Ten Small Things that Make a Big Impact on Your Space

Photograph by ©Dawn Gagnon 2015

The best interior design is that which can yield the biggest impact with the least amount of effort. Effective design starts off with finding the balance between what adds to a space and what takes away from it. Good design can best be measured by the immediate "feeling" a room gives off. Does this mean a lot of work? Not necessarily. A room simply has to have a few good attributes. Much like putting on make up, if the model doesn't have great features to begin with, the make up won't do much more than mask a few imperfections.

1.  Less is more - You've heard it many times in your life I'm sure. Instead of always thinking what you need to add to your space to make it more attractive, try removing things. If it's not performing a function, isn't decorative it's probably not contributing much to the beauty of the room.

2.  Paint- This is always a simple change that has huge impact. Remember, if you are a novice at decorating, or painting, try a small room or space first. Don't be afraid to try out a new painting technique on a closet wall first. Keep in mind as well that paint can cast a very different look on different rooms with different or varying degrees of natural light. Painting a piece of canvas with the color you are considering and hanging it on the wall for a few days will give you an idea about how the paint will look.

3.  Rearrange Furniture - Sometimes, the biggest flaw in a room isn't design, or decor at all. It's poorly placed furniture. Furniture needs to be in the right location in a room to really bring about the beauty of the room. The general rule of thumb should be, big furniture should be placed along big walls, small on small walls and so on. They should also relate well to each other to form a conversational triangle.

4.  Change Drapes/curtains - Heavy drapes are often a great way during the colder months to contain heat, and also to keep it from coming into a room. As the season changes, new drapes and curtains can be a great way to breathe new life into the room. Just as your wardrobe changes when the season does, think of the drapes in your home in the same way. Lighten up the weights of the fabrics and color choices. It will yield a huge impact on the room.

5.  Mix textures, not color - Too many contrasting colors in a room can give off a bad disconcerting feel. By mixing up the textures in a room you can often give a room a lot of interest and a visual boost without having to overdose it in different color. Most rooms don't need more than three colors working in it at a time. Textures however, can be blended and used to make the room a treat to look at. Woven fabrics, Smooth accessories, if the colors are complimentary to each other this will give your room a lot of drama.

6.  Adding an area rug - Area rugs can make the room feel like you have actually changed out the flooring but for a fraction of the cost. Besides being a great way to protect flooring, area rugs can be additional layer of texture, design and color.

7.  Change the lamp shades - Lighting is a key functional and decorative item in a room. Just like anything else though, a change is sometimes called for. Rather than buying new lamps, new shades is a great way to change up the look and feel of the lamp itself but also has a big impact on the room.

8.  Add some foliage - Yes, plants can be a challenge to keep alive. They require attention. However, if you research the topic a little you can no doubt find the right house plants to fit your lifestyle. Plants add a beauty to a room like few things can. A few large plants in a room can do wonders to soften the hard edges. Living things often reflect a certain amount of vitality to a room that may be otherwise lifeless and drab.

9.  Cleaning - The beauty in any room will go completely unnoticed if the room itself is not clean. Windows need to be cleaned, carpets shampooed, and a thorough dusting can all improve the look and feel of a room.

10.  Change out the artwork - Looking at the same decor day in and day out will at some point lose its appeal. Much like watching the same movie over and over again. Change out the artwork and wall hangings can be an easy way to make the feel of the room change. Even changing frames can be a little change that will have a surprisingly big impact.