5 No Fail Ways To Change The Look Of A Room
Have you ever had the urge to give any of the rooms in your home a whole new look, but don’t want to go to the trouble or expense of a whole remodel? I’m right there with ya! I love the idea of being able to make small changes in a room, but wind up with a totally “new” space. Check out these 5 no fail ways to change the look of any room in your home!
ADD THE UNEXPECTED
To me, nothing catches a person’s eye more than adding something unexpected to a room! Think back – how many times have you walked into someone’s home and been taken aback (in a good way!) by something unexpected they used as part of their decor?
I did just that when I gave my very dated, cheapo bookcases a total makeover with paint and with addition of a sliding barn door. Who expects to see a barn door on bookcases – right? But, I get more oohs and aahs over that one thing than I do over the entire office remodel!
BOOKCASE MAKEOVER – TRADITIONAL CHERRY TO FARMHOUSE FAB
UPCYCLE OR REPURPOSE SOMETHING
Think outside of the box when it comes to adding functional items to your home that you want to look pretty. You can do more with many pieces of old furniture than just repaint them! I took an old hutch apart and repurposed the top half into a dropzone and hung it near my back door. This thing is a real workhorse, but it still looks pretty in the space and compliments the rest of my home.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE SPACE FOR A MUDROOM
PAINT IS YOUR FRIEND
You’ll rarely hear me talking about giving rooms a whole new look without talking about the power paint! It is one of THE most affordable and easy ways to make changes that I know of.
My dining room makeover is a prime example of where I opted to paint my existing furniture, to get the look I was after, instead of replacing it. Yes, I was definitely a bit scared, but I’m sooo glad that I took the leap! I even went to far as to have a paint store color-match some spray paint that I was using.
FARMHOUSE DINING ROOM MAKEOVER REVEAL – BEFORE AND AFTER
TAKE SOMETHING AWAY
We’ve all heard the adage – edit, edit, EDIT! The theory behind it is to get something looking just the way that you think you want it….and then take something away. You can apply the theory all the way from how much jewelry you wear to the way your decorate your home.
I’ll volunteer to be the guinea pig here – what do you think I should have taken away from last year’s fall mantel? Be honest, but please be gentle on this thin-skinned girl!
RUSTIC FALL FARMHOUSE STYLE MANTEL
ADD SMALL DOSES OF COLOR
My home is mostly neutral, but I’ve come to realize that I can’t be happy in a totally neutral room. I need little bits of color here and there! How much color I add depends upon the season or holiday that I’m decorating for. If I’m not decorating for anything special like fall or Christmas, I tend to add color sparingly and in more muted tones.
BUDGET FRIENDLY WINDOW TREATMENTS AND HARDWARE
I bet you know some other ways to get a whole new look without completely redecorating a whole room. Please share with all of us!
Hi, I will make some comments on your mantel. While I feel everyone decorates for their personal tastes, and that is the way it should be, it will be seen different from everyone. I love the way you layer the décor. To me this makes the setting much warmer. I would change two things. Take all or several of the small items off the mantel. I think the hearth would look better with only one piece of décor in the middle of the hearth. Also, to add some color and more sitting area, I would add two boxed seat cushions in a color that coordinated or matched some of the fabric in the room. Having two cushions would allow you to decorate the center with a cushion on each side or use one cushion and decorate on each end of the mantel. Everything you do looks great, I want to do the shutters for an area I have in a bay window.
The one thing I would like to ask is I have a huge wall hanging from Kirklands that is metal and I would like to spiff it up. It is painted with a mingle of gold paints now that was damaged in a recent move. Could you offer some help on how you painted? Thank you so much,
Hi Beverly. If the piece that you’re asking about is all metal, then I might consider spray painting it with a solid color. If you’re wanting a bit of a layered look with the colors, you could then dry-brush another color(s) on top on the spray paint, once it’s dry. If you try that approach, keep a rag handy while you’re dry brushing so that you can wipe any excess paint off as you go. Hope this helps!
You made some wise furniture choices in the beginning. You update traditional furniture and transformed it beautifully (so clever). We have the same taste and style so you help to visualize how to transform my decor to more stylish fashion. Thanks for sharing your secrets!
Hmmmm…I think the wood backdrop behind the hanging basket would be a good idea. Also the grapevine wreath. I think the Fall branches in the basket are beautiful and would look even better against the black and white piece.
Thanks for sharing and being so brave!
Thanks for these great tips, Suzy… and for being willing to be vulnerable to some loving critique. You are a wonderful sport and blogger!
Do love the barn door on the office bookcase….great idea, again! Enjoy the waning days of summer.
Thank you for inspiring the endless possibilities, Suzy!
I like your video…keep it going!!
Brand new to your blog. Right away I like your use of color! I too, need some color in my home. And love the barn door on the bookcase.
I love this blog for decorating tips! I especially like this post about 5 ways to change the look of a room without spending a lot of money!
And I look forward to more fall decorating ideas.
I would take away the light-colored stack of wheat near the front of the mantel. The color seems out-of-sync with the rest of the decorations.
Great suggestions. Thanks for sharing.
I love the gray desk in your office. You’ve done a beautiful job refinishing it. The dark stain in the grooves highlights the beauty of the woodwork. Love the stained top as well.
I enjoy your blog and I love that you asked us to suggest any changes we would make to your mantel. This inspires me to take a closer look at my home for ‘editing’. Thanks!
We are in the process of repainting. ripping out carpeting and putting in laminate flooring in our home office/den right now. It looks so much nicer now! I love all your ideas and am constantly running to the computer to check out your blog.
I added an unexpected piece to my office yesterday. My daughter had a dresser she needed a new home for an I decided to take it. It’s 43″ wide, 20 inches deep and 5 feet tall so it makes quite a statement! It’s also antique white with a wood stained top so it adds some color to a room full of stained furniture. I was a little worried about how it would look since I was replacing a shorter table but I love it!
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Suzy,
This post is so timely. Last week, a friend gifted me a beautiful chair; which has triggered a re-do of my guest room. I do love most of the existing pieces, but recognize that it is time for a change. Paint is the perfect solution. Can you share the name of the brown paint you used for the dining room. I know you mentioned it was mixed to match a can of spray paint. Do you recall which one? I have pulled so many lovely ideas from this post to borrow with pride 🙂 I have been following your blog for quite some time now (years) and am always grateful for the inspiration. Thanks for ALL you do. Blessings!
Hi Vanessa. You can find all of the information you’re looking for regarding the paint that I used in the dining room in this blog post: https://www.worthingcourtblog.com/dining-room-finishing-touches/ . Have fun in your guest room!
Live the way you can stroll through you house from room to room. The east transition with color and coasyness…wish I could have you come to my place and do your magic.
The bottom of the fire place is beautiful. I would remove the wood board, the shutters and black lanterns from the top. They all look to over powering and then i would spread the rest out to either side giving it a softer look.
I love your desk in your den. Can you tell me where you purchased it? Thanks for all your décor ideas. I always look forward to all your ideas!