You don't have to replace everything to change your décor. Often, the potential lies in what is already there: in the arrangement, in color and light, in a rug, or in a wooden table that is finally oiled again after years.
Where do I start if I want to redesign a room?
Before you move or buy anything, it pays to take an honest look at the room as it is now. Sit down in your favorite spot and ask yourself: What is actually bothering me here? Often, it is not the sofa itself, but that it is standing in the dark, that the path to the window is blocked, or that the room feels too full.
It is helpful to divide all the furniture and objects in the room into three groups:
- Can stay: everything you like, that works well, or that means something to you.
- Can change: everything that is in the wrong place or needs a refresh.
- Can go: everything that is just taking up space.
Especially the "Can go" is often underestimated. One less side table, an empty shelf, a bare wall: removing things sometimes changes the feel of the room more than any new piece. What you no longer need can be sold, given away, or reused in another room.
Rearranging furniture: How does the arrangement change the feel of the room?
Rearranging costs nothing and often has the greatest effect. When you rearrange furniture, you change how you move through the room, where your gaze is directed, and where you like to spend time.
A common mistake is to put all the large furniture against the walls. This may look tidy, but it leaves the middle of the room empty and makes the seating area feel disconnected. If you pull the sofa back a bit from the wall and bring the armchairs closer together, an island is created where you can sit facing each other and talk easily.
Pay attention to the walkways. Between pieces of furniture that you pass by every day, about 80 to 90 centimeters should remain free. And think about what your eye falls on when you enter the room. If the back of a shelf or a stack of things is standing there, it is worth swapping it with a piece of furniture you like to look at.
The light of day also plays a role: an armchair by the window or a desk with side daylight will almost automatically become a favorite spot.
How do I upgrade old furniture instead of replacing it?
Some furniture has the advantage of being so robust that it ages rather than breaking. This is not a flaw, but its advantage: Certain materials can be cared for, repaired, and refreshed. Often, a few simple steps are enough to make a piece look freshly bought again.
Refreshing wooden surfaces
Oiled solid wood furniture is particularly easy to care for yourself. First, clean the surface thoroughly, lightly sand down dull or stained spots with fine sandpaper, and then apply a thin layer of furniture oil or hardwax oil. After about 15 to 20 minutes, wipe off excess oil with a lint-free cloth. The wood will become darker, the grain will stand out, and small scratches will almost completely disappear.
This does not work on lacquered surfaces because the oil cannot penetrate the lacquer into the wood. Here, either a suitable lacquer care product or, for larger damage, sanding by a carpenter is needed.
Important: Oil-soaked cloths can spontaneously combust. Let them dry outdoors spread out or store them in a sealed metal container.
Not every sign of use has to disappear. Why darkened wood and worn edges belong to the character of a piece of furniture, and where patina turns into wear, you can read in Patina is not a flaw.
Reupholstering
An armchair with a sturdy frame and worn upholstery is not a case for the bulky waste. An upholstery shop can replace the fabric and padding, and you can choose a new fabric and color. This is not always cheaper than a new armchair, but the frame is preserved and the piece gets a new look.
Changing handles and fittings
On chests of drawers, cabinets, and sideboards, new handles change the character surprisingly strongly. Brass feels warmer, wood calmer, black metal clearer. Pay attention to the hole spacing when buying, so that no new holes are necessary.
How can you change a room with color?
Color is one of the fastest ways to transform a room. A single painted wall behind the sofa or the bed creates a focal point and makes the furniture in front of it look different. Light wood suddenly gains depth against a muted green or a warm ochre.
Take your time with the color choice. Paint test areas on different walls and look at them in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, because daylight and lamp light change every shade. Also think about the surfaces that are rarely noticed: A colored blanket, a painted door frame, or a half-height painted wall change the proportions of a room.
How to choose colors that you will still like in ten years, and which shades suit which daylight, you can read in Why color is allowed to stay.
How does light change the feel of a room?
Many rooms feel uncomfortable because they are only illuminated by a ceiling light. The light then falls flat from above, the corners remain dark, and the room has no depth.
It is better to plan light on several levels: basic lighting, plus light for individual areas such as the reading chair or the dining table, and accent lighting that highlights a wall, a shelf, or a picture. Several low light sources make a room warmer and calmer in the evening than a single bright lamp.
The color temperature can also change over the course of the day. During the day, when you work, read, or cook, the light can be brighter and somewhat more neutral, around 3,000 Kelvin. In the evening, it should become warmer, at 2,700 Kelvin or below. Warm, dimmed light feels calmer and helps the body wind down. The easiest way to achieve this is with several lights that you switch on depending on the time of day, or with dimmable light sources whose light color becomes warmer when dimmed.
Often, a floor lamp next to the sofa or a table lamp on the sideboard is enough to make the same furniture look completely different. Which lamp fits in which room is shown in our Home lighting planning guide. What you should pay attention to regarding the quality of a light fixture, you can read in What makes a good light fixture. You can find long-lasting lights in our Lighting collection.
How do textiles and art change a room?
A rug is often the easiest and most effective way to change a room
A rug brings a seating area together, dampens sound, and brings color and pattern to a surface that otherwise hardly anyone consciously notices. The sofa remains, and the room still feels different.
Choose the rug rather too large than too small. The front feet of the sofa and armchairs should stand on it, otherwise it will look lost. A hand-knotted rug made of natural fibers lasts for many years and becomes more beautiful over time. You can find a selection in our Rug collection.
Curtains, cushions, and blankets
Smaller textiles can be changed with the seasons. Linen and light cotton in summer, wool and darker tones in winter: this is how the mood of a room changes without having to buy anything big. Floor-length curtains, hung just below the ceiling, also make a room look taller.
Art
Art gives a room personality. A large picture above the sofa creates a clear focal point, while a group of smaller works looks more lively. You can also simply lean pictures on a sideboard or a picture rail, so you can easily change and recombine them. You can find selected works in our Art collection.
How do I combine old and new furniture harmoniously?
Most homes are a mixture of inherited, found, and bought items. This is a strength, as long as the pieces are related to each other.
A connecting element helps: a recurring wood tone, a color that is found in cushions and a picture, or a material like metal that appears in several places. At the same time, contrasts are allowed. A clearly shaped, new chair next to an old wooden table emphasizes the characteristics of both pieces.
Avoid placing too many different types of wood and shades next to each other. Two to three wood tones in the room look lively; more quickly becomes restless. And give individual pieces space: A special old piece of furniture has the greatest effect when it does not disappear between others.
When is a new piece of furniture worth it – and how do I recognize one that will last?
Not being against new purchases means buying consciously. A new piece of furniture is worth it if something is really missing, if an existing piece can no longer be repaired, or if your life has changed, for example through a study, a child, or a move.
Before you buy, ask yourself if the piece will still suit you in ten years. Helpful clues to longevity are:
- Material: Solid wood, metal, and natural fibers can be cared for and repaired.
- Construction: Screwed or mortised joints can be repaired more easily than glued ones.
- Origin: Who knows where and by whom a piece of furniture was made can better assess its quality.
- Design: Clear, calm shapes outlast trends.
How you can recognize solid wood that can be sanded down and re-oiled for generations is shown in Floors that are allowed to stay. Why repairability, material, and timeless design determine how long a piece of furniture lasts, you can read in Longevity in Interior Design.