Old or outdated, which word describes your home better?
Being old is about how much time has passed since your house was built and how far back the building’s architecture goes. But being outdated is about how useful or relevant the home’s content and interior features are. The architecture of every building will eventually get old, and sometimes that’s good for the value of your home, says TrueNest Property Management.
But what you do not want is for your home to feel out of touch with the times in terms of how functional and comfortable it is. Even if the architecture of your home belongs to another era, it should not make living in the home any less enjoyable. If you let that happen, then your home will start to feel outdated.
Essentially, the main things that make a home feel out-of-date are those aspects of its design that are easily upgraded but which have been left untouched for ages. The result of doing this is that when people step into your home, they feel like they entered a time machine and have just been taken back into the past.
Is this what your home feels like?
If you said yes, or you have to think about the correct answer, then it is time to do something about the design of your home. But contrary to what owners of outdated homes often assume; modernizing an outdated home does not have to be a difficult and expensive process. You just need to be intentional about what to change in the home.
What are the simple things you can do to modernize an outdated home? The steps we have listed below will help you pull your home out of the dark ages into the modern era. The idea here is not to do massive structural changes that will cost you a lot of money. The goal is an affordable facelift that will improve the home’s aesthetics and value.
Tips for effectively refreshing your outdated home decor
- Declutter to Create Space
The first step is to get rid of all the redundant stuff in your home. Clutter creeps up on most of us; we buy things on a whim, use them for a while before we tire of them, or a better product comes along and we dump the old one. Before you know it, your home becomes a junkyard for all the stuff you never used or the things you plan to use.
Get rid of items that take up space in your home that no longer serve the purpose to make your home feel brighter and more inviting.
- Deep Clean & Fresh Coat of Paint
This isn’t the typical cleaning you do every day or once a week. You want to give your home a deep clean. Thoroughly wiping & scrubbing the house will reveal the true condition of the various surfaces in your home. You will be able to assess the level of wear and tear that has occurred over time.
Once your home is a fresh canvas, you are now ready to paint. Proper surface preparation must precede repainting your spaces. This gives you a chance to address damage to the walls and ceiling of the home. Do not repaint in the same dated colors; choose an updated color scheme. Sometimes it could be overwhelming to pick the right color scheme, and that’s where Abide Designs comes in! We help create the perfect custom color story!
- Upgrade Light Fixtures to Elevate your Space
With newly painted walls and rooms devoid of clutter, your new home is gradually emerging. The next step is to improve lighting. It is almost certain that the lighting in your home is inadequate; insufficient lighting points and bulbs that are not bright enough.
To make them more welcoming, you should banish shadows from the corners of your rooms. You need a lighting scheme that is designed for the needs of a modern home. It should include lighting on three levels: ambient, accent, and task lighting. The new lights you install should provide ample illumination, be decorative, and be energy-saving.
We've put together some of our favorite light fixtures that will give your space a modern refresh and provide gorgeous ambient light! –
1. Honey Comb Grande Chandelier Currey & Co
2. Bubbles Chandelier (Clear) Natural Brass Regina Andrew
3. Grand Lotus Gold Small Chandelier
4. Percy Chandelier Gabby Home
6. Arnold Chandelier – Small Gabby Home
- Replace various small features of the home
Start with the light switches and power outlets. You do not only need to replace those, but you may also need to add more of them. Make sure light switches/plates are multifunctional and decorative. Replacing cabinet and door hardware is another small change with a major impact on the appearance of rooms.
Install classy and durable handles, knobs, pulls, or a knocker. Do the same for plumbing fixtures in the toilets and kitchen; replace old ones with new improved versions. You may also want to replace register covers and vents.
- Update cabinets and furniture
If your kitchen cabinets are still in good condition you don’t need to replace them. What you should do is ensure harmony between the appearance of your cabinets and the new modern colors on your walls. You can do this by repainting the cabinets. But you can also change the cabinet façade by re-facing them.
Next is your furniture; modern furniture pieces are simple and minimal. They have clean lines and are usually monochromatic. Replace that clunky weathered furniture with one of our two curated collections!
Whether it's swapping out table decor, upgrading light fixtures, throwing out old throws, or even a fresh coat of paint – giving your space some new life can be fun & increase your smile quota. Want help with Styling? We specialize in FULL–SERVICE design, where not only do we create a total furniture design ensemble, but we take on the headache of placing all those pesky orders and even tracking them every step of the way until time to deliver and install your new room to completion. Visit our Service Page to get started today!
