New Year. Fresh Start.

Imagine it. Holiday decor and things are put away. Your house has been deep cleaned, and your favorite song is playing through your earbuds, as you plop down on the couch to rest. You feel "fresh" again. The New Year really sets us up to start over. New calendar year, new resolutions, and the hustle of the holidays is at a lull. This is a blessing for many of us. The calendar has started over again, and we might feel fatigued from the holiday rush. We are often ready for a change. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out where to start so we want to inspire you!

Here's a list of new ideas from Autumn Rose Interiors to help provide a little home "self-care" for you and your family.

1.) Rearrange your furniture. Sometimes just simply reconsidering where your sofa and chairs can go is a nice change. Better yet-- if the flow of the room is simply not working-- change it. Even just drawing your ideas out on paper would be a great place to start. You can use a simple drawing to set up the layout of gallery walls too. If furniture isn't fitting the space anymore, re-envision where you could swap it out, maybe even in another room. If you are feeling uninspired with your currently selection but something new! Maybe, it is time to redefine your style. Autumn Rose Interiors would love to help you with your style, picking out a new layout and even some new pieces for your home, too!

Here are some before and after photos of a total room transformation for one of our clients. Their room was beautiful before, but we updated it for them with a style that felt more in line with the vision of their home. We changed up their lighting to some really sophisticated fixtures. The new rich color pallet with deep blue hues helped to provide some contrast to this space to make it more interesting and intentional.

2.) Get inspired. There are SO many ways to get inspired out there. You can check out blogs like our own-- or others, there are some really great bloggers out there with awesome decor tips. You can go to your local library and check-out some design books, you can go window shopping---one of my favorite places to go is, believe it or not— the thrift store. I love going and holding pieces of pottery, glassware, … sitting in chairs, and looking at old art. Sometimes a piece just speaks to you. You can design a whole space around a really amazing piece of artwork. The awesome thing about going to a thrift store is the pricing! You really cannot beat it. ...Feel free to window shop in high-end stores too. Get a feel for how designers around the world are using really elegant high-end pieces in their work and see what will inspire you to create a similar space of your own. Pick up a few magazines like Magnolia, Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, American Farmhouse, or Elle Decor, for some photo spreads of what is popular in the decorating and design world. For more information on a House Beautiful Magazine subscription, checkout their website: https://shop.housebeautiful.com/

3.) PAINT! Oh. my. word. It is truly amazing what a fresh coat of paint in a room can do. It can take something from drab to fab! There are some durable, built-in primer paints available in many formulas to cut down on the steps needed, too. Pro tip: If you are trying to hide blemishes on the walls, use a more matte finish like flat or eggshell. The glossier the paint the higher the shine and exposure of dents and blemishes. Satin and semi-gloss are better for things like trim. Not sure if you know what color? I personally LOVE samplize.com. They have a wide variety of brands to choose from, and you get a large 12x12", self -sticking wall sample with real paint.

4.) Find some help with organization and cleaning-- for a day, or for a while. This is definitely a home self-care move! Sometimes a new set of eyes can help you figure out problem areas that are bogged down from busy humans piling up clutter, day in and day out. You can hire housekeepers to deep clean windowsills, cobwebs, and organize, or you can hire them to help you with the daily chores. If you feel like you can't fit this in your budget, assign a chore chart for other members of your family! Changing up the chores may help place the right person in a new chore space. Hiring a cleaning helper can help place those jobs you don’t love to do—with someone who can do them more efficiently. This fresh and inspiring bathroom (below) is one of our design client’s. Use local referrals from friends and family for housekeeping if you don’t have anyone in mind. Also, try looking at a nationally recognized company like Merry Maids! https://www.merrymaids.com/

5.) Start with a clean slate. Sell old furniture to offset the cost if you buy something new! Maybe the layout of your living room is fine- but you would really love to have a new sofa or maybe a new rug. Roll up that rug, (after you clean it if needed) and post it on a local resale site. You'll be surprised that people will pay "something" for a quality piece of furniture. Then promise yourself to roll that money into one new piece. This will help to eliminate extra clutter and be conscious with your financial purchases. Starting the New Year by minimizing your space and donating, selling, or gifting older decor to someone in need, is a great place to begin. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and even Mercari.com are great places to list anything from accessories to furniture. Check out our other minimalism blog post from earlier in the year for some tips! We love this minimalistic living space we designed for one of our clients. The variety of textures create a cozy space without too many items.

I hope that you will feel some relief after doing some of the things on our "home" self-care list. If there is anything we can help you with, please contact us with this form: https://autumnrose.com/get-started...and tell us what you are looking for. We can direct you to one of our services that might help you with redesigning your space. We sincerely encourage you to use the New Year to nurture yourself and spend quality time with your family, in a space that you love.

www.autumnrose.com