Are you loving the ‘light and airy’ white home decor look everyone seems to be coveting these days, but you’re not sure how to get started on the journey to a light and bright home? Give these tips a read! Hopefully they will lend some inspiration for how to attain this trendy style on a budget!
1. USE SHEERS
Ditch the heavy, dramatic drapes and hang sheers or transparent linen curtains on your windows. In bedrooms, swap dark coloured curtains for light coloured ones with blackout backing if you like to sleep in pitch darkness (like me!).
2. PAINT WALLS IN LIGHT COLOURS
Paint walls in light colours, like white, cream, light beige, or light grey. If you love colour, try limiting one wall to a pop of your preferred colour – or use patterned wallpaper (make sure the base colour is a neutral).
3. ADD SOFT FLORALS
Bring in fresh (or faux) flowers in pastel colours like blush, butter, white, and powder blue. Use seeded eucalyptus in shades of mint and grey, avoiding dark and kelly green (yep, even greenery colour matters!). Visit my home decor shop, Shop Jamie Krause for inspo.
4. LIGHTEN UP FURNITURE COLOURS
Have a lot of heavy, dark furniture weighing you down? If you still like the style of them, try ‘upcycling’ them before you buy new! Paint them in your preferred colours, and see if that does the trick. Don’t like the style anymore at all? Head to your local thrift store. Bring home some good quality pieces you like the bare bones of, even if you don’t love the colour. Paint, and enjoy your ‘new-to-you’ furniture while keeping things out of the landfill! Donate or sell your old pieces online to keep them out of the landfill, too.
5. REDRESS YOUR BED
Ditch dark, bold, or patterned bedding you’ve outgrown, and invest in bedding in a light solid colour, or lightly patterned with a neutral base. If you like, add pops of colour in throw pillows and blankets. Bonus: this makes it easy to change the look up seasonally by rotating feature pillows and throws, AND neutral bedding will last you much longer (rather than buying new bedding annually when you get bored of the patterns).
6. ADD MULTIPLE LIGHT SOURCES
Multiple floor lamps, sconces, and lamps set upon tabletops fill your room with a much better and softer glow, as opposed to a couple of harsh overhead lightbulbs that cast shadows. Choose ‘daylight’ toned bulbs instead of cool (too blue) or warm white (too orange).
7. HANG FAIRY LIGHTS
Add strands of twinkle lights to your living room and bedrooms. Turn them on during the day while spending time at home to add a bit of warmth, personality and whimsy to your room. Yes, even when it’s not Christmas! Opt out of traditional Christmas bulb strands of white or dark green, and go with thin strands of silver, gold, or rose gold wire.
8. CLEAN AND DECLUTTER
The easiest way to make your space feel airier? Nix the dust and dirt! Use a damp cloth or microfibre duster on shelves and surfaces to remove dust at the source (avoid feather dusters that just sweep the dust into the air), vacuum, wipe down mirrors and windows, and wash curtains, bedding, and sofa covers. While you’re cleaning, gather up excess knick knacks, papers, garbage, broken items, and anything else that isn’t serving you. Allocate them into donations, recycling, and trash. After your purging and cleaning are done, open up the curtains and shades and let the light in. Instantly ‘light and airy’ mini makeover without spending a dime!
9. USE LIGHTWEIGHT HOME DECOR PIECES
Avoid decorating with heavy, clunky pieces. Think oversized ceramic vases in dark colours, dusty black wrought iron wall art (if you still love them, consider spray painting them in white, champagne, gold, or rose gold!), and oversized candle holders you don’t care for anymore. Send them to someone who likes a bolder home, and start bringing in the pastel and neutral toned pieces you’re seeking.
10. CLEAN UP YOUR FRIDGE
If your fridge is covered in photos, souvenir magnets, business cards, takeout menus, and more – take everything off. Add photos to albums, toss or recycle things you no longer need, and give the whole thing a good wipe down. Your kitchen will instantly feel lighter!
I hope these tips gave you a good head start in your quest for a lighter, more livable home. Let me know if you have any questions or require more information on any of these tips! And enter your email below to receive my posts straight to your inbox.
xo, Jamie
jamiekrausehomeandliving.com 