This is part two of our guide on refreshing your home and space with Katie from local marketplace ReNu furniture. Haven’t read part one yet? Then head over here now! Otherwise, read on for some more tips on how to improve your home without breaking open all those piggy banks.
10 simple swaps to refresh your space and design your home – part 2
Bring the outside in
There has never been a more important time to make a house a home – because we spend so much time in it right now! Moreover, the pandemic has prompted many people to recognise that interior design can have a significant impact on mental health. And biophilic design is used to encourage people to connect with nature in and around their homes. Studies have even shown that including this type of design, that’s using natural materials, plants and natural light, at home or in the office can help reduce stress and anxiety.
ReNu’s Top Tip
Natural materials are always available on the resale market. And, as they can be really expensive new, if you’re considering adopting a biophilic design, let ‘used furniture’ be your starting point. From statement wooden coffee tables to hanging baskets – there’s a world of inspiration on the secondhand furniture market.
Colour
Colour transforms a space; from soft tones to bold tones and from warm colours to cool ones, there’s always a way to use a new colour palette to your advantage while trying to achieve a certain look for your home.
The great thing about colour is that it can be incorporated as easily and inexpensively as you like. Take throw pillows, for instance, they can be reupholstered in new fabric or you could sell the old ones to buy new ones. Either way, they will totally change the look and feel of your sofa and living space, bringing it more in line with your vision.
Alternatively, you can adopt your new colour palette into your existing furniture by painting or re-staining pieces, or even just use them as a guide to streamline your purchases.
ReNu’s Top Tip:
Remember, when choosing a signature colour for your interior design, not everything has to be in that colour. Often opting for a few statement pieces is more effective and creates a more considered tone to the room.
Statement furniture
The great thing about statement furniture is that you only need one or two pieces to completely transform a space! This can help to create an expensive look on a more limited budget – give ‘statement furniture ideas’ a google and see for yourself! An eccentric coffee table, lighting fixture, piece of art or colourful sofa can really turn up the volume in terms of your interior decor, without the need to shell out for multiple new pieces.
In fact, many interior designers now recommend staying away from matching furniture sets and opting for neutral decor with pops of statement furniture. And you can always check out the local designers we mentioned before for inspiration.
ReNu’s Top Tip:
The best part about the secondhand market is that the finds are so unique and the prices are always lower than retail value. My favourite statement piece in my first apartment was a driftwood coffee table that I bought secondhand. It’s always worth keeping an eye out for something a little different and quirky when learning to create your own interior design style. Shopping for upcycled or handmade pieces is also a great way to do that!
Lick of paint/DIY
The classic tip you were all waiting for, getting your hands dirty and doing it yourself can make transforming your space A LOT more affordable and we are all looking for a project or two until the world completely reopens, right?
Painting a room is one of the most effective ways to transform a space and that doesn’t mean you have to try a bold new colour. Touching up the existing paint or opting for neutrals can make a space feel instantly cleaner and brighter than it was before. Alternatively, if big bold colours are your thing, creating a bold feature wall can often be enough to transform a room without the need to spend on a whole new range of decor.
The power of DIY should never be underestimated; whatever you’re looking to do in your home, there’s bound to be a tutorial out there to help you do it, yourself!
ReNu’s Top Tip:
This truly is the golden era of DIY. With more people having the time to get creative, why not turn your attention to refreshing your home? Injecting new life into old furniture is at the core of what we do – that’s how we chose our name. So if upcycling, upholstery and furniture restoration is a hobby that you love, remember that once your own home is full of beautiful pieces, there’s a whole community out there that would love to buy a one-of-a-kind creation that you could never get on the high street.
Add some art
Nothing adds a touch of class like art. Abstract art is one of my absolute favourites when it comes to interior design because it can help you establish a colour palette for the room. You can take a colour from your favourite artwork and repeat it in the fabrics or in the accessories but it also works the other way around. If you’re looking for a one-off piece to transform a space, look for colours you have in your room already and choose a piece of art that features them. Pair simple furniture and neutral decor with abstract art and the result will be a fresh feel that’s decidedly modern.
ReNu’s Top Tip:
Original art is a luxury that many of us feel we can’t afford. If you have a favourite artist in mind, definitely try the resale market. Art rarely suffers wear and tear so often you will get a high-quality, one-of-a-kind item, but without the bespoke price tag. If you don’t, consider looking for local art. We feature an incredible local artist on ReNu called Susie Lovell – her abstract art always gives us serious art envy! [Ed: Some of our other favourite local artists here at BOTI are Lily Rigby, Jessica Ford and James Wilson]
All the pieces featured here are from the ReNu website (driftwood coffee table, Mardi Gras canvas, rustic dining table, upcycled bedside drawers, Fragments of Lights canvas). Seen something that takes your fancy? BOTI readers can get 10 percent off anything they see on the site with this code: RENU10. And, if you needed a further incentive, they’re partnered with Tree Sisters, which means they’ll fund the planting of a tree with every purchase made on the site.
renufurniture.co.uk
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