Modern Home Decorating Ideas
Living in Style and Comfort Without Breaking the Bank
Have you been looking around your home lately and thinking that you could do with some changes? Honestly, chances are that all of our homes could do with some sprucing up. And this time of year, when the weather’s getting cooler and you’re spending more and more time at home, you’re bound to notice it more. Maybe your living room isn’t as comfortable as it could be, or your kitchen is a little dingy. Here are some tips on how to modernize and update your home without breaking the bank.
1. Ditch the Magnolia
It sounds extremely obvious, but a brand new coat of paint can completely change a room. Even if you think that the colour you already have on your walls is extremely neutral, there’s a good chance that it’s starting to look outdated and that you’d prefer your space if you switched it to something new. Go for white and set contrasts in pale colours instead of magnolia or cream. Not only do cooler shades look chic and modern, but it might also inspire you to invest in some new furnishings, rugs or drapes to go with them. Even if you don’t choose to do that, a new neutral can brighten up and modernize your space perfectly.
2. Update your Bed
There isn’t much that’s worse than your bed preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep – it really does feel like the ultimate betrayal! If your mattress is starting to get a bit sad and saggy or springs are starting to poke you when you roll over, it’s definitely time to update it by getting yourself a new bed. Make sure that you test plenty out before making your selection – it’s a big purchase and will make a huge difference to your everyday life.
If your bedding itself is the problem, check out new pillows. Find reviews online first to make sure you’re purchasing from a high-quality brand and that your new pillows will be easily washable, and ensure that your duvet is the tog rating that you want it. You could get two duvets, one for winter and one for summer, to make sure that your bed is comfortable in any season! If your pillows are a little sad but you don’t want to get new ones, try washing them and tumble drying them along with a clean tennis ball to make them soft and full of volume.
3. Get a Surround Sound System
If you really love music or you’re extremely into TV or movies, investing in a new sound system can improve not only the quality of your sound but also your home! A surround sound system can make all the difference when you’re watching a film in the evening, fully immersing you in what’s happening on your TV screen and increasing the quality of the action. In addition, if you’re into music, a good new set of speakers will help you hear all the dimensions and intricacies of the songs without having to turn it up so high that you’re making enemies of your neighbours.
4. Use Technology in your Home
Have you ever considered turning your home into a smart home? Automating your house will not only make you feel like a technology whiz, but it could also improve your standard of living. Install smart plugs and switches to take control of your appliances, control your heating and air conditioning with a smart thermostat, and improve your home security by being able to monitor your security cameras from all the way across the world. Check out the Automatic Smart Home site if you’re interested in technology and you’d like to learn more about turning your home into an automatic tech hub.
5. Create more Open Space
Is there anything more enjoyable than having space to breathe in? Rearrange your furniture and get rid of pieces you don’t need so that you can enjoy spreading out a little. If you don’t use your coffee table as anything more than a hub for everyday clutter – and something you occasionally trip over and bruise your shin on – then is there really any point in keeping it? If you have any big, heavy furniture it’s also worth getting some lighter pieces for a less oppressive vibe. Pass your unwanted furniture onto friends or put it up on Craigslist so you can enjoy having more space in your home.
6. Get new Lighting
Lighting can make a huge difference to the appearance of your home. Obviously, it’s important to have excellent lighting in some rooms. In the kitchen, it’s great to know what exactly you’re doing, and in the bathroom, you want to be able to see your reflection in the mirror, but in other rooms, you’d much rather have a low golden glow than any bright white lights. Invest in darker lampshades and lower watt bulbs – which are also better for the environment! If you need a little extra light for reading, then you could consider getting some side lights or table lamps.
7. Declutter your Home
There’s nothing that makes a home look dingier than lots of stuff everywhere. A lot of people enjoy eclectic style decorating – and of course, there’s nothing wrong with that! But there’s a huge difference between loving having ornaments and mementos out and filling your house with clutter and junk. Try to look at your surfaces from an outsider’s point of view to figure out what looks good and what could be put away or thrown in the trash.
Family photographs and the occasional ornament make your house look great and like a real home, but make sure you put everything else away. If you find this hard, keep a clutter basket in every room that you can throw mess into before sorting it out once a week.
8. Update Your Cabinets
Maybe you feel dissatisfied with your kitchen. The truth is that when you move into a new house, you often intend to update the kitchen and get a new one when time has passed and you’ve saved some money – however, it often ends up not happening. Maybe the one you have is serviceable, or good enough for now. But it’s still frustrating to look around yourself at home furnishings that you would never have picked out.
If you’re having problems with your kitchen cabinets, then, first of all, go around with a toolbox to fix any that aren’t fitted properly and that are ruining the look of the room. Then you could consider painting them. If they’re wood, you could sand and strip back the varnish before staining or painting them a new colour.
Go for white or pale blue and distress it if you’re into French farmhouse chic. Finally, you could add new handles and knobs to your cabinets. Go online and find something interesting and quirky that will both demonstrate that you have a great taste while perking up your kitchen.
9. Look at your Family’s Needs
As time moves on, your family will too. The requirements of a family home change vastly over the years. Obviously, the move from having no kids to having a family will be a huge one. You’ll need lots of wipe clean surfaces and plenty of babyproofing like stair gates to prevent accidents. But as your kids get older, what you need from your home will change. As your teenagers start to spend more and more time out of the house and become more independent, you’ll start to realize that it’s important to focus on yourself and what you want out of your home. Make sure that you focus your design ideas on yourself instead of your kids.
10. Use all your Space
If you tidy up a little, chances are that you’ll see some space that you haven’t utilized properly before. A hidden corner or alcove might be the perfect place for some storage like a bookshelf or trunk, or maybe even a small side table that you can turn into a decorative point of the room by adding a plant or a vase of fresh flowers. Add built in shelves to wall alcoves, along with cupboards and cabinets in any rooms with eaves and sloping roofs where you can’t quite walk to the edge of the room without bumping your head.
11. Get A New Alarm System
It’s absolutely crucial that you feel safe in your home, so it’s a good idea to update your alarm system. Make sure that it’s obvious from the outside of your house that it’s protected with an alarm – you could put a box on the outside of the house, or maybe a sticker on the window. If possible, you could consider getting a dog – this is one of the biggest deterrents of burglars and it would also provide you with excellent warm furry company every evening, along with an excuse to exercise and go on long walks during the day! Make sure that you keep your back gate locked along with your shed. Burglars are often opportunistic criminals and you really don’t want your house to be broken into with your own tools.
Thanks a lot for reading
I think that having more open space is very good in feeling relaxed. There is no need for too many objects in rooms. Empty is the new modern.
These are awesome points Klaudia, thank you!
In my space, I actually prioritize making by bedroom a lovely one, coz its the place I’m always hangout. Hopefully before the end of this year, I could fix/arrange the other parts of my home, hahaha
We’ve just moved house so we could certainly declutter looking at it now. Box city still! Great tips! Ree love30