Spring REFRESH
Making the old place feel like new
Maybe you had hoped to be in a new home this year but were deterred by high housing prices.
Maybe it’s just the arrival of spring that’s got you looking around your rooms and wanting something fresh. ● To make the old place feel like a new place, or just an updated place, designers and home editors say there’s lots you can do without spending a lot of money. Those include switching out a few furnishings or decorative items, rearranging others, and perhaps changing the purpose of a room.
New perspectives are often just as refreshing as new stuff. Caroline Utz of the home and lifestyle website The Spruce says that for renters in particular, there’s a simple trick that costs nothing but time.
“I love leaning art on top of dressers, desks, mantels or bookshelves. When I’m looking for a change, I move the art to different rooms until I find a fresh combination,” she said. “The best part is that no nails, drywall repair kits or hanging equipment are needed.”
Real Simple’s home director, Erica Finamore, also likes to rethink where she places art in her home.
“It can really make a difference when you add it in an unexpected place,” she said. “I took a small 8-by-8-inch piece of art, framed it, and hung it on my kitchen backsplash right above my coffee station. It makes my little galley kitchen feel more elegant.”
She stuck the art up with super-sticky gel tape – Duck Brand makes a version – and can easily remove it when she wants.
The right large-scale artwork can function almost like a window. But big art can be pricey.
“Here’s an affordable option,” said Better Homes & Gardens editor Amy Panos. “Dig through your photo roll to find an outdoorsy shot, like flowers, sky or a landscape,” and have it printed – big. She took a photo from a recent beach vacation and had online retailer Parabo Press print it on 24-by-36-inch paper for about $30, she said.
You can buy big frames, or follow Panos’ lead and use wooden rails top and bottom to hang the art.
Another option: Get your photo made into an unframed canvas print at sites like Snapbox, Vistaprint and Canvaspop, or local retailers.