We spend a lot of time in our homes. At the very least, our house is where we start and end our days, and with the ongoing pandemic, millions of people are spending more time at home than usual. After spending all this time at home, there are bound to be things you would like to change or update. Changing your home’s design might feel like a massive task, but there are many projects you can tackle solo. Using the best tips and tricks of home design and some traditional home DIY, you can update your home to make it feel fresh and new. Whether you opt for simple updates or more extensive long-term commitments, updating your house can go a long way towards making your home your personal haven.
Efficiency Might Not Be Pretty, But It Is Important
When you think about updating your home, you likely go to visual design options first. Updating your home’s efficiency, including your HVAC, water heater, and more, might not bring a new visual design, but it will improve your home’s overall quality. Swapping out your old water heater for a propane water heater might not be visually attractive, but it is a fantastic upgrade for your home. Changing outdated incandescent light bulbs and installing brighter, longer-lasting, and less energy-intensive CFL or LED bulbs will improve your light quality. Still, they might not be the sexy overhaul you imagined.
Upgrading your home’s infrastructure and efficiency might not be pretty, but it is essential. You can build the most stunning house, but if the internal systems are outdated or run at low efficacy, the exterior visuals don’t matter as much.
The Power of Color
Interior designers often bring up color theory. You may think color is just color, and we can choose whatever color we fancy without many consequences. While you can absolutely use whatever color you want, there is a science behind what color you use where. Putting a specific color on a specific wall will affect the room as a whole, and there is no way around that. Before you start painting or dyeing things, at least consider color theory and how it will affect your space to make sure you are getting the result you want.
The Color Wheel
The color wheel is your friend, and knowing how to use those 12 colors will take your color choice to the next level. Don’t worry if you don’t have a color wheel, as there are plenty of free examples available online. Picking one of the 12 colors on the wheel is a great place to start, but remember, you can always alter colors with tints, shades, and tones. You can take your desired color and change it to suit your goals for the room.
Light or softer colors and shades will make smaller rooms feel bigger. Warm colors are commonly found in dining rooms or living rooms, where people gather or entertain. Cooler colors are typically saved for bedrooms and bathrooms, where people want to relax. However, the size of the room matters too. Using a warm color in a small room can make the space feel tight, and using a cool color in a large room might leave the area feeling empty. Once you pick your primary color for the room, light, dark, cool, or warm, you can select the secondary or accent colors you want to incorporate around the room. The different colors you choose will slot you into one of a few various color schemes. Square, tetradic, triadic, analogous, and complementary are typical color schemes that use the color wheel differently to create a different result.
Adding Interest
There are more ways to update your home and add new interest than just changing colors. Adding plants, art, rugs, mirrors, and other details can make a significant difference. You can entirely revamp your kitchen by updating your cabinets with new paint and hardware. Swapping out an area rug will bring a whole different feel to a room. Use mirrors to play with light and make the space feel bigger. There is no end to the different ways you can play with your interior design and craft the unique home you want.
Transforming your home might sound like a massive undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. You can commit to more considerable internal changes by switching out old water heaters; while updating your home’s internals is not pretty, it is crucial. You can also up your home’s efficiency by using CFL or LED light bulbs instead of old incandescents. When it comes to visual upgrades, color is a powerful tool. Use the color wheel and color theory to craft your perfect interior color. Add more visual interest with small changes, like a new rug or adding mirrors.
