13 Ways to Be Happier in Your Home This Year
by Laura Gaskill · 13 photos · 57 comments
1. Follow your heart, not trends. It's fun to keep track of what is current in the design world, but when it comes to your own home, remember you are the trendsetter! Just because emerald green is one forecaster's color of the year doesn't mean you should shun your favorite muted pastels. Let this be the year you stay true to you.
by Amy Lau Design 
2. Mark your calendar for a big flea market or antiques fair. A great way to get inspired is to attend a well-run antiques fair or major flea market, such as Brimfield in Massachusetts, Round Top in Texas or the Alameda Point Antiques Faire in Northern California. Pencil in the date and invite a design-loving friend to go along.
by studiodetro.com
3. Broaden your design education. If a home project has you feeling frustrated or simply uninspired, learning from the pros is a great way to get unstuck. Sign up for a design workshop, and read more decorating books, design blogs and ideabooks.
by Best & Company
4. Define the function of each room. If clutter is something you would like to tackle in the new year, this can be a useful way to approach the problem. Going room by room, think about what you really use each part of your home for — watching movies and reading in the den, for example. Make sure that everything you need to do these things is at hand, and get rid of anything and everything unrelated.
More guides to decluttering
by Sheila Rich Interiors, LLC More guides to decluttering
5. Make a mood board. Get out your scissors, tape and stacks of dog-eared design mags, pour yourself a cup of something yummy to drink and set aside an afternoon for crafty fun. The online world is wonderful, but sometimes the physical act of cutting and pasting pictures can spark ideas that just don't occur while you're staring at a screen.
Create a place for inspiration to flourish
by Iris Create a place for inspiration to flourish
6. Give your front door a facelift. When was the last time you gave your front door a second thought? It contributes a lot to the first impression people have of your home. Is it in good shape? Could it use new hardware? A new color? Consider adding something new, such as fresh potted plants in hefty urns to flank your entrance, a stately door knocker or modern house numbers.
by Four Chairs Furniture
7. Refresh your bathroom. The beauty of a bathroom makeover is that it takes so little to make a big impact. Splurge on nice hand soap and lotion, and place them in a little tray on your sink (you can always refill the bottles with your usual stuff when they're empty). Snip a fresh bloom and float it in a bowl or cup, give your sink and mirrors a good scrub, and pick out a stack of new, fluffy white bath towels.
by AM Dolce Vita
Melltorp Dining Table - $69.99 [ Link ]
8. Personalize a plain piece. Instead of letting that plain white or wood piece play a supporting role, turn it into something special with a creative touch. Customize a plain table by having a piece of glass cut to fit the top and using it to display a beautiful printed wallpaper, fabric or even gift wrap. Paint the legs of a stool, cover the back of a bookcase in grass cloth or burlap, or line your drawers with pretty paper.
by IKEA
9. Have something made just for you (and your house). Whether you live in your forever home or are renting your first apartment, having something made especially for you really makes your space your own. There are so many wonderfully creative options available these days for personalized items:
by Caitlin Wilson - Order a custom calligraphy-style address stamp.
- Commission a house or pet portrait.
- Have your monogram put on pillow covers or hand towels.
- Have your house numbers monogrammed onto cocktail napkins.
- Create a DIY monogram using stencils or iron-on letters for a budget-friendly project.
