Updates In Minutes

Break Up Dining Chairs

Unless you seat 8 to 10 people at your dining table every week, your chairs probably don’t get much use. Steal two from the dining room, and use them to flank a console table in your entry, a dresser in your bedroom, or the sideboard in your living room.

Update Your Lampshades

Outdated lampshades can make a room feel stale. To give your space a more modern feel, trade your pleated shades for simple drum-shaped ones -- they’re better looking and easier to keep clean. If you really want to make a statement, forgo a white shade in favor of something more dramatic, like gray.

Decorate the Personal Spaces

When decorating, we often spend our time, money, and energy on the rooms that we assume will be appreciated by other people. But if you find that you spend more time in your study (or bathroom, for that matter), it should be decorated with the same zeal and enthusiasm as your living room. Take one object you love -- try a lamp, painting, or pretty book -- and move it to a place where you can appreciate it most.

Change Your Light Fixture

Instead of a standard chandelier, try hanging a lantern over your dining room or breakfast table for a less fussy look.

Ditch the Matching Pillows

Many sofas come with a pair of pillows in a coordinating fabric, but the matchy-matchy look can be a bit obvious. Upgrade to down-filled pillows with removable covers in a fabric you love -- and don’t be afraid to mix it up with different patterns. A graphic floral looks fantastic against a small-scale stripe.