Please raise your hand if you've ever looked at renovation reality shows and felt a surge of both inspiration and depression.
When you look at DIY renovation shows, you're slapped in the face with tons of ideas that make you want to rush out to your nearest home improvement store, then old self doubt starts to kick in.
Next thing you know, you're sitting on the couch with a tub of cookies and cream ice cream, giving in to all of the excuses you've made up in your head about how you could never pull off something so cool.
Here's a bit of good news. Getting your home to look like a pro stepped in and whipped it into an HGTV makeover fantasy doesn't have to be a dream. A few home staging tips from the pros and a somewhat modest budget, can have you happy dancing in no time.
One room at a time, we'll give you tips on how you can create focal elements that draw the eye and give your rooms a new, professional look (even on a budget).
So let's start with the heart of the home - the kitchen.
Here are examples of 6 Focal Points That Will Make Your Kitchen Look Amazing.
First, a little side note.
It doesn’t matter if your kitchen was remodeled thirteen years ago or three; you can always spruce it up a bit!
Hey, and don't worry, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Just try working one piece at a time; there’s always room to add a little more to your kitchen!
Let's do this!
Go Bold With Contrasting Colors
photo credit: HGTV.com
If you’ve been blog-browsing recently, you’ve probably noticed the similarities in pictures of modern kitchen decor. They all have one thing in common: they’re almost entirely monochromatic. Silver, grey marble, and dull white all seem to be the trend.
Well, keeping it neutral is a pretty well known pro tip for selling your home, and it even works well in your home decor, but if you add a couple of perfectly placed, bright colored accessories, you'll bring life to those simpler colors.
This also works well for renters who don't want to do paint changes or can't make structural changes to their home.
Isolate Creative Wall Decor
photo credit: Focus Air Info
Wall decor can get crazy expensive, but these days DIY wall art is not only easy, it's seriously just as fabulous. Look at how stunning this art piece looks hanging on the wall in the pic above. It pops right out from the neutrals in this simplistically designed kitchen.
Check out high end thrift stores for pieces that have been ditched for new ones. Another option - DIY wall art that will stand out.
Here are a few DIY tutorials for wall decor we thought were cool:
wall art - diy decal prints and more
Accentuate Lighting With Stunning Light Fixtures
photo credit: housebeautiful.com
Lighting fixtures make a super easy focal point when placed effectively over the kitchen island. Not only do they accentuate the kitchen, they look stunning if they're correctly chosen!
Here's an idea. Take tip number one and add a vase of bold color (like yellow or red) flowers under kitchen island lighting for a pop of color that's highlighted by gorgeous fixtures. Together they're an easy and inexpensive way to create a gorgeous focal point.
Check out 12 classic pendant light ideas here.
Upgrade Your Pantry
photo credit: cnn.com
If you have a pantry (and you're anything like me), you may actually store food in it.
It's what they're for, right?
But when you're thinking like a home staging pro, tossing those cereal boxes on your pantry shelves aren't exactly the way to create an attraction. The way your pantry looks can be a detraction from your kitchen's functionality and beauty.
Today, more people are showing off the contents of their pantry and cabinets to create an illusion of more space in the kitchen as well as to create visual interest. Instead of shoving your granola behind the bag of rice, try using glass jars to display your dry foods.
People see your pantry when you're entertaining, so tightening up its presentation can be a huge plus.
Jars and baskets can be labeled with chalkboard or other cute labels to make a decorative pantry display that'll make you want to swing open the doors and let it all shine!
Check out this article from CNN to get more pantry ideas.
Show It Off With DIY Wall Shelving
photo credit: antegren.us
Like many others, I tend to use shelving to hold my my book collection. The problem is that the shelves seem to collect other things right on the ledge. Keys, pencils, little folded up notes. They just seem to collect things that aren't supposed to be there.
But, when used for decor, shelves make very simple, yet functional, focal points in the kitchen.
The pic above shows how a simple wall shelf is used for a country kitchen theme that showcases plates, accent lighting, and a few ornaments. This collective shelving display gives a warm and inviting vibe that the country kitchen is known for.
You can get a bit creative with your displays on shelves. Unique novelty candles and fake food displays can be used as elements of interest alongside of other collective items. One or two pieces that draw the eye will bring attention to the entire display.
One of my favorite pro tips for using shelves in your space is to paint the inside back of the shelf the same color as your walls to give an illusion that the shelves are deeper.
Kitchen shelving is an inexpensive idea to create an eye catching display that stands out in the kitchen and can also tell your home's story.
Try this DIY for your next shelving project.
Go Green
photo credit: decolover.net
Using greenery up against the darker wood gives the kitchen a richer look from the white kitchen cabinets that we've constantly seeing on Instagram home decor pics, and it's quite refreshing. But the great thing about greenery is that it's earth's neutral, so it works well with even the lighter color palettes.
Greenery accents the natural palette, and is standout when used with taupe and with rustic accents such as wood and cork, according to professional home staging blog.
Pick up some grow-at-home herbs and pot them to be placed in front of your kitchen window. Have a few houseplants out on display. Greenery is a symbol of rejuvenation and new life, and it will certainly bring life to the room!
Getting Started:
Watching popular home renovation shows can be inspiring and overwhelming when there are so many ideas to inspire you. Looking at all the great projects that come together with such ease can leave us feeling a bit incompetent to pull off our desired look without the help of a pro.
Focal points are an easy and effective way to spruce up your kitchen (and any other room) without breaking the bank. By using bold and contrasting elements, isolating art or creative wall decor, accentuating stunning light fixtures, upgrading your pantry space, using wall shelving with unusual accents, and going green you can bring the attention to one beautiful element while taking the focus away from those flawed areas of your kitchen or room.
Lastly, there are tons of DIYs available to help you to create beautiful focal points in your kitchen using these six pro staging tips. The best part is that we've included a number of our favorite DIYs that you can start using right now.
(photo credit Instagram @redesignedspace)
Next time you see one of those HGTV "have it altogether" shows, you'll feel like a pro yourself!
Are you ready to start on creating a focal point in your kitchen? Which of these tips will you use first? Comment below. We want to know.
1 commentaire
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