How does your home make you feel?
Like most budding relationships, I felt great about my new house. I was giddy and starry-eyed and couldn't wait to start planning for what the future would hold. I had visions of how would I update the dated wallpaper in the kitchen, paint the walls and arrange our furniture.
Once we could afford it, we renovated the kitchen with all new cabinets and appliances. At that time, dark cherry wood was in style and it added a warm, classic and timeless look. We painted the walls sage green and changed out all of the lighting. It looked wonderful.
We received lots of compliments on the kitchen and it was a stark difference from the cheap, white cabinets that we replaced. I used to say that our house loved autumn and winter best because of the warmth of the wood and the rich colors that come with those seasons.
But after several more years, the dark brown kitchen made me feel like I was in a cave. I found myself spending more time on our porch which had light, airy colors. It dawned on me that the darkness of the wood was bothering me. It was making me sad. So, after a LOT of convincing, we hired a contractor to paint our kitchen cabinets white.
It was a huge aah.. moment for me. Now, every morning when I walk into the kitchen, I have a completely different feeling. The space seems instantly larger, lighter and feels less cluttered. My husband, on the other hand, is still wanting the rich, dark brown cabinets back. To compromise, we kept our dark wood furniture and other accessories to give him the warm, cozy feeling he enjoys.
Each of us has color preferences and hues that evoke certain emotions. There is no right or wrong. Pay attention to what you're drawn to so you are surrounded with an atmosphere that gives you what you need. For some, it's a relaxed and comfortable look; others may prefer a bright, energetic color.
Your home is your oasis and it should make you happy. There are a lot of simple ways to make changes to your house to freshen it up and give you the atmosphere you need. Try these ideas to update your home decor:
Add plants. They cleanse the air and are proven to improve your mood, concentration and memory. They can also change the ambiance and feel of your space.
Add a mirror. Place mirrors across the room from a window to make your room appear larger. They also bring great energy to a room. Consider changing out an existing picture for a mirror.
Add a rug or remove one. Rugs can warm up a space and define living spaces. Too many rugs though, can give the room a cluttered look.
Add or change lighting. Lighting can change the mood of a room.
Change your window treatments. Curtains can instantly change or update a room. Or simply remove them to add more light to your space.
Change your paint color. This is an inexpensive DIY project that will instantly change the look and feel of your room. Grab a paint deck and notice the colors you are instantly drawn to or create the perfect backdrop to your home decor.
Remove countertop clutter. Keeping your countertops free of clutter has been proven to reduce stress and at the same time, encourages you to keep the rest of your home clean and organized. Keep large appliances off the countertops if possible, put dirty dishes in the dishwasher right away and designate a specific area for bills and paperwork.
Make your bed every morning. It takes less that two minutes and sets the tone for the day. You are more likely to have less clutter in your home if you start the day with this simple task.
To have a successful relationship, sometimes you need to change routines or shake things up to keep them fresh and alive. Rekindle the fire that attracted you at the beginning or take it up a notch and try something new and unexpected.
Apply these same rules to your home to increase your sense of happiness, positivity and calm. I hope you find yourself falling in love all over again.
Happy Organizing,
Kay