Hello Bend! It’s a brand new month! June brings us warmer weather, brighter sunshine, and the scent of summer right around the corner. Planning to pull out the stored patio furniture, clear off the spring mantel, and freshen up your space a bit? Follow these tips for more ideas on how to brighten up your home during the change of seasons.
Create Space Without Renovating
After the last wild 14+ months of stay-at-home orders, there is a new value to having functional and intentional space in your home. Follow these tips for more ideas on how to create an open floor plan without the demo.
Add mirrors to make the space lighter and brighter
Get organized – declutter and tidy your space. Negative space (or decluttered space with nothing in it—i.e. a blank wall) is a great tool to create the illusion of open room.
Change the layout of your furniture – does the sofa arrangement block off parts of the room that could be useful to have free? A little Feng Shui is perfect for seasonal changes.
Use rugs to add a pop of color and to add to your aesthetic without clutter. Think about trendy designs vs. more simple timeless designs. Which would you prefer?
Use paint! Fresh, light, neutral paint can make a HUGE difference in opening up your space!
If you DO Renovate, Ask Yourself:
What can set you apart from the same style in a different home?
How to accomplish what a contractor can?
What is “in” and how to make it personal to you?
What is the trade market like currently and will there be a delay due to COVID, shipping, elevated costs, etc?
Will you have to live somewhere else while the work is being done?
Functional Living Spaces
When you are trying to attain a functional space you want to access your space and look for each room and the purpose that it serves. Once you are able to determine what the space is used for you’ll want to create a focal point and clear the space around it.
Using a furniture placement tool will allow you to balance the layout of the room by not creating a heavy scene. We love using Plan Your Room!
Balancing heavier furniture with larger objects or groups of smaller items will give the room depth and give the room the extra attention it deserves!
Creating multi-levels within your furniture is a way to make your room come alive with all your patterns, textures and eye popping colors that can bring your room all together. Adding in your favorite pillows, rugs, drapes and throws are the most common textures!
Begin to assess the flow of traffic in the area you are trying to make functional by rearranging the furniture before hanging any mirrors or art. Think about your lighting and how it works with your space, then move to accessories as in small end tables, plants, etc. You don’t want to create more work for yourself!
Intentional Living Spaces
When creating an intentional space, take the time to really add value by intentionally choosing your furniture. Intentional styling is finding pieces that are more timeless and not too trendy with a focus on quality over “fast fashion”. Look for pieces that can be moved from room to room by determining your layout. Some things to look at would be symmetrical furniture, floating furniture, small furniture, big furniture and accessing dimensions between pieces of furniture.
Lighting plays a big piece in intentional interior design it is usually based on window light vs lamps, this allows the space to feel very luxurious!
Don’t skimp accessories!! To make your house feel like home and a reflection of YOU, add in layers and accessories! Some ideas would be area rugs, throw pillows and blankets, wall art and mirrors, decorative bowls and trays, coffee table books, candles, picture frames, plants, flowers, and vases and decor items.
Rugs + Spaces
When choosing a rug for an area you want to start with your rug first and then you can choose colors, paints, throw pillows etc. When you are rug shopping you will want to identify if it is a statement piece or if it is to just cover your floors and act as a color that will neutralize your space. Think about sizes and shapes, style and materials and if you are going to layer your rugs. A little hack… purchase a small rug and see how it works in your space, so you don’t run a big risk in purchasing a big rug which can be an investment!
If you are buying for your living room, ensure that your rug is in front of the legs of your couch and with a large rug, all furniture should be inside of the rug with space around.
When in your dining room your rug should be 24 inches on all sides, so when you pull out your chair you are still on the rug which is different when you are choosing a rug for your bedroom you’ll want to opt for a large rug that fits under the bed and nightstands. If you are looking for a kitchen rug, you can always win with a narrow runner or small piece.When you are in the market for a rug style a few you can look into are, traditional, contemporary, neutral and bohemian. When you identify when type of rug you want then you can look at piling your rugs! This style is not very common but is starting to trend! You will see some low-piling rugs which have shorter fibers or high-piling rugs which have taller and more loose fibers. Generally a low-piling rug will go in your kitchen as a high-piling rug will go in your living room or bedroom.
Renovation
What can set you apart from the same style in a different home?
If you are looking to upgrade your house and make it more tailored to you, you’ll want to use the 80/20 rule. This is 80% style type and 20% making it your own. If that seems a little too by the book you can make it unique, try 70-20-10 which is 70% dominate style, 20% accessory style and 10% all YOU!I encourage you to stay in a consistent color story that plays off the vibe of YOUR home. The balance should be carried to the floor and the walls as well. Use rugs, flooring, wall decor, and shelving to balance the styles in the room. Create a focal point, every room needs a WOW factor, make yours fit your personality to separate the style from everyone else’s. Most homes have more than one style which is what makes it your home and individualizes it to you! Be creative and have fun with it…your home is for free expression…forget about what other people think!
Working As Your Own Contractor
If you want to renovate but worried about hiring a contractor, you can seek a permit through your county yourself and do a lot of the things a contractor can! Before putting on your hard hat, think through a few things: consider the scope of the project, check out what the necessary skills would involve, look at costs of everything involved (not forgetting tools!) and think about time management. Take a look at your budget and see if you have set aside the proper amount of money and time! Asking for advice before you start a self renovation is very do-able! It will take a lot of sweat, blood, patience, and tears, but you can do it as long as you have done your research. If you’re worried about taking the leap, start with painting the front door, updating exterior accents, applying removable wallpaper, paint your walls, refresh your cabinets, apply a fun new backsplash or even give your bathroom a face lift! There are lots of ways to bring a new splash of life into your space before you start tearing down walls.
Special 2021 NOTE** Between delays of materials due to COVID, working restrictions, and many other dynamic factors from this past year, lumber costs are astronomical right now and a lot of trade services (like general contractors) are extremely backed up and not accepting new clients in the coming months. Be sure to factor this into your plans.
Between creating functional space, bringing a sense of your personality into your home, and staying with the current trends, interior design seems like a lot of work! Taking the time to fine tune your vision and hone in on what you really want, create a Pinterest board, a mood board! Don’t be scared to play with designs, textures and fixtures. Allow yourself the room for error, start small and then grow your design by being fearless!
Interested in more from Hello Bend? Read more about Staging, Interior Design, and Renovations HERE, SUBSCRIBE to the Hello Bend Blog, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the know in Central Oregon.
Brenda Menzel, Broker
Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty ~ Hello Bend Real Estate
541-640-2125
