In 2020, the world has changed, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all areas of human life. Our interiors are no exception. Most of us began to spend more time in our apartments and houses, which forced us to take a fresh look at the living space: to re-evaluate the layout, decorative solutions and everyday scenarios. Here are some ideas for refreshing your living space.
1. Remove some of the accessories and decor
Before heading out to the shops for a new vase or colourful poster, try removing all decorations from the room, leaving only the essentials. Hide blankets, cushions somewhere, take out the carpet from the room. Listen to your feelings for a couple of days. Perhaps the interior will be completely different and there will be a feeling of spaciousness and harmony. Or design flaws that you could not see before will come to the surface and can be corrected.
2. Make a contrasting wall
When it is not possible to carry out a global renovation, try updating just one wall, making it bright and unusual. To do this, it is necessary that the rest of the walls are solid and neutral, and enough daylight falls on the contrasting wall. To create a contrasting wall, you can:
paint it entirely in a rich deep colour;
paint it in parts, creating interesting geometric combinations;
draw graffiti on the wall or make a painting;
stick bright wallpaper with expressive ornament;
make the effect of brickwork.
3. Decorate walls with unusual objects
The walls do not need to be decorated with paintings or framed photographs. You can hang a beautiful hat, a guitar or ukulele, a collage of plates bought on a trip, a garland with lanterns, a wicker panel – the choice is limited only by your interests and imagination.
4. Make a rearrangement
A pretty obvious solution – rearranging the furniture. It will give unusual results if you use furniture in several rooms at once. For example, a chair from the kitchen can unexpectedly fit into the living room, and a small sofa from the living room can move into the bedroom, turning it into a boudoir. But even within the same room, you can always find a way to swap things, which will make the brain get used to the new arrangement of familiar zones and give a feeling of novelty.
5. Underline zoning
Very often, you have to combine several different zones in one room: equip a workspace in the living room or create a place to relax in the kitchen. Try to make the transition from one zone to another more contrasting, striking. Use shelving, brightly coloured rugs, and beautifully patterned screens. There will be a feeling that space has become more spacious and multifaceted.
6. Change the curtains
Curtains are the easiest way to express your favourite style in the interior. Laconic white, beige or grey curtains will add a touch of Scandinavia. Curtains in vibrant colours with prints and designs are a Caribbean style element. Blinds will bring severity, and vertical ones will also create the effect of high ceilings. There are many different window decoration options: roller shutters, Roman fabric curtains, translucent or, conversely, blackout – not letting in light.
If you have wide windowsills, use those too. Decorate a new seating or reading area, or turn a windowsill into a workspace.
7. Refresh rugs
Old trampled carpets – minus one hundred to the interior of the house. And also dust mites and all sorts of unpleasant insects love them. Get rid of old carpets and consider: maybe the room will look better without them, for example, if you paint or simply polish the floor with wax. Change your bathroom rugs, get a cosy rug by the bed, which you will step on when you wake up.
8. Pick up beautiful textiles
The beauty of the interior can be achieved by the unity of textiles. Buy an interesting tablecloth or napkins for your plates. Throw new pillows on the couch. Hang nice towels in your bathroom. Buy new bedding or a cosy knitted blanket. Textile items do not have to be the same colour – they just have to be combined with each other.
9. Refurbish an old cabinet
If there are old wardrobes in the apartment, start updating them. Remove the remnants of old paint and varnish with sandpaper. If the wood looks good on its own, treat with oil. It will add colour but preserve the texture of the wood. If the cabinet is made of chipboard, paint it completely. By the way, drawers can also be painted inside – the multi-coloured look is cute and stylish. You can buy a used wardrobe and transform it.
11. Add plants
Several pots with large plants are perhaps the easiest way to refresh your living space. Decorative palms, miniature trees and all kinds of flowering plants will not only become additional sources of oxygen but also make the interior luscious, rich and dynamic.
12. Place vases of flowers and herbs
Fresh flowers refresh the interior. Get some pretty vases and don’t let them gather dust until a birthday or a bouquet-giving holiday. Buy flowers for your home from time to time. Use same day flower delivery, and you’ll have your bouquet in a few hours.
Your apartment or house will immediately look more elegant, and a floral scent will appear in the room. Spicy herbs will help refresh the kitchen interior: get rosemary, basil, thyme, mint and other culinary plants.
13. Hang up a note board
A sticky note board is a handy thing to help you leave reminders for family members and not forget your own to-do list. It looks great and adds cosiness. In addition to notes, you can pin up concert tickets, vacation photos, baby drawings and various cute little things.
Conclusion
One of the reasons for quarantine fatigue is the familiarity of the environment. All-day long you have to be locked in four walls – time drags on endlessly. We are living in a time of great change. It is also certain that our homes are the heroes of this special moment. Make sure to refresh it and feel safe and sound in it.
