Ten Home Decorating Hacks "Quarantine Style"

{sing to the tune of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air}
♭♭♮♯🎵🎵Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down, And I'd like to take a minute, Just sit right there, I'll tell you how I decided to re-decorate with flair. In New Jersey is where I was raised, Looking through magazines was where I spent most of my days, Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool, I was working on a home economics project for school, When a couple of guys in my group were up to no good, Started making trouble and challenged me to create the best decorating project I could, I got in one little scissor fight and my teacher got scared, She said "Lisa, you lead this group--you're the best prepared!" ♭♮🎵🎵

OK LOL that's a bit far fetched but seriously, who else's "life got flipped-turned upside down" over the last couple months with the "COVID-19 Quarantine"? This quarantine has taught me many things! Many positives came from this time "alone". That's for another blog post. But for now, you now know how my love for home decorating and design came about. I REALLY did have a high school Home Economics teacher who had us design a room, and of course the boys carried on with their jokes during class. I REALLY did spend lots of time pouring through magazines and cut out lots of clippings of lamps, couches, curtains, etc for my project. This created a spark--so much so that I decided to major in Fine Arts/Interior Design in my third year of college (LOL) but when I heard there was a 6 year waiting list {gasp!}, that spark quickly got snuffed out. But I still love home decorating and making my home my haven in many different ways.

The quarantine showed me how to work with what I had at home to change things up. So......

Tip Number One is to re-arrange your furniture to create new and interesting spaces. I did this and pulled a muscle in my back (hello 'age")--so be safe and take your time with this First Step! My small living room has a very comfortable, but VERY LARGE couch which makes furniture re-arranging very difficult because it can only go on one wall. Here's a hack: put the largest piece of furniture on the largest wall, but move it away from the wall to give the illusion of "floating" (for some, it may be a couch or an entertainment unit) 

Tip Number Two is to change up your sofa pillows. Go grab the decorative pillows on your bed and switch them out for the sofa. If your home follows the same color scheme throughout, this will be easy to do. And girl! FILL UP THAT SOFA with pillows! Combine patterns and textures for visual interest. 

Tip Number Three is if you have a mantle and like to display items on it, choose a focal point for the center and move outward with your accessories. Incorporate different heights for interest. On my mantle, I chose a large framed crochet piece that is anchored with dark-hued bookends. Then I filled in with greenery and different glass objects. Here's a hack: think out-of-the-box (I used mercury glass, candlesticks, apothecary jars--ALL EMPTY so that the piece of artwork can be viewed through them) and I also filled in with a few unexpected items such as pink Christmas bulbs and beaded battery-powered lights strung throughout. 

Tip Number Four experiment with combining different textures in groups of three on a table or bookshelf. Here I use an old distressed bookshelf as an end table. I combined a sleek mother-of-pearl-like lamp base with a modern lampshade, a distressed votive bird candeholder, and a hand made pottery pitcher some of which are all in the same color family which also makes a great impact statement on your table!

By the way, all of these accessories from the bookshelf and mantle always seem to move from room to room in my house to keep it interesting without spending a dime! YAY! This keeps things fresh and seen in a different atmosphere/environment makes them seem like new pieces (sometimes I go crazy looking for an accessory that I moved somewhere else HAHAHA)

Tip Number Five don't be afraid to mix the old with the new. Pictured here I have an antique lamp with a modern lampshade (do you notice my color scheme? I love "blues and greens"). I also have an overstuffed modern chair next to a vintage roll top desk from my childhood--which is paired with a painted chair. Don't get "matchy-matchy" because that's what gives the room interest. Also pictured is an antique treadle sewing machine with a trendy decorative faux succulent. Spending only a few dollars on the trendy items makes it easier to part with when styles change because you didn't put a big investment into it.

Tip Number Six paint is cheap and transforms quickly! I used tractor spray paint to transform this vintage tea cart from my childhood. The yellow desk is a vintage piece from Goodwill. You'll notice on top of the old desk I've combined all black accessories (including the "farmhouse" sign from Hobby Lobby--Oh boy! I am having Hobby Lobby withdrawals during this quarantine LOL). This makes a big impact statement, especially contrasted with the yellow. On the tea cart, I've accessorized with my favorite cookbooks (Hello Pioneer Woman!).

Tip Number Seven if you love a certain color and have a collection (or several collections), decide on possibly grouping them together whether that be in the same room or in a grouping as shown here. I LOVE PINK! I have the kitchen and dining area decked out in pink (I'm thankful for a husband who doesn't mind that I do this hahaha). Grouping like things together makes a big impact statement.

Tip Number Eight for a calming feel, try using monochromatic tones in your groupings. These make great impact statements if they are also different textures! These are accessories I pulled together from different rooms and the impact is much more pleasing in a grouping than scattered throughout the house. Take bedding for instance--how luxurious it would be if you combined a fluffy comforter from a guest bedroom and brought it to your own bed with soft pillowcases and trendy throw pillows, layered with a vintage matelasse bedspread that was stuck in the closet--all within the same serene color theme?! PERFECTION! 

Tip Number Nine Reuse picture frames from pictures that you don't enjoy anymore. I had this picture frame with a framed print for YEARS! The poster-sized picture inside was pretty but I wanted to change it up. I love the frame but was ready to put something else in it. You don't have to go out and buy another frame--just remove the picture that you purchased together with the frame and put something else in the frame itself--EASY! And the pop of fabric backing can easily be removed and I can replace the poster-sized picture the frame came with whenever I want to--or with something else for that matter! WIN-WIN!

Last but not least, Tip Number Ten to create a high-end look without the high-end pricetag, just create SYMMETRY in the room. Here I have symmetrical curtains, lamps, and chairs. By the way, the chairs are vintage from my childhood, but I've incorporated Tip Number Five here--combining the old with the new--vintage chairs with trendy new beaded pillows. These chairs were in my living room and I brought them into the bedroom to give it a more luxurious "hotel-like" feel. The monochromatic look helps "upgrade" this room. Here's a hack to create a luxurious high-end look without the big pricetage: use no more than two colors in the room and keep them both in the same color value. Here I have cream and silvery-blue throughout. 

Please watch my 3 minute video tour on how I decorated my favorite spaces within my home and a bonus project on how to create a custom shower curtain for a luxury-hotel-like master bathroom here

HAPPY QUARANTINE DECORATING!