Refresh your abode with these impactful decorating tips

When your home needs a refresh, knowing where to start can be a daunting task. We’ve put together our high impact decorating tips take your home run down and tired to refreshed and stylish. Warning – our solution to decorating isn’t based around adding more decorative stuff to your home.

Start with good foundations. A fresh coat of paint will be worth the time and investment.

As the saying goes, there’s not much a fresh coat of paint won’t fix! Whether your colour is out-dated, or the walls have a few too many scuffs, a fresh coat of paint will instantly lift the fresh factor in your home. Unless your walls are already fresh, we suggest you don’t skip this step! It will lift and brighten the whole house.

Wall art

Wall art is an easy way to update the style in your house. Regardless of your style, there are so many options to bring your personality into each room. Some of our favourite places to look for wall art are:

• Start by looking at the photos on your phone! Most of us forget how many great snaps we have on our phone. From candid pics to beautiful scenery and unforgettable memories, chances are you’ve probably got some great art in your pocket. You can send your photos to an online company like Snap Fish who will print and frame your shots – easy!
• Another great option is looking at online retailers like Olive Et Oriel, who have thousands of framed and unframed prints to buy. You can choose from a vast range of stunning artwork, wallpaper and wall decals.
• Op shops, thrift stores, and antique shops are another great option to find your wall art. If you put in the leg work, you might even find some stunning, unique vintage pieces that aren’t available anywhere else.

Area Rugs

Area rugs are essential in refreshing your home and bringing in a unique style. They work wonders for the design in your home by anchoring a room and defining a space. Choosing a rug is a decision that must not be rushed; the size of the rug is critical in whether it will work as an anchor in your room. You’ll want to allow enough size that the front legs of the furniture in the room will be over the rug – the size needs to be generous.

Light Fittings

From simple, stylish downlights to chandeliers or pendants, light fittings are a stylish and functional way to refresh your abode. Consider pendants lights used over bedside tables as a different alternative to lamps, or bring your kitchen island to life with pendants over the bench – a great way to update the style in your kitchen. When you hear mention of a chandelier, your mind’s eye may go straight to picturing giant dramatic antique hanging crystals. However, chandeliers come in all shapes, textures, colours and sizes. From coastal chic to bohemian or urban luxe, chandeliers can be found to complement the style of any home.

Trinkets and soft furnishings

While decorating with items like trinkets and soft furnishings is the most obvious option, when it comes to decorating, we believe that less is more! By creating stylish foundations (using our tips of steps 1-4) you’ll find that you don’t need to go overboard with your trinkets and soft furnishings. If you purchase new decorative items, choose wisely, or even better clean, revitalise and reuse the things that you already have. When it comes to styling these items, for maximum impact and a “looks like it should be there” placement, we suggest always grouping things in odd numbers with varying heights.

Great success in stying and decorating comes from having a clear vision about what you want to achieve and how you want to feel in your space. Use mood boards, scan through magazines, and while you’re out and about snap some quick pics of anything you notice that inspires your vibe. Good luck and happy decorating!