Sometimes your home needs a little extra love and care. Not a full on renovation makeover, but something more. Of course, you can always run down to the local paint store and grab some swatches to see what inspires you. But painting – wonderful as it is – is quite the time commitment. You need a good 2-3 days (depending on the weather) to get the job done right by yourself. Even if you hire a painter, there’s still a lot of moving furniture, taking everything off the walls, it’s a lot. And maybe you already like the color of your walls. In such case, allow us to inspire you with a few room upgrades that don’t involve even a drop of paint.
Curtains
Maybe you’ve got them, maybe you don’t. Adding curtains to your room – any room, really – is an instant, easy way to add texture, color, and patterns/prints. They also provide a little extra privacy and a nice respite from the hot, hot sunlight. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing more pleasant than a little cat nap on the couch while the sun blankets you in its warmth. But on those particularly hot days, it’s nice to be able to draw the curtains closed and let things cool down while they take the heat.
If you’re adding curtains in a room with a tv, adding blackout curtains under your regular curtains will reduce the heat that gets in even more, as well as completely shutting out the light. Now you can enjoy your favorite movies and shows without any sun reflecting off the screen.
For smaller rooms, let those curtains hang from the ceiling all the way to the floor. This elongated line along the walls draws the eyes up and creates the feeling of a larger room.
Rugs
Whether you have carpet, vinyl, tile, or hardwood floors, adding rugs to your room is a way to dramatically shake things up with very little effort. Coming in a variety of textures and piles, there’s sure to be something that ties your room together and gives you a little more comfort for your feet. You can opt for a large area rug in your living room, or choose a variety of smaller rugs to go under individual pieces of furniture.
In smaller rooms, dividing your room up with small rugs under each piece of furniture helps divide the room into areas making the space look bigger than it is.
Plants
If you don’t already practice biophilia, now is the perfect time to start. Indoor plants don’t just add literal life to your room, they also help improve air quality and bring one a certain piece of mind that comes from having nature nearby. It’s the year of the statement with design trends, so look for a large plant like ferns, elephant ear, or dracaena tree. Or create a green corner; whether it’s low or highly lit, an accent table with some lucky bamboo, aloe vera, and succulents will brighten up your room instantly with this tiny forest.
Side bonus: with plants come plant holders (vases, pots, etc.). You get to add a little more decor to the room with these new buds.
Fixtures
Changing out your lighting fixtures is another great way to shift the mood of the room. It’s not just limited to your overhead lighting, either. Floor and table lamps throughout the room spread light more evenly and create a cozy atmosphere. While lamps are simple enough to add to a room (place and plug it in), changing your fixtures that are wired into the house will require a little more care and precaution. Read all the instructions on the box, watch a tutorial if you need, or consult an electrician. You don’t want to mess up the house’s electrics or wind up in minor emergency for any reason.
There are many more things you can do to update your rooms without paint. From these ideas, what can you think of to give your room a fresh new look?
