CARPENTER & THE ARTIST: eight ways to update your home

Last year our extended family worked over two weekends to update a family member's home. We deep cleaned, painted all the rooms in current market colors, replaced light fixtures, painted the kitchen cabinets and replaced the old hardware, purchased new curtains and shower curtain. When it was all complete, select pieces of furniture were brought back in, as well as wall decor was rehung in new locations. The result has inspired me to share how you can inexpensively update your home in 8 ways to current market standards.

1. Room edit- Remove, add a piece from another room and reposition as much as possible existing furniture. Declutter!

2. Cabinet Hardware- Buy new cabinet hardware for kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and even a side buffet or hutch. Locally Menards has a large selection with a good price range.

3. Table/floor lamps- Donate your old lamps and head to Target, Menards, Home Depot or Lowes. Also replace ceiling lights, bathroom vanity and dining room chandeliers if there is room in the budget. And don't forget your exterior lights- a new fixture can update your home instantly. Don't be afraid either to buy exterior fixtures as large as possible- will have much more impact.

4. Carpets- Clean your carpets!

5. Pillows- Add some colorful new pillows to your sofa in bold colors or patterns.

6. Paint your walls! A fresh neutral- grays, white, sand or rich deep colors of magenta (for the dining room), blues, and greens.

7. New curtains and hardware- Be sure to hang the rods as far above the window trim as the length will allow. "Puddled" (end of drapes bunched a bit on the floor) drapes make the most impact. Target has a nice selection of current inexpensive drapery styles and trends.

8. Decor accents- Buy a couple of new pieces- go for size! The larger the piece the bigger the visual impact. Also, when editing your room, toss old wall decor and buy some inexpensive paintings for focal points in your room. Even use a new painting for your room's inspired new color palette! Homegoods, Pier One or Marshalls.

And really, keeping your home updated should be a continuing process. Just focus on one area at a time. Replace one bathroom vanity faucet at a time. Gradually your whole home will feel fresh and will be up to current market standards.

And if the whole idea of this overwhelms you or you don't have the time to even think about... contact me and I will be happy to meet with you. It's time to love where you live!

Happy updating!
~ the Artist