Redecorating to make old new again
by Alissa, Friday, January 12, 2007
Alissa, 25, Writer, Chicagoan-at-Heart, Tapas Lover, Olive Oil Connoisseur, and Ready for Her Next Big City Adventure(!)
While it’s true that some folks choose the wintry months to move into a new place, most of us prefer to haul sofas upstairs sans snow boots. There’s just something unappetizing about carrying boxes of delicate dishes along icy sidewalks. As such, for the most of us, we’ve been staring at the same apartment for close to 6 months and it’s time for a change. Or, at least, it’s time to finally hang the various wall-mirrors littering the apartment’s floors.
The best part about re-decorating is how inexpensive it can be; note the prefix before decorating. A few months in, all of the heavy lifting is done and now you can play perfectionist. You have the couch, but maybe it’s time to reposition it, opening up your living room to a new end table or halogen lamp. Or, maybe it’s time to finally buy a matching coffee table. Either way, the first step is taking inventory and giving yourself a guided tour of your apartment, deciding what you like and what can stand improvement. For me, I’m still missing a reading nook, the kind with a cozy chair I can just fall into. Instinctively, I turn to Craigslist. But, then—brainstorm! After Christmas sales are still going on and I’m armed with coupons a plenty. A fun fact is that often stores will take competitors' coupons, so 20% at Bed Bath and Beyond can get you pretty much the same discount wherever you want to go. Tis the season to head to Linens’ N’ Things and Pottery Barn as they’re finally lowering prices to the bargain basement level, looking to unload last year’s models pronto.
After you’ve analyzed your abode, relax and watch some T.V, specifically a few of the shows focusing on home design. Martha Stewart may be a swindler and a cheat—but she’s still an ace of an interior designer. The same goes for home do-it-yourself magazines, my personal favorite being Domino.
Another way to freshen up your living space is to rearrange and put up new photos and art. My roommate found exotic fabric place mats, added a frame, and they now look like mini tapestries greeting us upon entry. Adding a centerpiece to a coffee table can also vastly improve your common area. Candles and incense work wonders as well, especially in the bathroom and kitchen.
If you’re looking for a few more furniture items, it’s true that people tend to clean out garages in the spring, but us city folk tend to do so after the holidays—to make room for the new stuff we were gifted. Second Hand shops are always a great resource for workable, although occasionally odd, furniture and if you live in a city, now may be a gem of a time to play scavenge.
The best part about re-decorating is how inexpensive it can be; note the prefix before decorating. A few months in, all of the heavy lifting is done and now you can play perfectionist. You have the couch, but maybe it’s time to reposition it, opening up your living room to a new end table or halogen lamp. Or, maybe it’s time to finally buy a matching coffee table. Either way, the first step is taking inventory and giving yourself a guided tour of your apartment, deciding what you like and what can stand improvement. For me, I’m still missing a reading nook, the kind with a cozy chair I can just fall into. Instinctively, I turn to Craigslist. But, then—brainstorm! After Christmas sales are still going on and I’m armed with coupons a plenty. A fun fact is that often stores will take competitors' coupons, so 20% at Bed Bath and Beyond can get you pretty much the same discount wherever you want to go. Tis the season to head to Linens’ N’ Things and Pottery Barn as they’re finally lowering prices to the bargain basement level, looking to unload last year’s models pronto.
After you’ve analyzed your abode, relax and watch some T.V, specifically a few of the shows focusing on home design. Martha Stewart may be a swindler and a cheat—but she’s still an ace of an interior designer. The same goes for home do-it-yourself magazines, my personal favorite being Domino.
Another way to freshen up your living space is to rearrange and put up new photos and art. My roommate found exotic fabric place mats, added a frame, and they now look like mini tapestries greeting us upon entry. Adding a centerpiece to a coffee table can also vastly improve your common area. Candles and incense work wonders as well, especially in the bathroom and kitchen.
If you’re looking for a few more furniture items, it’s true that people tend to clean out garages in the spring, but us city folk tend to do so after the holidays—to make room for the new stuff we were gifted. Second Hand shops are always a great resource for workable, although occasionally odd, furniture and if you live in a city, now may be a gem of a time to play scavenge.
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