Beyond the Basics - Inspiration for making changes

Yay! Spring is finally here after a very long winter! With snow earlier this month, I really thought we may just skip right over spring this year. But now... who wouldn't get inspired with the tulips, daffodils and crocuses all in bloom and the sun shining and the days getting longer?!

It's time to start sprucing up for spring. Walk into a room and look around. Put on your "visitor's eyes" and see what an outsider would see. Is the room warm, inviting and comfortable? Does everything in it serve a purpose? Does the room make you want to sit down and relax for a while? If you're answering no to these questions, then you need a makeover. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to buy all new furnishings, but maybe you just need to change things up a bit. I've been doing this for years in my own house, and now I help others to do it in theirs.

The first step is to get rid of anything you don't like or no longer serves a purpose. Sometimes we keep pieces just because they've always been there. We're used to seeing them and we just don't think to make a change. Donate them, toss them, store them in your garage for a yard sale, whatever. Just get rid of them!

Second, think about the purpose of your room. What do you use it for? How do you want it to make you feel? Does it function in the way that it should? For example, a kitchen is used for preparing meals. It sometimes acts as a hangout when friends visit or when you have a gathering. Perhaps you want it to be functional, inspiring, and lively. Do you feel that way when you're in your kitchen? If not, make some changes. Paint color can do LOTS for a room, and it's inexpensive. There is a whole history behind colors, how and why they were used in different cultures, and the feelings they evoke. Fun stuff!

Lastly, make a plan. Just don't start painting, then try and figure out what to do from there. Take some time to develop a plan and determine what you want to change, and how. Maybe you find some inspiration in a lovely decorative plate you have. You just love the colors or the design, or the shape of it. Work from there. Window treatments, paint color, accessories, centerpiece... everything can build from that one inspiration piece.

And I can't stress enough... look around your home first! Chances are you'll find some pieces that will fit with your color scheme or that you can use functionally in a different space. I know that I typically stick to the same color scheme in my entire house just because I like certain colors. It tends to make the rooms flow nicely and I'm able to "borrow" things from one room to use in another. Think out of the box. That lovely pitcher that you got as a wedding gift and use only once a year could hold your cooking utensils for easy access on your countertop.

Have fun and call me if you need some help!
Kerri

---