Elevating your home’s style using what you already have is a wonderful, conservative approach to design. It adds meaning. It’s conservative and budget friendly. It’s perfect for when you have a lot of furniture and disparate pieces. And with the right steps and some ingenuity, can create a really beautiful and unique living space.

 

Stretching Your Design Dollars

By rethinking and rearranging what you already own, and adding new, carefully chosen pieces you can achieve a fresh, new look that enhances those older things in your home and makes your home’s furniture and accessories more than the sum of its parts.

One of the biggest cost-saving benefits of using what you have is the elimination of buying all new furniture. Purchasing new furniture can quickly add up, often costing thousands of dollars. 

Instead, by creatively repurposing existing pieces, you can refresh your home’s aesthetic at a fraction of the cost. 

When I recently redid my dining room and entry, I kept my table, end chairs and side chairs and refurbished them. I had a decorative painter paint my side chairs with an antiqued, gray green. She put a dark glaze on the table. In the entry, she did a decorative, antique paint job on the hutch. And I put fresh linen slipcovers on the end chairs. 

The total cost for the dining room was under $2,500. The cost of the entry redesign was around $1,000. I used accessories I already had to style the table and hutch. This is just one example of how using what you have is a fantastic way to stretch your design dollars. 

An Eco-Friendly Home Makeover

Choosing a “use what you have” approach for redoing your home significantly reduces waste, contributing to a healthier environment. 

By repurposing existing furniture and decor, you minimize the demand for new products, which in turn lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing, transportation, and packaging. 

This sustainable design method promotes a circular economy, where items are reused and given new life, reducing landfill waste and conserving natural resources.

Quicker than Other Design Projects

Using what you have can yield faster results because it eliminates the need to wait for new furnishings to be ordered, fabricated and shipped. When you work with what you already have, you can immediately begin the transformation process. 

This not only saves time but also allows you to see the impact of your changes more quickly. 

There’s no lengthy lead time or delays caused by out-of-stock items, making it a practical and efficient way to refresh your home.

Conservative Approach that Utilizes What You Have

Maximizing the potential of your current home furnishings is a practical strategy that encourages resourcefulness and creativity and encourages you to see familiar items in new ways. This conservative approach ensures that you make the most out of what you already own, reducing unnecessary spending and fostering a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. 

By using what you have, you create a meaningful living space that you appreciate so much more than everything being replaced at once. 

Deciding What to Keep and What to Replace

When freshening up your living spaces, deciding what to keep and what to replace are important first steps. 

This process involves evaluating and selecting items that still work well in your home. But it’s also important to decide what things you need to keep because it’s not in the budget to replace them, such as a large entertainment center or an outdated dining room set.

Rather than replacing my dining room table and chairs, I opted to paint, glaze and recover them. They were attractive, and had wonderful quality but the finishes and fabric were outdated. 

Most people would have opted to replace them, but I value their quality, and I value their sentimental value because they are pieces my late husband and I bought together in the early days of our marriage. And with their new look, they are really beautiful.

Keeping items that bring joy aligns with the principles of mindful living. It encourages you to create a space that reflects your personal style and preferences, rather than simply following short lived design trends. 

This approach ensures that your home is personalized and filled with pieces that provide meaning and joy. By working with the items that matter to you, you can then buy things that enhance them, making your home a place that reflects a life well lived.

The Importance of Placement and Pairing Your Home Furnishings

Strategic placement and beautiful pairings play a crucial role in enhancing the overall aesthetic of a space. By thoughtfully arranging furniture and decor, you can create more beautiful spaces. Placing a statement piece, such as a large mirror or cabinet, in a prominent position can draw the eye and set the tone for the entire room.

Similarly, grouping items like vases, books, or decorative objects in odd numbers and varying heights can add visual interest and create a sense of cohesion.

Pairing complementary items can also significantly elevate the look of a room. When you combine pieces with similar colors, textures, or styles, you create a unified and cohesive design. 

This not only enhances the visual appeal but also brings a sense of order to your space.

Why Knowing What to Replace is Important

Recognizing which items are beyond repair and need replacement is essential for making the most of what you have.

Oftentimes, I’m called into a home to choose carpeting or a sofa or window treatments. Frequently, the client’s are wrong about wanting to replace the thing they called me about. And this is one of the best ways to use a designer: prior to any home projects or purchases, even if just for an hour or two.

By knowing what to keep and what to replace, you can create a functional, cohesive and beautiful living space that adds so much meaning to your life.

Why Keeping Things That Have Meaning is Important

Keeping items that hold personal significance is like an anchor for us and our memories and experiences. These items often represent important moments, relationships, or achievements in our lives. 

Whether it’s a curio or collection passed down from a loved one, a souvenir from a memorable trip, or a handmade gift, these items carry a sentimental value that can’t be easily replaced. 

They serve as tangible reminders of the people and events that have shaped us, providing comfort and a sense of continuity in our ever-changing lives.

Adding Depth and Character to Your Space

Items with personal significance add depth and character to our living spaces. They make our homes uniquely ours, reflecting our individual stories and personalities. 

By surrounding ourselves with meaningful objects, we create an environment that feels authentic and grounding. 

These items not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your spaces but also contribute to your emotional well-being. They remind you of your journey, your connections, and the love and experiences that have brought you to where you are today.

Enhancing Well-Being Through Design

Living in a thoughtfully rearranged space brings immense joy and satisfaction. There’s something incredibly energizing about stepping into a room that feels new and perfectly aligned with your tastes. 

Refreshing your home decor can have a profound impact on your overall wellbeing. A meaningful, aesthetically pleasing home promotes relaxation and reduces stress. It becomes a place where you can unwind and recharge. 

A well-designed home can also improve functionality, making it easier to navigate and enjoy your home life, providing structure that helps you take better care of yourself on a daily basis.

A home makeover using what you have and love, offers numerous benefits, from cost savings to environmental sustainability and fosters a deeper appreciation for what you already own. 

Grab a free download!

 

 

To get started on a home where you feel healthy, happy and connected grab my complimentary design and wellness download, The Wellness Home, 5 Steps to a Beautiful, Restful Home for Women Who Value their Health and Wellness!

It’s the prettiest little book. It’s a quick read with super easy design solutions that help you lead a beautiful, healthier lifestyle at home, plus my 3-to-5 Things Framework that gives you step by step actions to get started and stay on track. 

That’s it for today. Thank you for stopping by!

Shiree’

And if you’d like to dive deeper into this topic, check out my blog post, “Hiring an Interior Designer”.