With the holiday season officially ending, taking down the lights and decorations often makes people feel sad, and with the addition of COVID still going strong, this is all too true. I was working with a client yesterday taking down Christmas and she expressed that things looked sad and dark. I thought about what we could do to bring lightness and brightness to her space. Now, please understand we just did a whole house remodel last year where we freshened or replaced everything in the home to create a new feel.
The home itself is beautiful, but when all the sparkle and twinkle lights are suddenly gone, things feel different. So creating a new shiny and bright environment can be challenging.
Of course paperwhites in a cute jar or growing an amaryllis is a great start. Three things bring life to a room, the first is in fact plants, the second is candles or fire and the third is fruit and color. All three of these have life. Start with one or two to bring in the glow. I am going to do the paperwhites and the candles. Did you know you can put coffee beans in a glass container and add a scented candle, like vanilla, to the center lighting the candle warms the coffee beans and it releases an amazing scent. Give it a try with your favorite scent.
Another idea is to pick a simple but impactful project. Because of COVID, most of us have already organized the heck out of our closets, so let's go bigger. One of my favorite things is to take down my art and rehang it in a new way. Create a new gallery wall or even start one if you have not. Look at your photos that have just lived on your phone and print a few, maybe in a black and white or a sepia finish, and add to a few other pieces you already have. Look for inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram for exciting ways to mix your art.
And the final idea is to move things around a bit, and I do mean furniture. This is where a designer can really help. Usually you can buy an hour of time from your favorite designer or stager and let them create a new space using what you have. Years ago, we called this “fluffing” and I did a lot of it. Having a pro come in and create a new feel or talk about ideas is the perfect way to make things feel fresh and new.
We have all seen and lived in our spaces for quite a while now, let's make them feel fresh after the holidays!
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