difference.
I’ve always been a bit intimidated when trying to pick the right colour so when my friend who is an artist suggested using a colour wheel, I gave it a shot.
Many artists use the colour wheel to help them visualize how different colours relate to each other. It worked for me since I could see the difference between the primary colours (red, yellow and blue) and how their lighter tints and darker tones looked when put together.
The colour wheel also showed me how opposite complementary colours pair together to make each other appear more vivid as well how analogous colours look good side by side because they share common hues. It was easier to see how triads (any three equally spaced colours) are lively but well balanced. It also helped me finally understand the difference between warm and cool colours. One half of the wheel are the red to yellow-greens that are warm and stimulating while the other half are the cool and calming colours of green, blues and purples. Just by adding light and medium values along with the subtley of tones and hues my drab dining room was turned into somehting more dramatic. Using the colour wheel took the guesswork out of decor schemes so I felt a bit more confident about my choice. Painting that one wall was a small change but with big results.
Add a new piece
Our family room also looked a bit tired. We still loved our big comfy couch but there was a old chair in the corner that was worn out and really only used by the cat. Throwing it out and adding an upholstered chair similiar to the Monarch Leather-look Accent Chair gave the room a new look. Again, it was a simple solution but effective. I liked the smooth curves and a bold design of the accent chair. Look for a chair with that touch of sophistication such as the way the cappuccino finishing on the legs offset the burgundy learther and the sleek track arms give the chair a modern feel.
Ottomans are also a great way to change up a living room. They come in different sizes and many also provide storage — and who couldn’t use more storage space! Be sure to check out all the great furniture at Best Buy before deciding on how to refinish your room.
Get rid of clutter
Our living has great colours and wonderful furniture but all the clutter made it feel claustrophobic and detracted from its appeal. Reclaiming the living room meant clearing out the clutter and getting organized. The Simpli Home Artisan Medium Storage is part of the Artisan Collection that offers an elegant storage solution. Made with solid plantation pine with an auburn stain, the Simpli has a clean edged tabletop, tapered legs and two glass doors with rectangular bronzed knobs stores. You’ll have two adjustable shelves for those important books, CDs, movies and other knickknacks that can clutter and make a room look stuffy.
Energize your furniture
Another trick for breathing new life into our favourite couch was to plump it up with some new pillows and a throw. Find a beautifully woven throw blanket in a great colour or visit the fabric store for a splash of rich fabrict to give a new look to tired looking chair or couch. Add more personality to your sofa with a three pack of Millano Collection Westgate decorative pillows. The clean, fresh design has an embroidered 100% cotton exterior with polyester filling offering comfortable support.
Bring some French sophistication to your living space with the Urban Loft Paris cushion. The feather cushion and removable shell decorated with Parisian imagery offers a feel of real luxury.
Bring in the light
Lighting is such a simple way to change any room’s mood. I finished off my living room makeover with a new lamp that I love. Lowering the light makes the room feel cosy and inviting. Turning up the lamp brigthens the room and adds more energy. I do think I was too conservative with my choice and am about to try something even bolder with the BenQ Coral Light. The delicate beauty of this unusual lamp imitates the effect of coral reflecting light and creates mesmerizing visuals on ceilings, floors and walls. The light has 60 LED bulbs and the PMMA, stainless steel construction was designed in collaboration with Taiwan’s National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium for authenticity. I think this lamp can become a central piece that ties my whole living room theme together.
There a hundreds of other lamps to choose from at Best Buy so you can find the perfect match for your makeover.
Add some greenery
I didn’t want my place to look too stark so I brought some warmth by adding a few plants. Whether it’s simple green foliage or vibrant blooms, plants add that extra bit of vibrancy to your home. Bump up the décor appeal of your plants by adding a Brillant Ceramic Planter in either grey or white. The decorative border adds a modern look while making the plant stand out. (And also stops any water damage on the furniture!)
Add a cheerful sculpture like the clay Top Line Praying Buddha Statue to compliment all that greenery and bring some rustic charm to your room. I actually put my smiling Buddha on the bathroom counter and although it’s a quirky place for the statue, it works.
Change the view
Have you stopped noticing the pictures on your wall? I realized we had photos that were over eight years old — no wonder the hallway and dining room felt stale. I choose a simple solution for new visuals by changing picture frames and adding more recent photos. It gave everyone something fresh to look at and updated the room. The Ashlin leather photo frame looks great on the wall or on a side table with its eye catching full grain stone wash cowhide. The frame fits photos 12.7 cm (5”) by 17.78 cm (7”).
The Global crafts hand-made oil drum wall art is part the Global Crafts Fair Trade collection offering unique handcrafted pieces that come complete with an artisan story card. This mask adds a bit of mystery and intrigue to any room.
Shed some light
Bringing more natural colour into a room is another way to make it more appealing. I didn’t want the dining room to get too cluttered so I choose a mirror as a wall accent but also to bring light to a dark corner. The Nexera Boomerang mirror has a subtle oval design with a finely textured lacquer finish that can be used in any room in you house. Add it to a key wall to offset the colour or combine with another wall piece for a trio.
The Monarch Rectangular Cheval mirror is a stand-alone mirror with a white rectangular framed cheval and a swivel feature. Reposition the mirror around the room to catch the light or use it in conjunction with other accent pieces.
If you have a key window in your room, you can put the sunshine to work and add some sparkle with the stunning Tiffany style window panel by Fine Art Lighting. It’s been hand crafted with 204 pieces of glass bringing the sophisticated colours of stained glass artistry to your room without any installation hassles.
Add an accent
I admit to having fear of knickknacks until a friend showed me how to work with them. It’s all about the groupings and combining different heights and materials for effective accents that are the finishing touch to a room. I’ve developed a fondness for the Fine Art Lighting collection because of its intriguing glass sculptures and vases that are one-of-a-kind. Each piece is hand blown to create a unique and artistic object that attracts attention. The Fine Art Lighting Horizon Yellow-Blue Glass Vase is a gorgeous hand blown glass vase that can be used for flowers or as simple art object. Combine the Fine Art Lighting Green Glass vase with some plants and create a different focal point in the room.
Have fun with your makeover!
Get more inspiration from other décor articles posted in the Community Blog:
 Living room layouts made easy |
 Step into my dream kitchen |
 How to set up a safe Nursery |
