Living Room Refresh

The day after I hosted a few of my girlfriends for a post-holiday dinner party (some of whom I’ve known for 22 years!!), I immediately had an urge to strip my home of all of my holiday decor... it was time for a refresh! I took down every single Christmas item, placed everything on a table, and started rearranging all of my home decor with the help of my childhood bestie, Nat. We went over every section of the living room, making sure each area of my home had a clean, fresh look. Looking to find out how you can do the same? Use our tips below!

 1. White space. Before you put anything back, think about the placement of every item. Position it in a way that it’s intended to be there, not mindlessly stacked or jammed into a corner. Also, test out new items in new spaces. If you’ve had an item in a certain spot for a long time, maybe it’s time to move it! It might make all the difference, and you may end up loving it even more in its new home. Thoughtful placement provides more white space between items, allows your room to breathe, and makes it feel a lot lighter going into the new year.

2. Plant life. Nothing says new year, new you like some fresh greenery. It helps you start the year off fresh, provides oxygen, adds a bright, lively energy to the room, and ultimately, is just beautiful to look at. My infamous plant that I had draping over my bookshelf was healthy, but it was looking a little sparse and scraggly in some areas, so I felt like it needed a trim. Thank goodness Nat’s a green thumb; she took matters into her own hands and gave my baby a much needed haircut! From there, we moved my plants around the living room until we found new spots that made sense. In the end, my plant corner turned out to be one of my favourite new spots in the room.

3. Make room for the things you love. While we were restyling all the vignettes, we paid extra attention to the items we were putting on display. When restyling, it’s a great time to declutter and purge items you no longer need, and focus on styling with intention. I wanted to love my space all over again, and to do that, I only put the things I absolutely love on display. Items you aren’t sure about or you have no connection to should NOT be living their best life in the spotlight of your living room. Donate those bad boys and style away. Also, don’t think that this means “go out and buy things I love”. You already have things you love in your home, so use them and show them some love! Be grateful for the things you have, and you’ll enjoy them that much more.

4. Define your space. Once I took down my Christmas tree from the corner of my living room, I really started to love having it free of clutter. I used to have another bookshelf there (from my office at my old apt), but removing it from the room opened up the space entirely. To make better use of the corner, I created a nook with a plant and chair that I can use for reading, writing, meditating, working on my sketchbook, journaling... literally whatever it is I want to do! I now have a nook dedicated to “me” time, which goes hand in hand with supporting some of my 2019 intentions, and I couldn’t be happier about it. 

And that’s it, that’s all! How are you refreshing your space for 2019?! I’d love to hear some of your tips! 

xo

Linnea