Quick Ways to Spice Up Your Decor

Submitted by NCC on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 11:06

Refreshing your apartment’s look doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Incorporating a few creative touches can spice up your décor and reinvent your style. Check out these quick and easy home decorating tips and give it a whirl!

Add unexpected color
Often décor advice includes painting an accent wall or an entire room. Sure, that adds color and makes a statement, but you can achieve the same effect with less work. The secret is to add color to your space in an unexpected way. Is there a color that you typically steer clear of or don’t know how to deal with? Then be bold and look for quick ways to incorporate that color into your apartment. Pick one accent color like bright orange, honeysuckle or lime green. Then add small items like pillows, blankets, lamp shades and vases. If your apartment is already full of color, try the opposite. Add black, white and tan accents. You’ll be surprised at how a little hint of new color can transform a room.

Make a “big” change
No, you don’t have to buy new furniture or invest a lot of money to make a big change. Instead, change an item in your apartment that covers a lot of surface area — like a bed spread, shower curtain or drapes. Investing in a completely new style for your bedding can make your bedroom look totally different. Once you change the largest item in the room, you can start to add other accessories that work with your new décor.

Spice up a small space
Quick decorating is easiest if you pick a small space to work with. Redecorating your entire living room might seem overwhelming, but sprucing up a smaller room can be fun and have a lot of impact. Take a look at your kitchen, bath, hall or foyer. What can you add or remove to make it look fresh? Think about colors, textures and different decorating styles. If your bath currently has a Victorian vibe, then scrap the lace and go for a sleek blue spa feel. Buying new towels, shower curtains and rugs can breathe new life into a room where you spend a lot of time, like the bathroom.

Move more than furniture
Home decorating ideas often suggest rearranging furniture. That’s a no-brainer that definitely works, but you don’t have to throw your back out to beautify your apartment. A faster approach is to rearrange your art. (Or get some art, if you don’t have any!)

If you already have a lot of artwork on the walls, you are probably used to seeing it in the same place every day. Imagine how different your space would feel if you took down all of your pieces and started over, moving them to new rooms and walls. The best part is that if you hate the new look, it’s easy to put it back to the way it was before.

If you don’t own a lot of artwork, try adding a few pieces to blank walls and see how this spices up the energy in your home.

Enhance the ambience
Home decorating should be about more than furniture and throw pillows. The goal is to create a décor that has ambience and energy that makes you feel at home. A quick way to accomplish this is by adding mood-enhancing items. Try scented candles that remind you of your mom’s fresh-baked cookies or a walk in the woods. Incorporate music into your environment to create a soothing or energizing vibe for your home. Bring in new lighting fixtures that add more drama, such as sconces and other indirect lighting. Finally, add some life to your apartment with fresh flowers and house plants. A gorgeous bouquet on the table makes your apartment much more inviting to you and your guests.

Ask for help
Still overwhelmed by decorating ideas? Instead of spending money on new home accessories, invest in professional décor advice from someone who really understands home interiors: an interior decorator. Hiring an interior decorator can spare you a lot of decorating headaches and actually save you money. They know how to shop smart and often have connections for getting wholesale prices. Your decorator may also be able to work with your existing decor by simply rearranging what you have, instead of purchasing new items. Their expertise also makes the decorating process go more quickly, so your apartment can be refreshed in a weekend instead of agonizing over it for several months.

It’s time to spice up your space! Try out a few of these decorating ideas to guarantee a good-looking apartment — with minimal effort!