Interior Redesign: Update a Space without Spending a Dime

Are you tired of the way a certain space in your home looks? It happens to all of us, but sometimes no matter how much we’d like to redecorate, the timing just isn’t right. Instead of feeling blue or spending money that you cannot afford to spend to update the space, change the look and feel or any room with an interior redesign.

Try these tips:

Add More Light

Pull lamps or other lighting elements from another room and brighten up the space. This will not only make things brighter, it will also make the space feel larger. Besides, just replacing existing items with those from another space will give you a change of scenery. Your lamp will look different in your living room than it did in your bedroom. You can also bring in a mirror from another space to reflect the added light.

Change the Flow

Rearrange large pieces of furniture to create better traffic patterns or to change the direction of the flow entirely. Angling furniture will set the traffic path on an angle, instead of straight through the room. This can add a new dimension to any space and might be just the change you need. When angling furniture, it’s best to angle large pieces toward a focal point.

Create Vignettes or Groupings for Added Interest

Try grouping accent pieces and accessories into vignettes to create more visual interest. Instead of placing a plant in each of three empty corners, gather the three in one corner. Use plants of different heights if possible, or place one on a low stool for added height. When it comes to accessories, group them together instead of lining them up evenly across a shelf or mantel. Three pieces to a grouping, with large spaces between groupings, adds a more graphic quality. You can also group furniture, as noted below.

Break Furniture up into Groups

Instead of a standard sofa flanked by end tables and club chairs, break the arrangement up into separate seating areas. Place the chairs near a window with an end table between them. The sofa and coffee table will still be the general seating area, but you can break things up to make cozy, separate reading or conversation areas. Bring in another chair, ottoman, bench, or some cushions from another space to make each separate area feel complete.

Note:

You may think your other spaces will feel empty once you begin your interior redesign. You can avoid this by moving some items from the redesigned space into other areas and making a trade. Also, think about it. The spaces you are probably most concerned with are the main living areas that other people see. Even if your bedroom or office ends up with a few less accessories temporarily, you’ll be pleased with the affect in your living areas. It’s much simpler and less costly to replace a few accessories here and there over time in other spaces, than it is to completely makeover a large room.

-Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a published freelance writer who loves do-it-yourself projects and home decorating. Having a large family has taught Sherry to decorate within a budget, and Sherry's hope is that she can show people how decor can be inexpensive yet still be tasteful and beautiful. Budget decor does not have to mean "cheap."