After a long winter, or many years in the same
home, many of us settle into accepting the monotony of dull and sometimes lifeless
interiors. But the long, sunny days of
Summer have a way of perking us up and stirring the desire to lighten up our rooms
and our lives.
One of my recent design projects exemplifies this feeling, so I thought that I would share it with you. One of my favorite clients and her husband have
been living in their lovely home for a while now.
When they moved in years ago, they decorated it in a way that suited their phase
of life and the styles of the times.
However, years later, with their daughters out of the house and off on
their own, the home no longer spoke to their lifestyle. There was nothing really wrong with the
rooms… they just didn't feel as “right” any more.
These clients wanted to stay in the same place, but
update some of the interiors without making a lot of significant or super costly
changes, such as purchasing major, new furnishings. Here is what we did:
Dining Room
Old Style: dark, dull sage paint scheme
New Life: lighter, neutral, warm and welcoming hue
Old Style: heavy, old-fashioned window
treatments
New Life: lighter, updated linen drapery panels
on iron rods
Old Style: traditional, dark and busy area rug
New Life: transitional, wispy, area rug
Old Style: colonial brass chandelier with rosy shades
New Life: bronze finish scroll chandelier with
seagrass shades
Old Style: uninspiring fireplace wall with repetitious accessories
New Life: interesting mantle compositions and
varied accents
Old Style: lack-luster and formal looking décor
New Life: lovely vignettes with charming accessories and consistency of finishes & materials
Sitting Room
Old Style: dark, serious paint scheme (especially for a garden-view room!)
New Life: light, relaxing hue
Old Style: uninviting furniture arrangement with lamp table by walkway
New Life: end table with different lamp moved
away from the room's entry space
Old Style: traditional design dark rug
New Life: light and airy patterned rug
Old Style: tired looking accessories
New Life: fun, new colorful pillows, throw and
accents that invite the outside in
I think that you can see what a difference that colors and materials can make in breathing new life into an old space! In these rooms, there were some expenses in the purchase of rugs, window treatments (dining room only), some lighting and accessories, as well as painting. But many of the accessories were "shopped" from other rooms or simply arranged within the rooms, and all of the major furniture was left in place. And the resulting spaces are barely recognizable from how they began!
I hope that this motivates you to see your rooms in a fresher new light!
