5 Good Questions To Ask Yourself Before Redecorating A Room
Wondering how often you should redecorate? Ask yourself these 5 smart questions before updating a room in your home.
Think you’re ready to redecorate a room in your home? Before you start rearranging furniture or heading out to shop for new throw pillows, ask yourself these five smart questions first.
You’ve already figured out your decorating style and worked your way through the steps to pull a room together. But knowing how often you should redecorate is a whole other challenge.
Is your home really due for a refresh, or are you just in the mood to try the latest look everyone’s posting on Instagram?
Trends come and go faster than you can say “open shelving.” And let’s face it—most of us don’t have the budget, time, or energy to change things up on a whim.
Some design experts say you should redecorate every seven years. Good grief—if that’s the rule, I might be behind by a decade. Ha!
But seriously, how do you know when it’s really time to update a space? Before you start redecorating, ask yourself these questions.
#1 Am I still happy with my room/home?
My guess is that if you’re feeling even vaguely dissatisfied or unsettled with the look of a room, it’s time to make some changes.
Changes can run the gamut from a full-on room makeover to something as simple as changing out the pillows you have displayed on your sofa. See question #4.
#2 Does this room still fit my lifestyle and fulfill my daily needs?
It doesn’t matter how beautiful a room may be – if it no longer fulfills your needs on a daily basis, it’s definitely time for a design change.
For example, could that formal living room that never gets used be converted into something functional like a home office? That’s what I did!
#3 Why do I have the desire to redecorate?
Is it because I truly think it’s time for some changes or is it because I think everyone else seems to be doing it, so that must mean that I need to do the same thing?
That’s an easy trap to fall into, especially if you spend any time on social media or following home decor blogs.
If you’re feeling influenced by how often we home decor bloggers and social media influencers change our rooms, keep in mind that inspiring you and helping you around your homes is how we make our living.
I think many of us decor enthusiasts would quickly become bored if pictures were constantly posted of the same spaces that never changed. Don’t you?
#4. Could I be happy with small changes?
Before diving in with both feet, try making some small, budget friendly, non-permanent changes.:
- Bring in current fabrics in the form of pillows or even curtains.
- Swap out art or accessories for something trendier.
- Try changing a lamp or two.
- Add an area rug or change an existing one.
Don’t forget – for a new look, area rugs can be layered over wall-to-wall carpeting if you think you’re tired of that look.
If that satisfies your craving, then you’re likely not ready to spend the money for a full blown room makeover.
#5. Do I have the budget for redecorating right now?
Maybe this should have been the #1 good question to ask yourself!
But really – let’s be honest – if after answering all of the above questions, you’ve determined that it really is time to give your room a full makeover, there needs to be a budget for it. Right?
If the time isn’t quite right budget-wise, go back to question #3. Try making some of those small design changes and I’ll bet you’ll be much more content in your home while you’re waiting for your wallet to catch up with your desires. 😆
Redecorating a room can be exciting, but it’s worth taking a thoughtful approach to be sure your time, energy, and money are well spent. By asking yourself these five key questions, you’ll get a clearer picture of how often you should redecorate and what kind of changes will actually make a difference in your day-to-day life.
Whether you’re craving a complete makeover or just a few seasonal tweaks, taking a step back to evaluate your space can help you avoid impulsive decisions and focus on what really matters—creating a home that brings you joy, comfort, and functions well for your lifestyle.
Don’t rush it. Let your home evolve in a way that feels right for you. And if you’re not quite ready to dive in yet, that’s perfectly okay too.
I re-decorate on a regular basis, it’s a bad habit as my husband would say. I do it because I love new looks and I know that I can change things without spending a million bucks. I don’t think people understand you can go a long want on a small budget and a big imagination! ~Michelle
I try to keep big ticket items neutral so I can change out some accessories seasonally, but when it’s time for a new couch or area rug that’s usually when I’ll paint the walls and change out dated artwork too. When we bought a new iron bed I painted the walls, got new curtains and new bedside lamps. Even though we kept our original dressers and night stands, just getting rid of the king sized cannon ball headboard and footboard updated the look in our bedroom. I view the iron bed as a neutral. I can eventually replace our dated dressers with new pieces as I find them without having to be so “matchy matchy.”
