Top Tips for Making a Bold Statement in 2017

For 2017, I know everyone else is thinking ‘new year, new you’ but sometimes you can start a new year relaxing on the couch, eating some carbs, and ordering new décor online while enjoying your favorite glass of Lindeman’s wine. Maybe take a stroll down to your local yard sale or goodwill – support the community! Sometimes, the best YOU comes just from creating the perfect space around you. For this new year, its time to think bold, think luxury but affordable, and find pieces that really mean something to you.

Back to Black

At this point the word “DIY” is about as annoying as pretty much every guy on Tinder. If I see one more project based on a Mason Jar I’m going to loose it. That said, I’m a VERY firm believer in the power of black paint. I can confidently say that anything can benefit from this magical treatment. Chairs, a tag-sale dresser, a shelving unit. Go nuts! Because whatever you paint will look better afterwards. An ugly shelving unit painted black is suddenly super chic and a great way to organize anything and everything. Followed by a couple trips to the Goodwill and voila! ***BONUS TIP: Don’t hate on the Goodwill. It’s my mecca and will be yours too after you find the gems that are there, waiting for you. Trust me.

The Art of Part

One of the biggest hurdles when decorating is art. Lets be real, whatever money you have right now isn’t going towards a three thousand dollar, one of a kind gallery piece. So how do you have art that feels special and like ‘you’ vs. the obligatory “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster or God forbid the “Live. Laugh. Love” sign. (Note: If you have either of those in your house, keep calm and immediately throw them out).

It’s okay… At this point we’ve all had some kind of inspirational verbiage literally written on our walls to find positivity and meaning in everyday life, but this trend is long dead. Instead of opting for the clearance section of stock art, take some time to go out to your local art store or even the Goodwill to find something that speaks to you and compliments your home. Support local artists and put something on the wall that is meant for a wider scape of interpretation.

Get Original

There are two really great ways to have personal art in your home as you begin to build your style and possessions without breaking the bank. One is a gallery wall. This allows you to collect up a lot of small pieces and put them together for a real impact. The other trick is to buy a large canvas for whatever the size calls for and paint!

50 Shades of Gray

It’s not easy to put together a room. You have to know your style, have a vision, a master plan, a glass of wine to handle the stress…it’s a lot! So, this is where I advise you to go gray (Disclaimer: I’m talking about your room NOT your hair). Gray is one of the colors where you can bring a million different shades of it into one room and everything still looks cohesive. You can use many different textures and products to capitalize on the range of one color – from wood, silk and wool, to incorporating mirrors – all compounded together for a layered touch.

Not a big fan of color? That’s OK

Not doing a lot of color can still be bold and chic and not look too staged. You can’t go wrong with all white everything, especially with just the right amount of your favorite accent color. Truly. To make a bedroom that is a refresher to your mind at the end of a long day and can also serve as a blank slate when you wake up to start a new day – that is the ultimate goal. Bedrooms should not just be a cozy place to sleep, they should also serve as an inspiration so that when you wake up in the morning you want to hop out of bed and say ‘let’s get started.’

Disclaimer: When you have a small tiny room with no light… you probably don’t want to paint it white. BUT if you have great lighting and high ceilings, then it is A-OK to make the room white.

Size Matters

Guys, size matters. We know this. When you’re trying to fit something really small into a large space it just doesn’t work. Am I right?!?? Obviously, you know where I’m going with this…your couch. Add more furniture. When you see a small space you typically think that you may need small furniture, and keep everything open, but in actually, the more you put in the room, the better it will be. Pick out a small coffee table, chairs, a chaise and move it all around a few times until you find the best fit for the room.