Redesigning Your Home

The Appeal Of Redesigning Your Home

This is another of my article published on Blissfully Domestic


Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

Did you know that redesigning is the most economical way to decorate your home? With redesigning and home staging coming on the scene less than two decades ago, many people are unclear about what the difference is. The easiest way to remember is:

• Staging is for Selling
• Redesigning is for Dwelling

Each of these aspects of interior decorating has a specific purpose and although many of the same design principles apply, the methods and end results are very different. Redesigning is what most of us will find most helpful as we do a lot more dwelling than selling.

We live in a society with a mindset that things are primarily disposable. If something breaks and needs repairs, or if we are just tired of it, we often just go buy a new one! With the current economy, many are rethinking that mindset.

Redesign is the re-purposing and recycling of things we already have and love. Often just a new arrangement will make a world of difference in how inviting a room is. What could be more prudent and resourceful than that? Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping and getting new things for our home as much as anyone. But I save money by buying and keeping the big pieces we really love and adding new accessories. Redesigning gives new life to your treasured furnishings and is budget friendly as well. Often it has less to do with what you have, than it does with the placement of your furnishings and accessories.

Before redesigning this room was uninspiring and boring!

By proper furniture placement and accessorizing with things you love, it works!

In one day and without purchasing anything new, this room is now beautiful, warm, and inviting!

Here Are Some Ways To Begin Your Redesigning

• Remove the clutter and get organized. Allow yourself to take time to do this. Do a room or a drawer at a time until you feel great about the results. See Fly Lady for some help.
• Look at ways to improve the look of what you already have. Do you need a coat of paint on the walls or some elbow grease on that favorite piece of furniture to update and lift the room?
• Can a great slip cover make your sofa feel fresh and new again?
• Can a can of spray paint and some fabric make your old lamps look awesome?
• Make a wish list of things you’d like to purchase and shop your own house before buying more stuff. Often there is a thread connecting the things we love. Are you a seashell lover or a collector of brass candlesticks? Find a way to use them differently than you have in the past.
• Enjoy the process as you go along. Decorating should be fun and reflect who you are and how your family lives. Form should always follow function for comfortable living. Take your time and build on your accomplishments.

Updating to blend with your current color scheme and style is a great way to redesign and recycle something!

One Helpful Tip: Have an overall plan for your home but work on only one area at a time. Follow the plan until that area or room is completely done before moving on.

The homes I am called in to redesign are often ones that have a little bit of something in the works in each room and nothing completed. This is overwhelming and discouraging for all of us. Having one room that is beautiful and completely done is great motivation to keep redesigning.

If you are not a DIY person, you may prefer to have a professional redesigner’s help. Check here for an IRIS Trained Redesigner in your area. You will find the fees very reasonable. Gone are the days when you had to be wealthy to get some help creating a beautiful and functional home. And the best part is many rooms can be completely redesigned in less than a day! You can have a lovely day out and come home to the big reveal! You can have that same experience you’ve witnessed on HGTV a thousand times!

* All photos: Interiors by Design

When not writing for Blissfully Domestic, Bonnie can be found redesigning and staging homes for sale through her company, Interiors by Design, on the west coast. She also enjoys writing on her own blog (interiorsbydesigndefined.blogspot.com)