Let's say you designed that special room
10 or 15 years ago. And it's lovely; just the way you
like it. Always has been and always will be.
But, when you look at it objectively,
you can see that it's a little tired; maybe the carpet
has a trail worn in it from the door to the closet that
no matter how many times you've cleaned it, it's still
there. And the paint looks a bit dingy, especially around
the light switches and doorknobs. And maybe, just maybe,
overall it looks little bit dated.
It's counterintuitive to say that if you
love a room and it needs to be refreshed that you should
redesign it. There's no rule that says you can't just
make the old look new with a fresh coat of paint and a
similar carpet.
But taking a well-designed room that's
tired and making it look new takes a bit more than just
repainting it the same color and replacing the carpet
with the same color and style. After all, the same
hairstyle that you had 15 years ago may no longer be
appropriate today. It needs to be modified, if only
slightly, to look its best.
Look carefully at the room, and then
think about rooms you've seen in magazines. Compare your
room with what's in the pictures. For example, look at
the scale of the crown molding and the details of the
recessed lighting. Notice the difference? These little
details can date a room. But with a little bit of work,
they can also refresh the look of a room without changing
its design. It just updates it.
If you already have crown molding, an
updated look can be achieved with a new style of molding
that's larger and more in keeping with today's housing
trends. It can be installed directly over the existing
moulding. Work with a good carpenter to make sure your
design is feasible. Or, if you don't have molding on the
ceiling, consider adding it. This change can make a huge
difference in any room.
If the room has recessed lighting, the
units installed in the mid-'90s probably have black
inserts, called baffles. That was the style then. Now
these inserts can be updated by removing them, painting
them white with a heat-resistant spray paint, and putting
them back in place. Voila, an update for the price of a
can of spray paint!
If the room doesn't have recessed
lighting, it's not difficult to add it for an updated
look. Make sure to work with a licensed electrician as
this is a technical job that needs to be done properly
and meet building codes.
When you're planning on repainting the
walls and trims, think about how to update this aspect as
well. Use the same color on the walls, but by changing
the trim color ever so slightly you'll give the room an
updated look. If the trim is white, think about a
different white - there are only about 100 variations to
choose from. If you used a bright white then, now a
softer white will reflect the change in decorating
styles. It's a small difference, but one that brings the
house into the new century.
Finally, new carpeting. To match exactly
what was a standard color when the room was designed, the
new carpet might have to be custom dyed. Or, you can use
this opportunity to choose a newer carpet that's more in
keeping with today's home trends. Stay in the same color
palette to maintain the good design, but select a carpet
that's ever so slightly different. This might also be a
good time to go "green" with a product that's more
environmentally friendly. There are lots of choices out
there; it just takes some research and working with a
good vendor.
For not very much money you can
transform a well-designed but tired-looking room into a
fresh-looking room with all its elements intact and
updated with paint, new carpeting and lighting, and
current molding. You can also use this time to put your
plants in new containers and rearrange your well-loved
accessories so they look fresh to you.
Good design always stands the test of
time: it just needs a little help to stay good
looking.
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