When it comes to hairstyles, cologne, clothing, and even daily routines, most of us are creatures of habit. Although change is one of the easiest ways to spruce up your image, it's also one of the hardest things to actually undergo. And when it comes to your home, it can become quite an expensive venture. Today I thought we could take a different approach and discuss some home decorating tips, rather than fashion or sex toys.
I'm talking about little changes that can make a huge difference in your place, and turn your pad from a living space to a stylish guy's palace. There's no need to call the movers or hire an interior design team; most of these tips are of the do-it-yourself variety, courtesy of Askmen.com
After all, if you take good care of your appearance on a daily basis, your home deserves the same kind of treatment, if not more. It's your looks and demeanor that are going to get the ladies to come on over, but it's the style and overall look of your home that'll determine whether you're really the sophisticated man she thinks you are. Let the following ideas inspire you to upgrade your place and constantly improve your image -- you are where you live, right?
Brush Up On Painting
One of the most obvious decorating techniques is also one of the most time-consuming. But there's a reason why a new coat of paint and change of color can infuse new life into any space -- it's the first thing you notice when you walk into a room. Whether you decide to pick up a brush yourself or enlist the help of your girlfriend or a professional painter, it's up to you to choose the color.
Remember that a lighter color makes a place look bigger while a darker color can have the opposite effect; but that doesn't mean you can't experiment with a different color rather than the usual white or "eggshell." While neutrals are a "safer" option, softer shades of earth tones are gaining popularity. Some popular wall colors include cappuccino or mocha brown, sage green and light blue.
And don't limit yourself to one-dimensional options; if you hire a pro, you can consider a more textured painting technique, which can add a whole other effect to your walls. If you do it yourself, you can also opt for "special effect" paint, which has different textures like denim, suede, linen, and sandstone, for example.
Change Lighting
A natural complement to a room's wall color, lighting can lend an entirely new dimension to a room. Just think of the effect the right lighting can have on a film or TV show. It might be hard to completely restructure your home's lighting structure, especially if you live in a rental, but there are other ways to enhance the lighting in your rooms without having to add recessed lighting (pot lights) or track lighting -- both of which are great ideas, but require complete electrical rewiring.
Invest in some cool floor lamps, table lamps, and even ceiling fixtures (if applicable). There is an abundance of lamp options out there, and there's no reason for you to have to resort to a lamp from the local hardware store. From wood to leather bases, and "Zen"-looking shades, your minimalist-looking lamps can give your place maximum appeal.
Furniture Additions
If you don't want to actually purchase new furniture, you can resort to rearranging your space. At the risk of getting all "feng shui" on you, angling your bed, table and sofa in a new direction can infuse new energy to your space. When you moved in, you may have simply placed your dining room table, couch, bed, and dresser without a second thought, rather than trying out all the different options. You may even discover that your home has a lot more space than you're used to or suspected.
But you could also take the more expensive route, and invest in some cool additions to your home. The right accessories and/or furniture can become the focal point of a room, giving it a whole new spin. The following is a list of furniture or accessories you should consider for various rooms in the house (whichever ones you want to spruce up):
1. Coffee table: An ottoman can also serve as a coffee table.
2. End table
3. Chairs: An original, trendy chair can become the life of your living room.
4. Rug: You can go funky with a bright shag carpet or classic with a traditional area rug.
5. Art: Go for something conversational and original, like a vintage poster or abstract art.
6. Wall unit
7. Aquarium with exotic fish
8. Vases filled with fresh bamboo, stones, or apples, pears, lemon, or lime (very Zen and very cool).
9. Throw cushions
10. Wine rack
11. Bar stools
Upgrading Ideas
If you want to prove your attention to detail, you can also work on things like hardware and fixtures. Just keep in mind that if you're going to invest in renovations and upgrades, the kitchen and bathrooms are the best places to do so as they will give you the most returns when it comes to resale value, according to a Washington Times article called "Trendy Interior Mixes Function, Fashion."
Upgrade Hardware
Changing the handles on your drawers, such as those in your kitchen or on a wall unit, desk or bedroom dressers, can give any room a dose of class. You can make your furniture and cabinets look more valuable by switching standard handles with brushed stainless steel or bronze hardware. A popular shape is long and rectangular rather than simply round and traditional.
Upgrade door handles: By the same token, upgrading your door handles will make people want to stay once they walk through those doors.
Install racks: Consider installing stainless steel towel racks in your bathroom, for example, rather than keeping your towels on the bathroom counter or in cabinets.
Kitchen tiles: If you own your home, maybe you can even consider changing the tiles of your kitchen floor or those on the walls. Admittedly, this is a more expensive job that you probably can't do yourself, but it will add some fashion heat to your kitchen. As well, wallpaper is well on its way out, while decorative tiles on walls are in.
Blinds: This is also a costly designing venture, but it can reap huge style rewards. Switching your aluminum Venetian blinds or traditional-looking curtains for wood horizontal blinds can shine a whole new light on a space. Again, this can run you several thousands of dollars (at least).
Improving Your Decor
When it comes to your living space, it's easy to become complacent and settle for the way things look. But it's important to invest the effort (and some money, of course) into the place you call your own. The spectrum of changes you can make is broad, from $100 to $10,000, so it's up to you to set your budget and make sure whatever you want to do can realistically remain within your budget and time frame. It might seem like a lot of work, but your home is a direct reflection of you and if you don't care for it, who will?
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