New Year's Resolutions for Your Home

Design Details         New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home                           Nancy Barsotti, FASID

It’s that time of year when we resolve to make changes and take new directions.  If your plans for 2013 are to finally tackle some renovations, these home design and decorating resolutions will produce fast results and could be a lot more fun than trying to stick to an exercise routine.

Be creative.  Think outside the box. Remember that this is your house, not your neighbors, relatives or friends.  Do your own thing and don’t follow the “trends” that the magazines promote.  Nothing makes a home more beautiful than allowing your family’s personality to shine through. 

Add color.   Off white walls are out and ceilings don’t have to be white either.  To help make a good choice, buy a small quantity and paint a large piece of poster board.  This allows you to experiment with the colors by living with them for a few days before taking the plunge by painting the wall or room.  Do the same with any changes to fabric, wall coverings and carpet ideas that you might be considering by looking at large samples first.

Get rid of clutter.  Really take a critical look at your room and try to decrease and organize the papers, books and accessories.  Arranging your items in collections makes a real statement rather than scattering them around a room.  Remember, less is more.

Change accessories with the season.   We all have so many things and they loose significance when they are crowded and constantly displayed.  Rotate your collections at least twice a year or seasonally.

Use family heirlooms.  Think about treasures you have had packed away for years and find a way to use them for a new look.  They are a far beter reflection of you and your personal style than common store-bought items.  

Recycle.   A way to motivate yourself to do major house cleaning is to donate your unnecessary but still useable items to a family shelter or an organization that will benefit those less fortunate.

Think green.  Save energy, recycle and buy products with recycled content as much as possible.  Remember to change your lamps to compact fluorescent bulbs or the latest LED technology.  The initial investment may be a little more costly but it will pay off in longer-life bulbs and smaller electric bills.

Add something whimsical.  Select something that makes you smile and is slightly out of character with the overall décor such as an unusual fabric or a contemporary piece of art.  A great example – a velvet animal print was selected for chair cushions in front of a Chinese coromandel screen in the White House’s central hallway.

Make a good first impression.  Take a critical look at the exterior of your home.  Don’t wait until you decide to sell your home to think about its “curb appeal.”  Consider the landscaping and select shrubbrey that is native, easy to maintain and drought tolerant.  Look at items such as llighting, pavement and  the front door.   Also think about the trim color and select a new hue that will enhance the brick or stone.

Consult a professional.   If you are considering major changes – interior or exterior – it is wise to get some advice before investing your money and energy into the project.  Even if you are just painting a room, making a mistake will cost more than a few hours design consultation.  Consult an architect, interior designer, landscape service or lighting designer for their expertise and knowledge of great resources and contractors.