How to Painlessly Redecorate Your Room In an Easy and Exciting Way

It can be overwhelming to redecorate your room. Do you empty the whole space first to have a blank canvas to work with? Do you scroll for inspiration online? Or, do you go shopping and start buying things you like? So many questions, and so many decisions! Today I will be showing you how to redecorate your room in an easy, exciting, and affordable way. 

The Breakdown

 You’ll undergo 4 different stages when you redecorate your room. Each stage has its own set of challenges and tasks. Those 4 stages are…

• Questioning

• Deciding

• Shopping

• Decorating!

Before You Redecorate Your Room

Hold on, before you step any further. I highly encourage you to read last week’s blog post (if you haven’t already) where I explain exactly what redecorating is. Click the link below to begin reading!

Last Week’s Post: When to Say “Redecorate,” “Renovate,” or “Remodel” – Welcome to Interior Design School!

Stage #1: Questioning

Before you go shopping, scroll Pinterest, or take anything out of the room, ask yourself the following questions: 

• What fixed elements (walls, trims, floors, etc.) are you keeping? Which are going?
• What pieces of furniture would you like to keep? Which one(s) would you like to replace/add? 
• Is the room serving the purposes that you need it to? If not, how can you change it so that it does? 
• Are any organization products needed (aka, bins, baskets, drawer dividers)?
• What’s your max budget? 
• What style/styles are you wanting to go for? 
• Do you want the room light, bright, and airy? Or dark, deep, and moody? 
• What about a color pallet? Do you have any colors currently in the room you would like to get rid of? What about some colors that you would like to add? 

After you’ve answered the questions above, you should have a pretty solid foundation for starting to redecorate your room. It’s important that you question before you search online for ideas. Without having any idea about where you want the room to go, it can be very overwhelming to look at thousands of different ideas and pictures. The more you hone in on what you want, the less time you’ll spend in the search bar. 

Stage #2: Deciding

Create a Pin Board On Pinterest

After you’ve answered the questions above, it’s time to get a visual of what you want in the space. Creating a pin board on Pinterest (not sponsored) is a great way to do this. Not only will you get a visual of your dream room, but you’ll also be able to notice which elements you like about a certain design… and which you don’t. For example, say you pin mostly rooms with console tables against the backs of sofas, then maybe this is an indicator that you should add a console table to the back of your sofa. If you tend to pin rooms without curtains, then maybe this is a sign that curtains aren’t the right option for you. Eventually, you’ll notice a distinct pattern through your pins. This is a sign that you’re ready to go to the next step

Pick a Mood

A mood that a room gives off can greatly affect you and your lifestyle. For example, if your office is dark, dim, and gloomy, you may find that you feel sleepy when you go in there. This, in turn, can affect your productivity and motivation. That is not the reason behind having an office. An office should be a place where you feel most productive and motivated. Therefore, the dark, gloomy office mood is not ideal for the purpose you need the room to serve. If you need a space to make you feel awake and energized, then maybe you should consider going for a bright, airy mood. If you need a room to make you feel comforted and relaxed, then maybe you should opt for a dimmer, darker mood. Take my advice, and don’t skip out on picking a mood. It can make– or break– the room’s entire design outcome. 

Pick a Color Pallet

After you have a mood in mind (relaxing, moody, cheerful…), it’s time to pick your color pallet. Picking a color pallet will prevent you from having all of your room elements clash. You want the pieces of a room to work together in harmony with one another. You don’t want the pieces of a room to fight against each other and create an overwhelming, distracting environment. There are lots of different ways to go about picking color pallets. You can pick it based on the mood you’re looking to achieve (my preferred method), based on your favorite colors, or even a certain piece of art or an object that you really love.

If you’ve read my 23 Interior Design Trends You’ll Be Seeing Explode in 2023 blog post, then you would know that 2023 is all about not being shy with color. So, if you like bold, bright colors, then don’t be afraid to include them in your color pallet. Conversely, if you like muted, soft colors, then don’t be afraid to go for more of a monotone look. The secret to picking your perfect color pallet? Choose whatever colors call out to your heart and will make you smile!

Pick Your Budget

If you’ve ever done any sort of home updates or decorating,  you probably already know that redecorating your room is not going to be cheap. Yes, it will be considerably cheaper than a renovation or remodel. But, it certainly won’t be free. It’s important to pick a budget before you redecorate your room to avoid a huge bill that you cannot afford to pay. Budgeting varies greatly from person to person. But, if it helps give you any insight into where to set your budget, the average person will spend over $450. However, it is more common to hit over $5000 per room. That said, this is just the average cost. Each room and circumstance will be different. 

Create a Mood Board

Before you read this step, I just want to say that this step is optional. You do not have to create a mood board. However, sometimes it can come in handy when you reach the shopping stage. It will help narrow down the design you have envisioned even further. And, trust me, this will mean less time wandering through aisles or scrolling through Wayfair. Less wandering and scrolling equals fewer impulse buys and random purchases! 

