Home Design Resolutions - 2010

Prevent a downward spiral off lost time with a design plan.

Time to (RE) SOLUTE your home with 2010 design resolutions!! Forget remodeling and renovations. They’re too expensive. In 2010, take some time to plan a RE-Design to your home. RE-energize your outlook by what you look at:

Sit, think, and plan your vision.

 • (RE) THINK your space: over use of one space and under use of another? Bring balance to your home by planning the way you use your space. For example: A home office littered with magazines and cluttered with books can be reorganized by relocating reading materials to an underused dining room to create a library, or create a reading corner in your great room. Taking the time now to (re)think how a space is used, will save you time later when you need it the most.

• (RE) PAINT your space inside and out: Even if you live in a development with restrictions (i.e. all the same color) chances are, your front door, garage door, or trim (esp. near the garden) could benefit from a fresh coat of paint to make your home look crisp (and even spark inspiration for your neighbors). Over time, no matter what quality of paint you use, it won’t look as fresh. Inside, why not try a new neutral (like a warm grey) and an accent wall in a grassy green or chocolate? If you’ve always lived with solid walls: try stripes: same color with two finishes. Even glossy white moldings can be refreshed in an afternoon. Freshen all doors in another afternoon with a coat of semi gloss. If you have the freedom: paint your front door a new color: if not (because of an association), at least paint door inside a new color like charcoal, chocolate, or black.

 

• (RE) VAMP your accessories: What you’ve had upstairs, bring down. What you’ve had downstairs, bring up. It's time to mix it up! Check in the garage and closets for some forgotten treasures. Gather similar shapes into a collection. Inexpensive or old pieces can have new life with a simple shot of spray paint. This is the time to try a new color on your accessories, like all white, grey, or red, but vary the finishes: two flat with one high gloss. If groupings aren’t getting enough variations in height, try a stack of books. Books stacked by color create impact, or turned in reverse create texture. Books can also be unified by covering them in white or tan craft paper.

• (RE) LAMP your space: Just like you change your accessories every time you change your outfit, change your lamps from room to room. You’ll be amazed how a space is transformed with new lighting (and only be new to the space, but at no cost) Minimal updates to refresh lamps can be a quick coat of spray or add an updated shade in a new shape, color, or pattern.

 

• (RE) PLANT your entrance, terrace, or outdoor living space: What do you or your guests see when they come up to your home? Have trees or bushes overgrown? Is there a composition or rhythm in your garden? Try adding some containers. Even if you aren’t into flowers, visual interest can be added through contrasts of solid or variegated plants, pops of color through pots, or textures from leaves. Even coordinated decorative pillows on a back patio can expand the living space from inside your home out. Existing outdoor furniture, containers, and even your grill do tend to fade (esp. down in South Florida!!) so spruce it up with a fresh spritz of spray. Even some left over Jacobean wood stain works on a terracotta pot: it will chip away and looked aged over time.

Clock from Soicher Marin.

• (RE) PURPOSE (RE) USE (RE) CYCLE: Or in a word UPCYCLE! Whether it’s your own pieces stuck in the garage or tucked up in your attic, refinish and switch out some existing pieces in your spaces to refresh your home for the new year. Find a new use for something old (side tables together (but not bumped) become your new coffee table or relocate a ‘matchy’ bedroom bench into the dining room for new seating) While clearing through the clutter, let go of pieces you know you will not use: Donate them to your local Salvation Army or Vietnam Vets. Your trash could be someone else’s treasure and help them to refresh their home. An afternoon activity can be made by holding a garage sale. A little time spent organizing the sale, you could treat yourself with a new treasure or put it towards supplies to re-solute your home.

 

• (RE) TREAT: Celebrate your refreshed home with gatherings of friends and family. Reconnect with those you’ve lost touch with over time, or make new connections by starting up a block party. Host a clothing, scrapbook, or accessories swap for the ladies, a tailgate grill out for the guys, or a cookie party for the kids. We’re all spending less money out and about. The past year was a reality check for us to realign our priorities. Now is the time to apply what we’ve learned (as well as what we’ve been putting off) and bring back true value to our haven called home.

 

Time is running out!! WELCOME 2010 with the promise to (RE) SOLUTE your home. And if you live in an already perfect home, take the time to apply these resolutions to help a friend, a family member or neighbor. You’ll be glad you did. Have a HAPPY, safe, and healthy NEW year!!!

Thanks for taking the time to read and follow a new blog... :D

And THANK YOU KRISTIN at DISCOVER INTERIOR DESIGN (blog has since closed) for the INVITE to WRITE these for your mini-series!!

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