Does Your Home Reflect Your Personality? Part 2

Last time, we suggested ways your current home may or may not be an accurate reflection of who you are. Now that you’ve looked at your surroundings with your unique personality in mind, here are some suggestions for creating a home that reflects who you are.

What makes you happy?
This is the perfect place to start when deciding what to change in your home. Your mindset is probably in a different place than when you bought what’s in your home today. The question to ask yourself is, does it still make you happy? Does that mid-century streamline furniture seem boring now? Is the Victorian flowery look feeling too busy? Your home should be a restful, comfortable place that reflects what’s important to you.

De-Clutter!
The longer we live somewhere the more stuff we accumulate. Everybody does it. Even if your kitchen looks like a Zen tea house, you know there are things hidden in the cabinets you’ll never actually use… and under the bed.. and in the garage… and… well, you get the idea. It’s spring cleaning time! Added bonus: Once the clutter is tossed or re-homed, it’s easier to keep your home clean and spot needed repairs.

Who do you want to be?
If you’re one of those people who is completely happy with every aspect of your life, congrats! It’s a rare trait. If there are some aspects of your life you’d like to change, your home can offer daily inspiration when you add reminders of your goals through décor, color, and furnishings. It’s like “dress for success” for your living room. And this includes your front yard, too. First impressions are important. Your house should inspire you from the moment you arrive home.

Be bold with color.
Last time we talked about how boring all those white walls can get, and offered suggestions for how to find the color that’s right for you. If you’re still not sure what will work, try getting those small sample jars of paint and do a small test area. Or if you have a hard time visualizing that patch of color in the entire room… to the Internet!! There, you can upload photos of your rooms to paint manufacturer websites and use virtual “paint” to preview what the new colors will look like. Or if you have an item whose color you love, you could try one of those phone apps that use your camera to do color matching. You could paint your bedroom to match your dog. But then you might have trouble finding your dog, so maybe don’t go that far.

What’s old is new again.
Vintage is hot right now. It’s hard to go wrong with classic lines and looks. So, if your current furniture is looking tired, try going retro. Mid-century modern features chrome, bright colors, and strong lines – all great things with which to build the look of a room. If you go farther back in time, you’ll find warm, solid oaks and hand-made details from the Craftsman and Victorian eras, which are very versatile. Oak for example, can give a room a rustic western appearance, a fancy William Morris look or simply be a beautiful background piece that ties things together. 

Add one bright new accent.
If you’re on a budget, or have trouble with lots of change all at once, pick one thing that will really rejuvenate your space. This could be a new sofa or dining table, an accent rug or new carpet, having an old piece of furniture reupholstered, or installing a ceiling fixture. New lighting, in particular, is a great way to give a room a fresh look without breaking the bank.