The easiest way to refresh a room is by cleaning it. Sorry! I’m judging you by my own low housekeeping standards. Let’s try that again. Would you like some simple tips on how to refresh a room in your home? Read on for the obvious and surprisingly inspiring ideas for how to refresh a room without having to stretch to an all-out refurbishment.
How to refresh a room – and your psyche
The obvious way to refresh a room is by a simple decluttering – if only it were that simple! It can be a wrench to part with things, and you might uncover deep psychological drives that caused your hoarding – I mean, collecting impulses in the first place. So, how do you refresh a room when you could be coming face to face with your shadow self? (Who knew a blog on how to refresh a room could go so dark?) And once you’ve overcome those blocks, will you then develop a new neurosis as you discover you’re hopelessly overwhelmed by all the space you suddenly have?
The Swedes call it Death Clearing. Actually, they don’t. Swedish Death Clearing is decluttering because you’ve reached a certain age and you don’t want to leave that job to your loved ones. But doesn’t Swedish Death Clearing sound like it should lead to a dark night of the soul brought on by decluttering?
How to refresh a room on a budget
If you’re looking to refresh a room on a budget, you might want to change just a few small things. By changing one big thing, you might feel you’ve left the rest of the room behind. So focus on little touches such as lampshades, cushions, rugs and throws to refresh your room. These accessories can easily be coordinated, perhaps by colour or style, so together they will make a big impact. If your budget allows, you might want to consider window dressings, with cost-effective roller blinds being a good option. You’ll be amazed how much a combination of small changes, especially when coordinated, can refresh a room.
How to refresh a room by rearranging the furniture
You don’t need to hurt your credit card by buying new furniture. Refresh a room by rearranging the furniture you already have. Just keep in mind where your electrical points are, and whether monitors will suddenly be at the mercy of sun glare. Although the latter can be easily fixed with any slat or louvre-based window dressing. Tilt the louvres or slats of your Venetian blinds, vertical blinds or shutters to any angle you wish, and you’ll be in full control of how you balance your need for light and privacy in your refreshed room.
If you are buying new furniture to refresh a room, it might be worth investing in one large piece, such as a statement dining table or couch. Then so as not to leave the rest of the room behind, smaller pieces can be refreshed with cushions and throws which in turn can be coordinated by colour or style with the new larger piece. That way, your room gets a lot more refreshment with less investment.
How to refresh a room just by changing your window dressings
Changing the style of your window dressings will have a big impact on your room. This may depend on how large your windows are. The window dressings for a wall of glass or bifold doors are going to make a very different statement compared to how you dress that tiny hatch in your attic.
But how do you refresh a room if you want to ditch the fusty curtains for sleek roller blinds? Or are you looking to ditch the old Romans for modern voiles? Yet again, it’s the issue of incorporating a change into the status quo without it jarring. Thankfully, classic Roman blinds and curtains can be made from fabrics with contemporary designs. Smart and sleek roller blinds can be made from fabrics with time-honoured patterns. You can change the style of your window dressings to refresh your room and they’ll still come together with the rest of your decor. And you can’t go wrong with shutters. Their timeless appearance will fit in anywhere. It’s surprisingly simple to refresh your room just by changing your window dressings.
