You don’t have to spend a fortune to transform a tired room. Below are five inexpensive ways to add life, warmth and style to any room in your house.
1. Paint the ceiling red…or another color
We often forget about the design potential of our fifth wall. But the off-white canvass above your heads is actually an amazing opportunity to change a room’s overall ambience and layout. For a bold, elegant look, try uniting the ceiling and walls with a single color set off by crisp white trim. If your wall color is very rich, then go one or two shades lighter on the ceiling. You can also use the ceiling to inject color and personality into a plain white room. In small rooms, this is a good way to add both visual interest and a sense of vertical space.
2. Downsize your furniture
Writers talk about needing to “kill their darlings” and the same is true of us homemakers, who are often sentimentally attached to items of furniture that we would do better without. This is especially true for over-sized pieces such as sofas, coffee tables and armchairs. Simply by removing one or two bulky items of furniture, you can add space and energy to a room and let it breathe again. Alternatively, substitute smaller pieces. If your coffee table takes up too much real estate, replace it with a smaller table or chest, or throw a stylish runner or mat on an unused piano bench. Transparent tables can also trick your eyes into making the space seem bigger.
3. Cultivate an indoor garden
Nothing livens up a room quite like a touch of nature – verdant pot plants or fragrant flowers. And according to the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui, decorating with flora will create harmony in your home. Hang baskets of ferns or feathery herbs such as lavender or woolly lamb's ear in the bedroom and place broad-leaved pot plants such as peace lilies, spider plants and weeping figs in the living room. In the kitchen, an indoor herb garden is a wonderfully practical option. Buy grown plants and keep them in a brightly lit area that is out of direct sunlight, or try a windowsill planter. Also shop for some statement vases to display freshly cut flowers in.
4. Add new colors and textures
You can transform a room for very little cost by introducing new colors, materials and textures. Jazz up a neutral sofa with a bold zebra print cushion or balance a bold armchair with neutral-colored throw in a different texture. Mix and match with patterns if you like an eclectic aesthetic, or choose accessories that fit tonally and use repetition if you’re more of a minimalist. Add warmth to a cool-toned room with a wood or wicker table, or create contrast in a dark room with wall mirrors and an industrial silver lamp. If you have floorboards, don't forget the statement power of a good floor rug.
5. Light up the room
Good lighting adds drama and romance to even the most understated of rooms. Instead of harsh overhead lighting, use the soft, diffused lighting of table and floor lamps. Position them next to your favorite reading spots or your beloved pieces of art. Consider installing uplights and spotlights if your budget allows. Or, if you'd prefer a more natural approach, there's always new replacement windows...