I’m actually redecorating now! I’ve started by doing some diy projects for personal touches and now my fiancé and I are searching for a new living room set…. what a hassle lol but it’s fun!
Lots of great tips! I like to do small redecorating projects to suit my tastes. I’m currently in the midst of redoing one whole room though and it was way past time. Thanks for sharing your tips on Snickerdoodle Sunday.
I loved decorating! these rooms are gorgeous! Thanks for linking up to Small Victories Sunday Link Up!
Great post! I get so excited each week to see what you have been working on because it’s always AMAZING! Thank you for sharing this with us. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm, so we can party!!!! Lou Lou Girls
These are some good tips to follow and the rooms you have used are gorgeous. Great post thank you for sharing it with Share It One More Time. Cathy
Suzy, I just had to click on this post and WOW you with my comment: I’m sure my bedroom has the longest should-have-been-redecorated-ages-ago record. We’ve never moved in decades and it was the first room done. Fortunately, we still love the same furniture we did all those years ago when we invested in it “forever.” But the wallpaper had to come down, and the lighting, hinges, knobs, etc had to be changed. New wall art, bedding and window treatments have given us a brand-new room! Long, long, lonnnnng overdue!
This was great. Thank you!
I just moved into my home a little over 3 months ago and just starting to make it ‘mine.’ Thanks for all the great ideas and tips! I have a big job ahead. 🙂
Great points! I do feel that my home is continually evolving and I never feel the need to “redecorate”. For example, I have always loved painted furniture and have used it for a many years. The basics always stay the same, the room I use a piece in may change, but by keeping things I love, the “redecorating” is limited to (usually) accessories. I love that you say we need to make our homes OURS.
Every seven years! That is NOT going to happen in my world either, so I like to pick timeless larger purchases, and limit the trends to knick nicks and paint colors.
I love to redecorate and change things around, but my husband is the stickler. I have recently re-painted some rooms to make a better flow. Now I am looking for wall decor, so your post comes in handy. I hate to put up all the same things in the same places. Thanks for the inspiration
Thank you for the good advice about asking myself the reason I want to do updates. I really appreciate all the pictures of the rooms. They are inspiring.
All your rooms are beautiful, but I especially love your white kitchen. It’s so elegant! You’ve offered some great tips in regards to redecorating. Many thanks.
I have been reading your blog for a few years . Enjoying it very much if not would have stop reading it.
Amused at reading that electric cords showing in your photos disturb you or other small things like that. The cords just exist
We do have very simiilar taste and I do appreciate that.
I never thought about calling it re-decorate when I change things around, I just thought it was because I was a Gemini and I have to change things all the time?????
I truly enjoy looking at your home, such beautiful ideas.
I would love to know about you floors. I need to lay down flooring and I like the color of your floors. Can you tell me the color, brand, does it wear well?
I have 4 dogs who live here, they own the home, I just pay the mortgage.
Thanks, and keep inspiring…
Our floors are white oak wood – not laminate and not engineered/pre-finished. Part of our home already had hardwoods, but when we did the whole house remodel, we replaced the carpet and vinyl in some areas with more hardwood. All of it had to be sanded and refinished. The stain that we used is Minwax Special Walnut and then the floors are sealed with two or three coats of polyurethane. I have two small dogs and it holds up fine with them. Hope this helps!
Back in the day, (lol), in design school. a well designed room should last ten years. I supposed with social media, we are exposed to great new things everyday, so keeping a room that long seems impossible! However, I find that the older I get the less inclined I am to change things. I prefer to have new experiences instead of new things.?
Great post!
Love this site.so many good ideas.
I think this is an important post filled with good advice. Throughout my life I watched my great-grandmother, grandmother and mom decorate on very limited means. They were the original thrifters out of necessity. I am now retired and lucky to be blessed with some of their timeless finds and their memories. It is a hope that my daughters are doing the same. I am a follower of lots of lifestyle blogs and love to see the new “trends” but find I am happy to try working with what I have or can find within my budget. Your before and after photos are true inspiration and shows that some restraint, repurposing what you have and adding a fresh color pathway creates a beautiful home!
Thank you for sharing, Sherry. Sounds like you had amazing example-setters in your life! To me, there’s nothing more satisfying that repurposing or reusing something I already own for a whole different look.