A fresh start for your home



Photo: Williams Sonoma.

Sometimes, our homes come together by chance. We have some hand-me-down items here, some “temporary-fixes-turned-into-permanent-solutions” there, and - in the best of cases - also some well-thought out, treasured pieces that we really like.

Often, because of lack of time and different priorities, things stay like that year after year…

…well, maybe not any longer! Why not try this fall to refresh your home so that it more reflects you, and the way you want to live?

Here’s what I suggest you do:

1) Focus on one room at a time.

2) Create a "blank canvas", by taking out as much as you can from the room, including wall art and rugs. Determine if there are alternative ways to place the main pieces of furniture. Small changes such as changing the orientation of a chair, or taking out a side table or excess chairs can do wonders.

3) Assess each piece that you are about to put back into the room: Do you think it is beautiful? Does it make you happy? Does it fit with the other things in the room? Does it make your life easier? If you answer “no” to these questions, ask yourself: do I really want to keep this piece at all?

4) If the previous exercise meant that you got rid of items that filled a key role, determine if you can bring in furniture from other rooms. Keep an open mind towards reinventing how you use a piece. For example, a chest can become a coffee table, an antique box can become a bookshelf, and a beautiful scarf can be framed and be put on the wall.

5) Start making a list of things you want or need for your home, prioritize, assign a budget, and start the search. Let me know how it goes!