You’ve taken the tree down, packed the decorations away for another year and you’re left staring at a blank space, wondering if it’s time to redecorate? If this sounds familiar, Steve Hird, director at interior design specialists, Edward Thomas Interiors offers advice on how to freshen up a home for the New Year…
In my last column, I talked about colour and style trends to watch out for in 2022 but where do you start when using these to create a new look? For those who struggle to imagine a finished space, our advice is to draw or sketch out the floorplan, and then take measurements – it’s much easier to make changes on paper. From here, you can work out what lighting you’ll need, what furniture will fit, and any unusual features that can be accentuated.
Obviously square or equally proportioned rooms are the most straightforward to revamp as they leave plenty of scope for impactful designs such as feature walls, unusual artwork or a statement light fitting. The downside is they can often lack any inherent character, so be imaginative with your styling – maybe add a picture rail, create distinctive zones for different activities or use a bold colour palette.
If your living room’s more of an L-shape the most common styling is to accentuate the L, either by adding a corner sofa or two sofas meeting in its centre. This makes a really inviting space but be careful not to push them so far back that people can’t see or interact with each other when they’re sat down! Also, don’t overlook any space behind sofas, consider adding a wall unit, bookcase or floating shelves to add character and space for personal touches.
Light & bright
For smaller or more compact rooms, keep it light and bright. If it has lots of windows, dress these with light fabrics, if it only has a few then really think about your lighting. Consider uplighters, floor lamps, table lamps, recessed or under cabinet lighting. Use light coloured furniture, paints and accessories, add mirrors – on of our recent schemes we installed a complete mirror wall which seemingly made the space double immediately!
With us all spending plenty of time at home recently, one of the other ways to refresh is to style according to use. If you’re not interested in a full redesign but still want to do something different, why not consider a statement piece that will transform the purpose of a room? For instance, a drinks bar to help a living room provide an elegant socialising space or a new love seat and wall-mounted TV to transform a kitchen corner into a cosy home cinema.
All these suggestions don’t have to be new items either; reusing and upcycling will remain popular. It’s surprising what can be given a new lease of life with a fresh fabric, new handles, doors, feet, some chalk paint or wood stain! Whether you’re looking for ways to simply personalise, refresh or entirely transform your home, remember there are no rules – follow your own style, mix and match, add textures, colours and patterns to suit you.”
