Shop your own home

A new year has arrived, so as we say goodbye to 2020 and hello 2021, many of us are feeling the itch to freshen up our homes and give it a new look. Are we right? It can often feel quite daunting looking at a room and deciding where to start and what style to go with. How much will it cost? Will I like the way it looks? But before you spend a penny, the easiest, fastest and closest place to start your search, is right in your own home. 

You spend several hours in your home every day and it is easy for furniture, decorative ornaments and more to become invisible. These bits could suddenly become a statement piece somewhere else. Check out our top three tips below to see how you can start re-imagining your space without delving into your bank account.

Top 3 tips

1. Start small: Take a look in every room (you could even take a photo) and check each surface, the walls and what cushions or throws are scattered about. If anything takes your fancy such as the colour, shape or its design, pop it in a pile and move to the next room. You’d be surprised by what new décor styles you can pull together from just a few ‘new’ items.

2. Bigger picture: If you have a chair that you’re always throwing clothes on, a rug that is looking a little lifeless where it is or a sideboard that has been forgotten in a corner, take note of them. These pieces are perfect for making a big impact in a new room and don’t forget, you can start layering chairs and new surfaces with those smaller items you found in tip 1.

3. Upcycle: There are so many opportunities in your home, and it doesn’t always mean you have to whip out a paintbrush. Turning a single bed into a daybed with throws and cushions makes the space multi-functional and the perfect place to relax both during the day and at night. Another idea is to place a breakfast tray on a pouffe with a few accessories (such as flowers or a candle), which not only looks lovely but also doubles as an impromptu coffee table.

These three tips are a great start to your ‘shopping your home’ journey, but it doesn’t stop there. A few more things to bear in mind include…

You don’t always have to add something. Try taking one item away from a room at a time and you’ll notice how refreshed it looks. Remember, less can sometimes be more.

If you have any old paint tins hanging around in your shed, you could upcycle anything from a mirror frame to a coffee table for a stylish transformation.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun with it and mix and match to your hearts content!