With the new year HERE (can you believe it!?) what better time than now to start thinking about refreshing your space? We can't think of one! So we've gathered up some of our favorite tips to help you start the new year off on the right foot!
Take a color risk
The winter time is usually a cold and drab time of the year, so brighten it up a little with color. Anywhere you like! Color can be incorporated on walls, a cabinet color change, new artwork, bright throw pillows and throw blankets, or even decor items. However you choose to add color, just have fun with it! We live in a colorful world, so why not embrace it!?
Keep your fireplace decorated for the season
Just because the holiday season is over doesn’t mean you're overusing your fireplace, so decorate to your heart’s content. Add a set of three oversized vases or baskets to the left or right side of the hearth. Remove the art above the fireplace and replace with a proportionally sized mirror or layer it in with multiple pieces of art in varying sizes. Find a unique piece of decor from an antique store or mom-and-pop shop and highlight it on your mantle. Regardless of what you choose to do, you and your family will likely be using the fireplace for the next couple of chilly months, so dress it up and enjoy it!
Create an at-home coffee and/or tea experience
Search your kitchen, dining room or breakfast nook and find a small area to designate as your new beverage station. Use a small area of the counter in your kitchen if you like, or have even more fun and search for the perfect-sized small stand or table to set this station up on. Add the essentials: fun mugs, flavorful tea bags, sugar, honey, flavorings, and spoons, and don’t forget an awesome decor piece (or two!) to bring it all together. Pro-Tip: Search your local antique stores for that truly one-of-a-kind piece. One day of fun antiquing will certainly prove to be successful in finding both the stand and the decor pieces that speak to you and fit your space!
Replace your bedding
And not just on your bed, but also on your children’s beds and your guest beds! The first of the year is a great time to change up bedding throughout your house. Keep the bedding you used through the holiday season in your linen closet and splurge a little on a fun-colored or fantastically patterned bed set that refreshes your space. Add personality with a throw blanket and extra plushness with throw pillows. If you want to add one more layer of change for the new year, swap out your bedside lamps as well. These small changes will transform your bedroom into a self-curated cozy place to rest and recharge.
Lastly, declutter!
We know, we're always repeating this but it's true that it can make such a big difference in your home! All of those bins and boxes you have filled with holiday decor items you no longer use or wrapping paper and tissue you save for the next gift exchange should be sorted through and dumped. If you haven't used something in a year or more, chances are it isn't needed.
Try out these fun and easy tips for a new look to help you bring in the new year in the comfort of your home! Let us know which of the tips you tried, or tell us your own favorite tip, in the comments below.
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As always, we appreciate any ideas, input, and feedback from our community and clients. So drop us a line in the comments below, chat with us on our Facebook page or email us at josh@joshuaallendesign.com!