February is the month of love. Many people got engaged on Valentine’s day
and are now planning a wedding and a life together with their fiancé. I first shared this article in Bridal Bliss magazine back in 2017. The ideas still
ring true, so I thought it would be helpful to share with you and those you
know who are in this stage of their life.
First comes love…then comes marriage…then comes moving into
a new house together.
It’s an exciting
adventure to outfit your new space with your spouse. It’s also a great
opportunity to create a place that reflects you both. That can be easier said than done, so where
do you start? These rules of thumb will
keep your house update running smoothly.
- Change your color- The simplest way to
freshen a room is to coat the walls with a fresh color. Gray is still the top neutral. Steer
clear of grays with blue undertones, as it will make the space feel cool
and sterile. My personal favorite shade is a warm griege (blend of gray
and beige) called Amazing Gray by Sherwin Williams. The color works well
with any other colors you use in the room and doesn’t read as too dark once
on the walls.
- Add extra Touches- Never underestimate the
value of throw pillows, lamps, greenery, art and accessories in a
room. These are the components we
spend the least time thinking about but they all work together as layers
to give our space the decorated look while still being functional. If you want to embrace a trend, this is
the place to do it. These items are
more economical to replace when the trend fades than would be a larger
piece of furniture.
- Dress your naked windows- Layering a
light-controlling treatment (like blinds) with a decorative fabric
treatment (like curtains) gives the windows a finished look that ties into
the room’s decor. The current trend is for the draperies to remain
stationary flanking the window as opposed to fully opening and closing
over the window. Never buy unlined
panels for your windows. The
sunlight will shine right through them and distort the color and pattern.
- Have a good foundation- Place an area rug
among a furniture grouping to define the seating area. Rugs add warmth to a space and look nice
layered on any flooring type, even wall to wall carpeting. Make sure you buy the right size area
rug. Ideally, you want all four feet of the furniture pieces to sit atop
the rug. If that isn’t possible, it
is acceptable to let the back two feet sit off of the rug.
- Re-purpose the space- If you find yourself
never using a space, give it a new purpose. The builder’s floor plan may name the
room one thing but it’s your house, so use it the way you want! A formal dining room can become a
reading room or a home office just by swapping some furniture.
- Spruce up your deck or patio- These days
we spend as much time entertaining outside as we do inside. You can affordably soften the space by
adding an outdoor rug and furniture cushions. In the instance that you have a covered
deck, consider adding outdoor curtain panels to the posts. They serve a dual purpose- aesthetics,
as well as privacy and light control. Don’t forget to add some ambient
lighting with lanterns or string lights.
- Compromise- This will be hard to hear,
but…. you and your new spouse may not have the same taste in decor and furnishings. Shocking, I know! You love everything
about them; so it’s impossible to believe you wouldn’t 100% agree on how
to furnish a space. If you can’t agree on how to complete a room, each of
you should make a list of your top priorities. Compare notes and then figure out how to
blend your wishes. An alternative
would be for each of you to choose a room in the house and take charge of
decorating that room. Either route
you go, the end result will be a home you’ll love because you created it
together.
-Liz