10. Learn a new skill. If you haven't yet hopped on the DIY bandwagon, let this be the year you give it a try. Choose an area that appeals to you and search for tutorials online (read about reupholstering a chair seat here), pick up a book, or hunt for a local class or workshop to get started.
by Meg Padgett
11. Set your table at every meal. This is one of those small habits that can end up making a huge difference in your daily life. The setup doesn't need to be fancy, but commit to setting out real glasses, plates and silverware, and cloth napkins, along with something extra, such as a vase of flowers, placemats or a tablecloth — even if you are having takeout.
by Schranghamer Design Group
12. Tweak the lighting. Lighting can make an amazing difference in our experience of a room. For each room in your home, count the light sources — aim for at least three but preferably more. If you have overhead lighting, put the fixtures on dimmer switches and supplement with table and floor lamps.
by Webber + Studio, Architects
13. Buy less but buy better quality. I know it's not always possible to buy the things we have our hearts set on, but we can set a goal to not fritter away money on furniture that will fall apart within a year or decor bought on impulse. If you do have your eye on a special piece, try keeping a picture of it where you will see it regularly (like on your phone) as a reminder to save up for what you really want.
Tell us: What home resolutions would you like to try in 2013?
by David Vandervort Architects
Tell us: What home resolutions would you like to try in 2013?
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The only plus to following trends is that you can be certain to get things and colours you want. Nothing more infuriating than dreaming up a room and then finding the colours of fabrics and accessories aren't available because they aren't "in".
My plans are to just plod along with my renovations so I can post for my friends on Houzz. I want to try to finish each room as I do it, but that isn't always possible as I'm not rushing with accessories especially, I'm waiting for just the right thing to 'speak' to me.
They say a shoemakers kids have the worst shoes and a contractor's home is often unfinished. I have so many unfinished rooms in my house it is truly embarrassing. After two years I have yet to install my hardwood floors.... aahhh. lol.
At work we have a company rule we call XYZ. The XYZ rule is simple - if you can not work on X, then start on Y. If your missing something to work on Y - then switch to Z. Being organized with tool lists and materials will always provide enough work to do something in a day. There is no sense doing something first if something else needs to be done before that step, but having the supplies and tools to finish a job is a great starter step for any room. It is such a waste of time to go get a nail for example to hang a picture when you could have worked on something else. Shopping or fetching things is a scape goat - an easy way to waste time. Shop first thing in the morning not mid day. If you need to leave the job site, look around XYZ do you really need to do that now?
I struggle working on my home since often the work on it is not at the same caliber as the work we get paid to do. This sucks. But sadly this is a realty I need to face. This year I'm going to bang stuff out and get some %^&* done. Down the road if my pockets grow deeper I'll make improvements, but for 2013 the goal is to start checking things of the list.
My list is long, much bigger than XYZ - more like aABbcCdD......xXYyzZ JW
And I always suggest getting the best you can afford, in conjunction with making the most of what you already have.
Here are some other resolution ideas for home decor.
http://www.torontodesigners.com/blog/2013/01/make-your-decor-dreams-happen-in-2013/
Also, I find that looking at snapshots inside my home gives me a new perspective. An arrangement I thought looked nice is too busy, or simply too much - ("Wow, that shelf sure looks messy!" or "Eww, time to re-cover those pillows!").
Don't be afraid to paint! If you paint for an hour and don't love it, go back to the store and get another color! Paint is an inexpensive fix.
When in doubt - throw it out! Or at least store it out of sight for a few weeks. If you miss it, try it somewhere else.
Only live, love and laugh will improve any part of my home. ;))
A clean slate, I read more, retire early, meditate at great length on what I loved about 2012, vow to have more in 2013. Forgive myself for the areas that wasted my energy, vowing to love myself more completely with my fresh new beginning.
I am always nesting, and recently over from a nearly 6,000 square foot new, modern monstrosity, into a 1,600 square foot 60's cottage.
Less is more, a newly found mantra! Thank you each and everyone of you for your beauty, humor, and great practical ideas!
Watch out 2013! We are going to ROCK out peace, joy, and contentment!!!!
Too bad we have a fakey faux wood one with glass inset. Looks good from a distance, but I doubt painting it would improve it much.
@hannahlog
You are already on Houzz - that's a good start. Start an idea book.
Whatever you do, don't paint your cabinets white.
KIDDING! JUST KIDDING!
http://www.interiordesigngreensboro.com/search?q=front+porch+front+door