Come fall, we start looking through our closets, wondering what needs freshening up.
But what about our homes? There are just as many opportunities for style updates where we live, and they’re arguably more important, since our home’s vibe has been shown to affect everything from our mood to our sense of motivation.
Here are some great ways to give your manse a makeover:
Yellow is a great color to redecorate with. Studies show it makes us feel happier and more optimistic. Embellishing a room with its warmth also helps keep the coming winter blues at bay. I recommend starting with the bathroom or kitchen — both rooms you use in the early morning when you need a pick-me-up.
I’m always on the lookout for affordable yet chic furniture pieces that I can use to improve certain corners of my house. One of my favorite websites for that is www.zgallerie.com. They’ve got just about every kind of furniture or decor you could think of — and they especially shine in the modern department (with tons of white, gold and silver items, and with textures galore).
Of course, small additions can have a big impact, too: Simply putting a cool new knob on a dresser drawer or kitchen or bathroom cabinet is a fun way to personalize and upgrade a room without breaking the bank. Anthropologie has some beautiful and unique knobs you can buy in-store or online at www.anthropologie.com. At just $8 each, they run the gamut — from dainty and detailed ceramic flower buds to artsy painted glass and metal spheres.
Scent may seem like a lovely but nonessential addition to a home, but it has a big effect on our comfort and stress levels. Choose a scent that you find calming (whether it’s subtle, sweet, strong or spicy) and incorporate it into your favorite spaces, and you’ll be surprised by the change you feel there. Some of my favorite, beautifully pure candle fragrances are made by Farmhouse Pottery (www.farmhousepottery.com) in Woodstock, Vt. For fall, I can’t get enough of the clove scent. If you’re nervous about having an open flame in the house, go for fragrance oil and warmers — they’re flame-free but still make the same positive impact on your personal environment.
