Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Design: How to Refresh Your Living Space

Tips for Giving Your Living Room a One Day Makeover While You’re Nesting at Home

I’ve noticed that as clients have been working from home more the past year they’ve become more aware of their surroundings and are ready for change. So today I’m sharing my top 3 tips as an interior designer for refreshing your space!

Karen Mills' blog
Interior design by Karen Mills

1.  Create a floor plan that emphasizes your focal point like we did in this great room by placing furniture arranged around the fireplace. If you don’t have an obvious focal point, then design one yourself by grouping items together such as a sofa table/chest with a piece of artwork overhead and a buffet lamp with tabletop decor on your surface.

Before you start I recommend emptying your living room of all furnishings so you can have a fresh perspective on your room’s possibilities without the distraction of furnishings and decor. For more tips check out our blog post 3 Big Design Mistakes We Make in the Living Room

In this great room we introduced a new custom designed sofa and rug before layering in existing wing back chairs we had upholstered in two different designer fabrics along with an existing coffee table, sofa table, and end table.

Decor arrangement by Karen M

2. Shop your entire house for furniture/furnishings you can use in your room.  Keep those items you discover in mind as you start to put together your room, bringing ones you think might work to a staging area nearby.  

Here in this room our interior design client didn’t have anything appropriate for this coffee table or sofa table so we purchased decor for them to enhance the overall look of their space.

Interior design by Karen Mills

Karen Mills' blog

3. Add a pop of color with accents throughout your room with pillows, art, drapes, decor or an area rug.   Remember, you can repaint or re purpose items to use in your room too.  In this great room our interior design client had asked us to use an existing family heirloom piece they had so we placed on the wall with a painting we found in another room. Then we topped the chest off with a newly purchased lamp and vase to complete the look. Click here for 3 Tips for Creating a Relaxing Living Area

If you would like to refresh your living space right now but know that’s beyond your capabilities, check out our virtual design options that we have for interior design clients whether its for remodel/new home builds, a design dilemma, or just decorating.

Looking for more great budget friendly decorating ideas that you can implement this summer?  Sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

Plus become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of the Living Large design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook here!

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Interior Design/Interior Decorating

Interior Decorating: 3 Tips for a Budget Living Room…

Interior design by Karen Mills

Do you ever feel like your room is blah or unfinished but don’t want to spend a fortune to finish it? Read on for my 3 tips as an interior designer to add a little life to your interior design.

  1. Add Color   Color can be painted on walls and ceilings or introduced with art, furniture or decor like this existing blue painting the client already had. A blue vase enhances the painting while providing an additional punch of color to our interior design client’s entry. Color may also be introduced with fabrics, draperies, rugs, or decor. 5 Easy Steps to Space Planning Your Living Room
Karen Mills' blog example of pattern
Interior decorating by Karen MIlls

2. Inject pattern –  Introduce pattern with draperies or pillows like this photo of a living room. The artwork, drapes, pillows, and flowers also add a pop of color to this dramatic space. Tips for Giving Living Room a One Day Makeover

Karen Mills' blog texture example
Interior decorating by Karen Mills

3. Layer in Texture – In this living room, albeit an outdoor one, texture was layered in with flowers, branches, wood trays, and cloth napkin decor. Additional texture in this space includes wicker chairs, a wrought iron table base, a wrought iron bench base, and a stone fireplace.

For more design how to ideas and photos, sign up for our weekly interior design blog here

plus become a fan of Kansas City’s interior designer and former host of the Living Large design show, Karen Mills, on Facebook  and Instagram now!