Give your home a fresh new look using what you already own.
 Yep, mix it up. That’s what
savvy interior designers do when staging a home for resale, to make it more
appealing to potential buyers. They call it a remix. And it’s a professional
trick worth copying anytime you’re in the mood for a décor do-over. Simply move
things around-maybe moving some stuff out, borrowing something from another
room, or even repurposing a piece of furniture. You can give a ho-hum space a
great makeover without spending a dime, since you’re using what you already
have. 
Rearrange. Look at the living
room, say, with a fresh eye. Does the room have a focal point? Is a great
window view accessible, or is it obscured by a bulky sofa? Are the conversation
areas inviting? Is any furniture huddled against the walls? Could traffic flow
be better? Hmm. It may take more than one try to perfect the floor plan, but
it’s well worth the effort, as you’ll want to remind your trusty helpers. When
rearranging, don’t overlook accessories. Accent pieces such as throw pillows,
lamps, artwork and area rugs, all might benefit from a creative remix. (Take
note that designers, particularly those who offer a staging service, may take
on a room remix commission.)
Repurpose. Simply put, this
means finding new uses for old stuff. A dresser is a fine example. It could be
moved into a bathroom to store towels; put into the kitchen to stash cookware;
placed in a dining room to keep table linens handy; or set on a porch to hold
gardening supplies. Dress up the piece with a slab of marble or granite for the
top, change  the drawer pulls, and it becomes more versatile. Has a TV armoire
been shunted aside by a flat screen? Give it a new life as a home for linens,
toys or home office supplies.
Rethink. The name that’s
assigned to a piece of furniture shouldn’t limit its function. Where is it
written that a nightstand belongs only in the bedroom? Who says a coffee table
must be paired with a sofa? Think about your decorating needs, not the item’s
name nor its traditional use. Be sure to consider furnishings that may be out
of sight in storage, or what might be filched from another room.
RePaint. Remmber that nothing transforms a room faster than paint, and it won't dent a budget. Right now no color looks newer than turquoise. Pantone, the company that knows everything there is to know about forecasting color trends, has named this hue its Color of the Year. Bold and vibrant or soft and shy, on a ceiling or trim or all four walls, it's a felicitous pick for a coastal home.
Gretchen Lamont, a former
copywriter at a major New York City ad agency, is a graduate of the University
of Missouri School of Journalism and the author of a children’s book, The
Mail-Carrier Cats of Liège. A transplant from NYC to Wilmington in ‘96, she has
lived in New Orleans, Memphis and San Antonio, and on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast.
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