What’s a Mood Board?

A mood board is a compilation of all your favorite pictures of different home decor elements, furniture pieces, and colors all on the same page. This allows you to get a visual of what all of those different elements, furniture pieces, and colors will look like together in the room before you purchase anything. 

Where Do I Create a Mood Board?

I like to use a website/app called Canva (not sponsored) to create my mood boards. I could go on for days about the different methods for creating a mood board on Canva. But, that’s not the focus of this blog post. If you would like me to make a whole separate blog post on creating mood boards via the Canva website/app, let me know in the comments section below. 

Stage #3: Shopping

Measure

Before you browse online or go to any stores, I fully recommend taking as many measurements of the room as possible. Grab a tape measure, a notebook, and a pencil. Measure wall-to-wall, wall-to-entryways, floor-to-ceiling, any windows,  and even furniture. To be extra cautious, measure everything at least twice. Write all of these measurements in your notebook as you go along so that you don’t forget them. Once you’ve taken all of your measurements, it’s time to head to the store (or computer). Make sure to bring your notebook that has your measurements when you go!

In the Store

Deciding where to shop for home decor is largely up to you. Target, Meijer, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, Ikea, and so many others! My biggest pieces of advice when it comes to picking where to shop are: 

1.  Pick a place that is a convenient location from your home if possible. 
2.  Pick a place that you know will have a bulk of the home decor you’re looking to purchase.
3.  Go somewhere that has the style/styles that you know you’ll love. 

After you arrive at your first store, the fun begins! Browse, touch, and look at all of your different options. Having a shopping list (or a general plan of action) of what you need before you enter the store is always a good idea. This way, you avoid bringing home a bunch of things you don’t need. But, don’t be too strict with this shopping list either. You never know what treasure you may find and want to include when you redecorate your room. 

Online

Similar to deciding where to physically shop, there are many options when it comes to online stores. Amazon, Wayfair, Ikea, Target, Hobby Lobby…. The list goes on for miles. The best part about shopping online is that you’ll often save yourself some money. Comparing prices online is much easier than comparing them in person. Wayfair may have a side table that you really love, but when you check Amazon, they have basically the same side table for $20 less. It can also be less overwhelming because you need to know exactly what you want. There are also more options when it comes to sizes, colors, and patterns. Online shopping definitely holds the most benefits when you’re looking to redecorate your room. But, sometimes it’s just not as authentic and exciting as shopping at the actual stores. 

Thrifting

If you’re looking to save money wherever you possibly can, then hitting up your local thrift stores is a great way to cut the costs of redecorating your room. Thrift stores have anything from large furniture pieces to adorable teapots. You never know what you may find! Thrifting some of your room decor will also help set your space apart from everybody else’s, as you’re more likely to find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. 

Stage #4 Decorating

Begin to Redecorate Your Room

You’ve created a pin board (and potentially a mood board); you’ve decided on your room’s mood, color pallet, and budget; you’ve taken measurements; you’ve bought all of your new home decor; and, now you’re ready for the best part… seeing your hard work come to life!

Begin moving the things that you don’t want any longer out of the room, and bring the new stuff in. My greatest advice for this step is to take your time. Don’t rush through. Rearrange things, look from various angles and entryways, move around the little knick-knacks… look at decorating as experimenting or playing. Once you’re completely satisfied with where everything is placed around the room, step back and admire your work of art. It’s amazing what a little redecorating can do!

Advice on Redecorating Your Room

Don’t Go Narrow Nor Too Broad

When you create your Pinterest board and mood board, make sure that you don’t create too detailed of a redecorating plan. This could affect your ability to be open-minded to different decor pieces when you do your shopping. However, you also don’t want to create a Pinterest board and mood board that are too broad. This could affect your ability to create a cohesive design in the end. To avoid going too narrow or too broad, I recommend looking at everything on your pinboard as the “inspiration” for what feeling you’re wanting to achieve. Then, use your mood board as the guideline– not the rule– when you do your shopping. 

Start With Your Focal Point

A focal point of a room is the main object or area that draws the eye’s attention first. Focal points are what a person will first see when they walk into the room. This object or area can be anything from a fireplace to a boldly-patterned rug. When you begin redecorating your room, I recommend starting with the focal point first and working outward. This will help you to create a beautiful masterpiece in the end by having all of your elements work in perfect harmony with the focal point being at the center of the stage. 

Conclusion

Redecorating a room is an easy, exciting, and affordable way to freshen up your space. I hope this blog post has given you the guidance needed to create the home of your dreams. Your home is often your biggest asset. That’s why I find it imperative that you make it a place where you feel comfortable and happy. As Le Corbusier once said, “The home should be the treasure chest of living.” The key to unlocking this treasure chest is redecorating and filling your home with things you know you’ll love and cherish.