How to refresh your home like a pro
I’ve always enjoyed changing things up at home, rearranging furniture and décor, and adding a few new pieces.
For part two of my “summer refresh” article, I’m focusing on easy DIY fix-ups: simple ways to transform a bland interior into an upbeat yet relaxed space through strategic cleaning, decluttering, and thoughtful updates. Here are a few ideas.
1 . Ask a trusted friend over
Ask someone you trust—preferably someone with good taste—to come over and walk through your front door with fresh eyes. Ask what catches their attention and which elements are not working. From there, reassess what you have. When you see your home every day, you become too familiar with your surroundings.
2. Clean your clutter
Remove unused and unwanted items. Martha Stewart has long advocated a 10-minute nightly reset, clearing surfaces and decluttering to let good chi in. Open your windows to let in fresh air. Clear and wipe down surfaces like your kitchen counter, bathroom vanity, nightstand, and desk. This will instantly improve the look of your spaces.
3 . Repair
Fix broken doors, wobbly drawers and shelves, chipped walls, and leaky pipes. These repairs can make a dysfunctional home feel more positive.
4. Light
Maximize natural light by moving activity areas closer to your windows. Add artificial lighting to highlight these areas and make the space feel more pleasant. Unify the light temperature throughout your home and layer lights with table lamps and floor lamps.
5. Upgrade hardware
Replace cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, and door handles with updated modern designs and metal finishes for an instant upgrade.
6. Replace switch plates
Replace boring white and dirty switch plates with more aesthetic finishes like silver, champagne titanium, gold, or khaki. There are dozens of colors to choose from. “Switch” up your outlets, too, so everything matches.
7. Rearrange furniture
Reposition your furniture pieces into different angles. Highlight an accent piece. Change your rug direction.
8. Shuffle art
Cluster your art pieces by theme, color, or frame. There are no strict rules, just keep balanced proportion in mind.
Instead of placing art at the center of the wall, why not group pieces in a corner to create a little intentional imbalance? This can make a space feel more interesting. I’ve even resorted to hanging art from the ceiling due to space limitations in my new home.
9 . Style your shelves
Put similar items together and display them as organized groupings. Use stackers, such as heavy acrylic bases, to highlight smaller pieces. Display ceramic bowls on iron stands instead of laying them flat. Pair your coffee table books with your collections, and add lighting to your shelves.
10. Upgrade your décor
Remove old tablecloths, table runners, low quality blankets, and worn rugs. Invest in a few luxurious pieces, like a cashmere throw, silk curtains, and fluffy pillows with layered fabrics.
11. Choose a signature scent for your home
It can be something light and refreshing to instantly make your space feel cleaner, cooler, and more inviting for summer.
12. Paint your wall
Paint an accent wall in a bold or muted color to create contrast and establish a focal point in the room.
13 . Create a nook
Find a corner where you can place a lounge chair, a small table, and a floor lamp to create a relaxing nook for your me-time.
14. Have a morning routine
Whether it’s a few minutes of meditation, watering the plants, playing with your dogs, or reading a book, carve out time in your own space to set your mind and body for the day.
15. Introduce patterns
Wallpaper, fabric, and rugs can make bold design statements
16. Put in your personality
Your home should reflect you. Your décor and furniture should be pieces you truly love, not choices that feel forced.
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I’m also including here my design heroes, who constantly evolve and redesign areas so effortlessly in their clients’ homes and personal spaces.
Vicente Wolf. He creates the most inspiring pieces–simple yet sophisticated, with pops of accent and color. He is a master at bringing furniture, artifacts, antiques, and modern pieces together in one space.
Juan Montoya. Known for his dramatic approach, he mixes textures, volume, and colors beautifully. He creates impact in a space with just one or two wow pieces.
Kelly Hoppen. She brings simple, elegant pieces together in a way that makes a space look and feel luxurious.
Peter Marino. Bold, edgy, dramatic, and glamorous, he is a lover of contemporary art and a true visionary. His use of opulent materials is his signature, often seen in boutiques he has designed for Tiffany, Chanel, Dior, and more. With the many art pieces in his personal collection, he amplifies their impact by creating huge, dramatic displays to house them all. It is a gorgeous way to show off multiple curated pieces.
The author is the founder of Chat Fores Design Studio, an award-winning and recognized interior designer known for redefining and elevating spaces. She specializes in residential, hospitality and amenity spaces for different real estate companies. Chat has also collaborated with international design firms to create residential interiors in Manila
