DIY Interior Design: 6 Easy Ways to Instantly Refresh Your Home
If weeks of being trapped in your humble abode is leaving you stir-cranky and melancholy, you are not alone. Fear not, because help is here. In this post I will be sharing some basic design tips to instantly improve your space- and your mood!
So much of our energy comes from our surroundings. When the energy around us changes so does the energy inside of us. These design tips and tricks to update your home will help manifest peace and positive vibes. Use your quarantime wisely and invest in improving your environment/outlook!
1. Make yo’ d*mn bed.
It is so seemingly easy and obvious it’s almost hard to believe it has real impact but it does! I’ll admit I didn’t do this religiously until I lived in a studio apartment where an unmade bed had a 95% chance on enticing me to lay down in it and do nothing, but even those of you fancy folk with an actual bedroom- take a tip from Nike on this one and “just do it”! Aside from keeping your sheets clean (literally), it makes the entire space feel cleaner and less chaotic. And, you’ll find yourself less tempted to get back into it!
“By surrounding yourself just with what you need and love, you will give yourself space to appreciate them without being bogged down by the things you don’t really care about.”
2. Organize
aka Go. Through. Your. Shit. If you haven’t joined the Kondo-cult, do yourself a favor, crawl out from under that rock and get your paws on a copy of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (at the very least read an overview online). The goal, in a nutshell, is to identify the things that “spark joy” or are necessities in your life and let the rest go. The truth is, most of us never stop to take stock of our belongings until a move (or the closet floods). By sorting through our physical baggage, we are also clearing our mental baggage. By surrounding yourself just with what you need and love, you will give yourself space to appreciate them without being bogged down by the things you don’t really care about.
3. Sexy Storage – Surface space is precious; whether it be a bookshelf, desk, nightstand, dresser- it is important to consider what items should live their lives privately (drawers, boxes, closets, etc) and which should be displayed. In general, I recommend storing things that are less attractive and leaving the prime real estate to the pretty things that make you happy when you see them. If you have limited hidden storage space in drawers or closets, try finding attractive storage solutions you can integrate in your space.
For things that don’t evoke the warm fuzzies but it doesn’t make sense to store it, see if there is a way to improve the visual. For example, dish soap can be transferred to a more attractive glass bottle and left out next to the sink.
Storage ideas:
trunks
tins
baskets
wine crates (my personal fave!)
*Pro tip- try not to display labels unless it is an exceptionally appealing design. Since labels are usually busy with words they tend to read subconsciously as clutter.
4. Style all over
Style anything and everything you can see! Styling refers to the placement of smaller items and accessories like books, vases, blankets, pillows, plants, snow globes, etc.
I find a common sore spot for many of my clients is the inevitable cluttered bookcase- (for real though, it must be an undiscovered natural law because it seems every household has one!)
There are a ton of cool DIY book projects out there like these that can brighten up a crowded bookcase in no time. Some designers abide by some strict rules when it comes to styling. Common rules include ‘the power of three’s’ and strategic arranging by size, shape, and color. While I think these hold value and can be helpful to have in mind, especially if this is new to you, I am an advocate of just playing around and seeing what looks and feels right.
This blog post by Laura from Finding Home Farms is a great resource for transforming your bookshelf.
Her Before situation wasn’t even bad and look how much cleaner and organized the After photo looks!
*Pro tip: Considering a new bookcase or just generally apathetic towards the one you have?
Adding colored paint or patterned contact paper on the back of the bookcase is a super cheap way to add some excitement and depth without having to purchase a new one.
5. Rearrange
Reconfiguring furniture is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to breathe fresh life and energy into a space. I’ve had many clients who’ve said they feel like they live in a whole new house after making some really simple furniture adjustments, such as reorienting a table. If your space doesn’t leave much room for negotiating the furniture layout (like moi-self #studioapartmentprobs), think about moving around artwork or rugs. The results may not be as dramatic but will still create a new perspective and fresh energy.
6. Add Intrigue This is another seemingly small action that yields high impact results. The idea is to create a statement or add character to your space. The sky's the limit here- like furniture arrangement, this will depend on your specific space and style. One of my clients had the blueprints of their house framed and featured throughout the living room. An accent wall is an easy and affordable way to add intrigue and personal style and works in (almost) all spaces.
@banyanbridges
If you don’t already follow Rachael at @banyanbridges on Instagram I highly recommend you remedy that at your earliest convenience!
She is a master of accent walls and has great inspo and tips for anyone brave enough to DIY. If you are feeling brave and looking for a way to incorporate color without painting an entire wall space head over to her account this instant- God speed!
I hope this post leaves you inspired to pause the Netflix, get on some fresh sweats, grab a hot cup of coffee or tea and get cranking to make your home the most beautiful, feel-good space it can be!
We want to see your results! Please tag us @sukkhainteriordesign #sukkhasukkha #sukkhaspaces
If you would like more information about any of the ideas in this post or have questions about any home improvement/interior design related projects, we are here to help! Please reach out to us at Sukkhainteriordesign@gmail.com or schedule a free consultation at www.sukkhainteriordesign.com
