Moving is never an easy process. While you’re probably excited to have purchased a new home among Vancouver real estate, or anywhere else, from packing and cleaning to the actual move and unpacking, it’s a lot of work. Then, there’s the decorating.
It can be fun to infuse your personality into a new place and get it looking its best, but you may not have a whole lot of energy left after a big move. These tips can help you get that accomplished more easily, and more successfully too.
Eliminate Clutter and Replace Old with New
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If you haven’t already done so before you moved, it’s time to prioritize, evaluating everything you have to make sure it serves a purpose. Every item should have a perfect place in your new home – if you can’t figure out where to put it, you probably don’t need it. This is also a good time to get rid of old, mismatched kitchenware and replace it with appealing, organized sets, and switch out major pieces of furniture that just don’t work.
You might want to hold a garage or yard sale and use the money to shop smart for new items. The main pieces should be neutral in color and classic in style, perhaps sections or sofas that can be separated into smaller pieces, and expanded into larger ones as necessary. Get some colorful accent pieces to brighten things up.
Avoid Matching Everything Together
While you’ll probably see furniture sets in retail stores that all match, that’s because they’re encouraging potential buyers to purchase multiple pieces. Having a few items with the same style is fine, but if everything matches your home will have a boring, generic look. You want your own personality to show throughout your home, considering balance, scale, and proportion in every room.
Add in a few unique pieces for a more interesting interior. If you’re a collector of things such as replicas of old weapons, display your collection to create a point of interest that will start a conversation about your decoration.
Use Mirrors to Make Spaces Feel Bigger
If you’re one of the increasing number of people who’ve purchased a “tiny house,” which by definition according to the Tiny Housing Society ranges in size from just 100- to 400-square feet, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of this tip. For small rooms, provide the illusion of more space by using mirrors. Find one or two that have been cut and framed to look like a window. For rooms that don’t have much natural light, place mirrors directly across from any windows to add light and dimension.
Make DIY Upgrades
You don’t have to go out and buy all new things when decorating your new home. You may be able to upgrade some or all items by refreshing them with paint or new hardware. Switch out the hardware on cabinets and drawers, for example, and then paint them in a neutral color to cover up any nicks and scratches. Get your creativity going by painting a unique design on the arms of a wooden side table, the ideas are practically endless.
Bring in Natural Light
Taking advantage of natural light can brighten your home and bring out some of its best features. Make sure curtains and blinds don’t impede sunlight that windows can bring in; think elegant and functional when it comes to window dressings, like sheers paired with full-length panels.
You can bring in more light by replacing and/or adding new fixtures too, perhaps installing chandeliers in the living room and dining room, and adding lighting underneath kitchen cabinets.
