Thinking About Redecorating Your Home? Consider These 3 Things First

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they get tired of looking at the same design they’ve had for years. When that happens, redecorating your home can help you feel refreshed, improve your mood, and instil a new appreciation for the home you live in.

With that being said, the decision to redecorate your home isn’t one you can make lightly. Aside from spending a potentially large amount of money, redecorating involves a heavy commitment of your time. You have to factor the time it will take to plan your design, the time to shop for furniture and decor, the time it will take to actually complete your project. There’s nothing simple or easy about a redecorating project.

Before you commit to a full redecorating project, stop and consider these three important aspects. You can then decide if you want to move forward or scale your project down.

1. Is it Really Necessary to Redecorate?

It may seem silly, but I’m serious. Do you really need to redecorate your entire room? I get that something may be bugging you about your current design but that doesn’t necessarily mean the whole room is off. Indeed, if it hasn’t been at least five years or more, it’s probably not in your best interest to start fresh on every aspect. Before you make the serious commitment to redecorate everything, consider these alternatives.

Try Repainting

Introducing a new coat of paint can sometimes give your home the lift you want without all the headache of a big project. Paints and supplier are also some of the cheapest home improvement investments you can make. You can paint an entire room, with durable, quality paint for as little as $30 a room.

Try Rearranging Your Layout

Maybe it’s not the decor items themselves that are bothering you. Maybe it’s just the way you have them set up. When furniture and decorations aren’t arranged in an optimal fashion, we can quickly grow to resent them. Arranging your home to foster positive energy is called Feng Shui. The Chinese have been practicing it for centuries. I promise you – it works.

Swap Out Just a Few Pieces

When you stop and look with a more critical eye, you may find that it’s not your entire design that feels old, just a few select pieces. It’s amazing how just one or two new elements can completely transform the look and feel of a design. Here are a few suggestions to help you out:

• Swap out your old sofa for a new piece
• Trade in your recliner for a love seat
• Invest in a new centerpiece (area rugs make for a perfect centerpiece)
• Replace your decorative throw pillows with something modern

2. How Much it Will Cost

If you do decide to fully redecorate, this is the most important thing you need to think about, for obvious reasons. There’s no getting around how expensive redecorating can be. The bigger your home, and the larger your scope, the more it’s going to cost. Most interior designers agree that redecorating a single room can cost anywhere from $2,000 for budget projects up to $40,000 for high-end designs. Some designs can cost even more.

If you simply don’t have the money to afford the look you want, there are a couple of things you can do.

Complete Your Project in Phases

Instead of trying to complete your project all at once, you can look at spreading it out over time. For example, you could start by just repainting the walls, then getting new furniture after you’ve had time to get more money.

Look at Ways to Cut Expenses

When you made your budget the first time, was there anything you splurged on that you could instead make do with a cheaper option? In particular, if you opted for name-brand accent pieces and decor items, you’re spending far more money than you have to.

3. Do You Have the Time to Complete It?

Aside from money, the time you’ll need to complete your project is another major expense of home decorating. There’s no easy way to calculate how much time a project will take. It depends on the size of your home, how many rooms you’re redoing, and how in-depth your project is. If all you’re doing is repainting, that’s a project that you can probably finish over the course of a weekend. However, something completely redoing a room from scratch can take weeks on end.

If you’re not willing to give up your evenings and weekends for a potentially long stretch of time, you shouldn’t commit to a new decorating project. You could, of course, choose to hire someone to decorate your home for you but then you have to consider the cost.