Styling your home for Summer
Monday, 14 January 2019
Redecorating your home can be a fun task, especially when you can do it without breaking the bank. Here are some cheap ways to style your home this summer.
Add a splash of colour
Summer is synonymous with bright hues, and this is still the case as we head into 2019. Add some warmth – and fun – to your home with pops of yellow, orange, green and watermelon pink. If subdued colours are more your thing, muted apricot is predicted to replace the pastel pink that has been so huge in recent years and will contrast nicely with the brighter summer tones. You’ll likely find plenty of green and apricot in thrift stores, op shops and markets, while department stores and homeware stores have accessories in all colours of the rainbow. Even the smallest of changes, such as a couple of new cushions, an extra throw rug or even a new painting can change the whole look and feel of your space and be used to signal the warmer months are now here.
Natural earthy materials
Concrete, clay, cane and timber are also all the rage and readily available in thrift shops as well as the homewares section of your favourite stores. You can pick up a lamp or coffee table, chair, or a desk cheaply in second hand stores – and you can feel good that your money goes towards supporting a non-profit or charity in your community. If you’re up for a DIY challenge, why not get out your trusty tools and make them yourself to reduce the cost even further? You can pick up recycled timber and metal scraps from all over the place – sometimes they can even be found on Buy, Swap, Sell or Gumtree for free! And if you know someone who is a bit of a saw and hammer star, or you are yourself, then put those skills to use and create your own furniture. The best thing about doing this is that the furniture is completely unique, so no one else will have a piece like yours.
Embrace the broken
Wabi Sabi is the Japanese term for ‘imperfection’ and is all about embracing just that. Wabi Sabi gives us an excuse to pull out some of our broken wares that may have otherwise gone in the bin. Have a ceramic vase that is chipped or a glass figurine with a crack down the side? Pull it out and pop it on display. The term goes wider and incorporates mismatched furniture, contrasting colour and uneven textiles, which allows you to mix it up using things you already have. This, in turn, will save you money in one or more of these three ways - having to buy new things, repairing items that are broken, or paying dump fees to dispose of things that you would have otherwise put in the trash.
The final word
Embrace the colours, fibres and feel of summer to inspire your sunny home makeover.
Add a splash of colour
Summer is synonymous with bright hues, and this is still the case as we head into 2019. Add some warmth – and fun – to your home with pops of yellow, orange, green and watermelon pink. If subdued colours are more your thing, muted apricot is predicted to replace the pastel pink that has been so huge in recent years and will contrast nicely with the brighter summer tones. You’ll likely find plenty of green and apricot in thrift stores, op shops and markets, while department stores and homeware stores have accessories in all colours of the rainbow. Even the smallest of changes, such as a couple of new cushions, an extra throw rug or even a new painting can change the whole look and feel of your space and be used to signal the warmer months are now here.
Natural earthy materials
Concrete, clay, cane and timber are also all the rage and readily available in thrift shops as well as the homewares section of your favourite stores. You can pick up a lamp or coffee table, chair, or a desk cheaply in second hand stores – and you can feel good that your money goes towards supporting a non-profit or charity in your community. If you’re up for a DIY challenge, why not get out your trusty tools and make them yourself to reduce the cost even further? You can pick up recycled timber and metal scraps from all over the place – sometimes they can even be found on Buy, Swap, Sell or Gumtree for free! And if you know someone who is a bit of a saw and hammer star, or you are yourself, then put those skills to use and create your own furniture. The best thing about doing this is that the furniture is completely unique, so no one else will have a piece like yours.
Embrace the broken
Wabi Sabi is the Japanese term for ‘imperfection’ and is all about embracing just that. Wabi Sabi gives us an excuse to pull out some of our broken wares that may have otherwise gone in the bin. Have a ceramic vase that is chipped or a glass figurine with a crack down the side? Pull it out and pop it on display. The term goes wider and incorporates mismatched furniture, contrasting colour and uneven textiles, which allows you to mix it up using things you already have. This, in turn, will save you money in one or more of these three ways - having to buy new things, repairing items that are broken, or paying dump fees to dispose of things that you would have otherwise put in the trash.
The final word
Embrace the colours, fibres and feel of summer to inspire your sunny home makeover.
