Architecture & Web Art

Utopic Architecture and Web Design

  • Architecture
    • Administrative Buildings
    • Apartments
    • Clubs, Bars
    • Commercial Buildings
    • Day Care Centres
    • Gas Stations
    • Hospitals
    • Hotels
    • Houses
    • Museums – Pavillions
    • Office Buildings
    • Residential Buildings
    • Stadiums
    • Town Halls
    • University-School-Sport Facilities
    • Workshop, Comunity Centers
  • Interior Design
    • Lamps & Lighting
    • Bathroom Furniture
    • Living Room Furniture
  • Web Design
    • Photoshop
    • Illustrator
    • Logo Design
  • DIY
  • Concept & Proposals
  • Utopia
  • Resources
    • Architects
    • Designers
    • Interviews
You are here: Home / Interior Design / Kitchen Furniture / Decorating Tricks That Make the Old Seem New

Decorating Tricks That Make the Old Seem New

November 15, 2010 by Dan

Purchasing the 55-year-old home that was lovingly designed by your mother and in which you spent your entire childhood sounds romantic. Having done just that, I would say look before you leap. The home decorating and remodeling aspect is not nearly as romantic as one might think.

Old houses are just that — old. There is no way around it. They are built well, but they are still old. Therefore, there is always something in the structure that gets so old, it wears out and needs replacing. Unfortunately, those expenses are usually things like the toilet or the roof which must be done but don’t necessarily equate with home decorating.

To me, home remodeling or decorating should be something that makes the house look good and the owner feel good. Plumbing and roofing are, of course, necessary but not fun like reinventing the look and feel of your home. And, they always seem to need to be done immediately and with a big punch to the pocketbook.

During the 19 years that I spent trying to lovingly update my dear old house over and over again; one of the easiest ways that I have found to update a room without spending much money is investing in two very inexpensive items: a few cans of paint and area rugs.

Good paint is relative inexpensive and so are good area rugs. Why pair paint and rugs? The best reason is because they are the perfect combination!

Paint transforms the area and makes it look new and area rugs can tie the old and new design elements in the room together instead of opting for new wood flooring or tile flooring. A designer friend shared this trick with me and I have discovered that it works every time. Another wonderful thing a colorful area rug will do for your room is draw the eye away from parts of the room that might still be in need of some remodeling or redecorating. Years before I painted my unsightly kitchen cabinets, an interior designer told me to invest in a colorful rug that would draw the eye from the cabinets to the floor. Try it. It works.

My most recent remodeling adventure entailed totally transforming my kitchen by painting the old, ugly pine cabinets a beautiful Huntington beige color. The design challenge: How to tie in the 81 square feet of off-white and royal blue counter tops, the blue and burgundy window treatments and my new beige cabinets? And, keep the total project expense under about $200.

Enter a beautiful new area rug. I found a blue, burgundy and beige floral rug that exquisitely pulls together the blue tile and blue and burgundy window coverings with the new beige color of the cabinets.

Modern rugs make old rooms feel new, and my new rug did just that while also tying together my old colors (tile and window treatments) and my new colors (cabinets).

Not only do I now have a new kitchen but for less than $150, I have one with a timeless look that will last. Good paint! Great rug! Works every time.

Filed Under: Kitchen Furniture Tagged With: decorating, decorating tips, quick decorating

About Dan

Dan Fargo,the editor-in-chief of Archtopia, an online magazine dedicated to architects and designers.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Top Tips on Choosing a New Kitchen

Adding Southwestern Flair with Wall Art

Detached From The Ground House In The Canopy Of Trees

Cream is Not Just for Coffee

pool hall

Create Your Own In-Home Pool Hall

Coffee Corners with Plenty of Appeal

Leolux | Modern Retro Sofa

Add Warmth and Charm with Western Touches

Bringing the Coffee House Into Your Kitchen

Tessuti Glass Lighting – Customizable Design by Evistyle

Home Decorating Techniques with Mediterranean Style

Crank Up Battery

Vibia Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Decorating with Neutral Colors

H2Office – Prefab Floating Office

REX | Vakko Headquarters & Power Media Center

Luxury Speed Boat – Vivace26 by Garret Miller and Partners

Forrest Fulton Architecture | Lace Hill

Trio Contemporary Coffee Table by Rick Lee

HMC Architects – Frontier Project

SEARCH

Recent Comments

  • a on PizzaKobra by Ron Arad – Flexible Table Lamp
  • http://evasi0ns.org/ on The 15 Greatest Beds: Past and Present
  • Smithg117 on Interior Design CA Colleges
  • best computer screen recording software on 101 Inspirational Quotes from Famous Architects and Artists
  • free web traffic links bonus #1 on 3 Great Ways to Decorate Your Home with Metal

Copyright © · Architecture and Web Art