Maybe this is a question you’re asking yourself as you look around your home reading this. For those of us that have lived in our homes for many years, even decades, it’s understandable that you would eventually become bored of certain aspects of your decor, no matter how much it was loved and treasured at the beginning.
Even if you haven’t tired of your surroundings, they may have started looking a little too loved, maybe sunkissed (but not in a nice way), drab or just simply worn out. You may find that you no longer have a young family to worry about, and would like to convert a former playroom into a study (or man cave), or finally add that walk-in wardrobe/dressing room that you’ve always wanted, but didn’t have the space for.
The essence of timeless interior design that we create at MSID ensures that you won’t need to worry, certainly not for a very long time, when you will need to redesign your home. Here’s how you can breathe new life into your home, no matter your reasoning for wanting a change.
Freshen your fabrics
Even when investing in high-quality fabrics and materials, some naturally will perish as the years go on. It may be sun damage from the lighting from a West facing window, wear and tear as it is a well-used and loved piece of furniture in the space, or you may be fortunate that your fabrics have stood the test of time well, but you are keen for a change, and soft furnishings are a great way to do that.
When purchasing furniture, I always encourage my clients to ‘buy once, buy right’. If you have quality pieces in your home, then they can simply be brought back to life by changing fabrics, for example recovering a set of dining chairs, a bed head, a sofa. Not all fabrics are reserved for upholstery; consider introducing new curtains to a space, or selecting different fabrics for accessories such as throws and cushions.
You can still work within the original design or colour scheme, but introduce new dimensions with different textures, shade, even pattern. These soft furnishings in a space can make them feel new and exciting again, simply by adjusting the fabrics you use.
A lick of paint
We recently completed a renovation project; we typically focus on redesigning entire homes for our clients, however in this particular project the brief was to leave the existing kitchen as it is. But in comparison to the rest of the house, that had been completely renovated, this room would stand out, it wouldn’t effortlessly blend into the new and improved design and flow of the home. What did we do? We painted it. From top to bottom, the walls, cabinetry, woodwork and ceilings.
Despite making no other changes, this completely changed the look and feel of this space in the home, all thanks to refreshing the paint.
You don’t have to go as far as adjusting the original paint colour, simply re-painting will refresh the colour, while erasing any areas of wear and tear, chips, scratches or stains. A fresh coat of bright white on a ceiling can easily brighten a space, or bring to standard the painting of woodwork such as door frames that can be easily scuffed with time.
The domino effect
Another great way to refresh your space is to introduce new carpets. I like to use carpet in a room like the bedroom, but any carpet will become worn in certain high traffic areas with time, or even damaged by sunlight. New carpets will give your space new life, but remember, when you begin to freshen certain areas up, other parts can then begin to look drab.
If you’ve refreshed one room, and then move into the next you may instantly notice that the paint isn’t as fresh, that the flooring is looking a little tired too. When designing a home, it is important to ensure that all of the spaces are cohesive, flowing effortlessly from one place to another. So naturally, making changes in one area may lead to the need, or necessity to start on another (a home shouldn’t look half-finished, unless you have a grand plan and are doing it in stages)
Timeless interior design
In my own home, I personally go around in a never-ending cycle,from room to room. Interior design should be timeless, but that doesn’t mean that things shouldn’t or can’t be changed or updated. The same principles apply… changing the soft furnishings and accessories, refreshing the paint. I have two dining tables at home; one on my patio outside and another inside, but they shared the same chairs, I used to keep a few at each table. This year I have replaced those dining chairs, I now have enough for both tables, as the necessity for that had changed over time.
Now my own children have left home, it has left me considering how my husband and I can make the best use of our space. So although I shall continue my rotation of ensuring that every room and space in my home is still a true reflection of our personalities, it may be time to start thinking about some bigger changes. Watch this space.
If you’re ready for a change and would like to discuss how we can work together, please contact our studio to arrange a consultation.
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