If you look around and wish your home looked better, turn it into a new place entirely. Don’t worry about getting out the sledgehammer and crowbar, though. With just a few simple adjustments and additions, you can breathe new life into an old house. Here’s how to make an older home feel new again.
Change Your Hardware and Fixtures
Sometimes, changing the little things can make a big difference. For example, your home’s hardware hides in plain sight, doing its job day in and out without anyone noticing. Start by replacing the doorknobs that came with the house with more interesting ones. Brass is still a great material, but explore other options for interior doors, like glass or acrylic. Faceplates are an especially elegant way to decorate a door, and they come in a variety of styles, though faceplates with a Mission or Arts and Crafts influence always look smart. Consider doing the same for hinges, latches, locks, outlet and switch plates, and other hardware.
A New Coat of Paint
While painting can add color and brightness to any room, a more isolated or specialized paint job can sometimes have the biggest impact. Painting or staining the cabinets can shake up your kitchen or anywhere else with storage areas that feature doors or drawers. Paint a single wall with a striking pattern, or paint opposing walls in contrasting colors for visual excitement. If you’re artsy or know someone who is, consider a wall mural or abstract image on one side of the living room, bedroom, or elsewhere. It can create a theme for the entire space, allowing you to pick and choose complementary knickknacks and art in the future.
Refinish or, at Least, Clean the Floors
Do you have a lovely hardwood floor? Let its natural beauty shine through again by giving it a thorough cleaning. Sometimes, all you need to do is sweep and vacuum up all the dust and grit that has accumulated through the years, then follow it up with a good dusting. If the wood still looks dingy, go over it with a vegetable oil soap or hardwood cleaner—apply it with an absorbent mop, and buff it up afterward with a non-scratch towel. Protect the floor while giving the room a dash of color or sophistication with a new area rug.
Update Your Central Piece of Furniture
Here’s one more way how to make an older home feel new again. It may seem obvious but will probably inspire a few ideas for future redecorating. Get rid of that old sofa, dining room table, kitchen table, bed, or what have you, and replace it with something new and exciting. New furniture always brings a new feeling to any room, and as you sit or lay on it, you’re sure to look around and think, “Hm, this place could use a…” Fill in the blank yourself!
