Is your home decor feeling a bit stale and 2017-ish all of a sudden? Reinventing your living space is a great way to refresh in 2018.
According to interior decorator Martin Amado, you don’t have to spend a fortune to give your home a makeover. “There are two cost-effective ways to update any space for the new year. The first is to re-arrange the existing furniture,” he tells PEOPLE CHICA. “A new layout can make a room appear and feel different. Then, concentrate on the decorative accessories and lighting. A new table lamp, toss pillows and area rug can give a tired space a new look.”
The Cuban-American TV personality — host of SoFlo Home Project on ABC affiliate WPLG Local 10 and recurrent guest on Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Día — also offers simple ways to revamp a bedroom. “The bed is always the focal point. Therefore, the best way to update this space is with new bedding. Layer the bed with quilts, duvets, euro shams and decorative pillows like you see in a five-star hotel. These details change the entire experience when you walk into your retreat. You can also create a feature wall by painting the wall behind the headboard in an accent color or adding a unique wall treatment such as wallpaper or wood planks. Since you’re only doing it on one wall, the materials and expenses will be minimal and the impact will be dramatic.”
Transforming a house can bring new positive energy to those who live in it, Amado emphasizes. “Our homes are an extension of ourselves — in the same fashion that our wardrobe expresses a part of who we are; it should reflect our personalities and passions because we begin and end our day here. If we don’t feel happy or have an emotional connection to our own personal space, I believe it can impact other areas of our live too,” he adds.
Transforming a house can bring new positive energy to those who live in it, Amado emphasizes. “Our homes are an extension of ourselves — in the same fashion that our wardrobe expresses a part of who we are; it should reflect our personalities and passions because we begin and end our day here. If we don’t feel happy or have an emotional connection to our own personal space, I believe it can impact other areas of our live too,” he adds.
The adage “out with the old and in with the new” applies to your entire home, not just your closet. “We don’t walk around wearing the same outfit every day, year in and year out, do we? We change up our look every day and even update our clothes by season to stay modern. As a designer, it’s important that we see our home décor in a similar manner for this reason, so that we are not stuck in a design rut,” he says.
A few new accessories and accent pieces can dramatically enhance a room without going over budget. “Invest in larger furniture pieces in neutral and solid fabrics that are timeless and add prints and colors with the accessories to stay on trend, which you can easily switch out to keep the spaces looking fresh,” he concludes.