Three ways to refresh your home

Tired of the same four walls after months spent working from home? We’re definitely keen to change things up, and I’ll bet we’re not alone. Whilst there’s plenty you can do with cushions, plants and linen to lift the look of a room or two, we’re going to suggest some bigger changes that are still easy to achieve but will make much more of an impact. 

Feature lights

An easy way to create mood and atmosphere is to add pendant or wall lighting to your space, with different rooms lending themselves to different types of lighting. Pendant lights are best suited to above the kitchen bench or over the dining table. They can also function as another piece of art in the living room. They’ll add interest to any room while still leaving it clean and uncluttered. You can get creative and hang in a cluster or just choose one statement light as the focus.

Wall lights are a more focussed form of lighting that typically light up a small area. Replacing traditional bedside lamps with wall lights instantly elevates the space to hotel room luxury - while leaving your bedside table free for that pile of books.  

Curtains

The easiest way to soften a room has to be with sheer curtains. They are elegant, timeless and still allow light to filter through even when they’re closed. If you need privacy for night time the additional of a second track with blockout fabric works really well. So - it’s time to remove that old water stained roller blind, and replace it with sheers that fall all the way to the floor. They will instantly add the illusion of height to the room and create a cosier atmosphere. Our go-to fabric for sheers are linen-look polyester from Warwick Fabrics. They’re super easy to care for and will maintain a just-installed fresh look for years. 

Painting

Painting the inside or outside (or maybe both!) of your home will instantly lift and refresh it. Whilst a new coat of paint will make everything look brand new, you don’t need to stick to the same colour. It’s the easiest way to give your space a facelift and make it feel entirely different. Be bold in a few areas - maybe just one room or even just your front door!

If you’re moving away from white to a colour it can be tempting to just paint a ‘feature’ wall. Our advice - don’t! Painting one wall in a room often makes it look smaller. Also, feature walls went out in the early 2000’s. If you’re painting a room, embrace it and paint the entire room. Having said that, there are some instances where just one wall will work… When the wall doesn’t meet another wall at both ends, when you’re highlighting an architectural feature or when installing built-in wardrobes that are a different colour to the walls. 

So there you have it, a few ideas you can implement fairly quickly that will kick things up a notch in your home. Of course we definitely recommend hiring professionals to do these jobs. Because really, who wants to paint a whole house?!