3 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home for the New Year

by Corcoran McEnearney

The holidays are over, but the chilly winter months mean that you’ll be spending more time being cozy at home. So how do you make your space feel new and enjoyable once all of the festive décor is packed away? We’re weighing in with a few tried and true tips.

Styled by: Sarah Lyon

Give Existing Furniture Pieces a New Use

There’s nothing more enjoyable than rearranging furniture—you can enjoy all of the satisfaction that comes with purchasing a new piece without your bank account taking a hit. Plus, reusing what you have is better for the environment. Not sure where to begin? Think about the “problem areas” in your home and take inventory of pieces you have on hand but aren’t using to their full potential. For example, perhaps that chest that’s been sitting neglected in your basement would better serve as a bar cart in that empty corner of your living room. Now you’ll finally have a place to whip up cocktails at home when you don’t feel like venturing out! Or maybe the vintage trunk you’ve had in your family for decades could be transformed into a side table (with storage!). Shopping your own home is the perfect winter activity (there’s no need to leave the house!) and will leave you feeling inspired and reenergized.

Photo: Bryan Gardner (realsimple.com)

Refresh Your Art Arrangement, Too

It’s time to go through that pile of artwork that’s been sitting in your closet for ages and start hanging it up! Daunted by the concept of bringing work into your local framer and waiting for weeks to pick it up? Note that you can easily purchase affordable frames online that will get the job done for now. Of course, when it comes to nicer or more sentimental pieces, it’s definitely worth investing some time and money and making a trip to the frame store. You want to ensure that your most precious pieces have a long life ahead of them! Once you go through the pieces you intend to use, form a plan of action with regard to placement. Which walls in your home are looking a little bland? Do you want to create a gallery wall somewhere? You can also use this as an opportunity to say goodbye to artwork that no longer suits you. Hanging up new pieces of art can revive a room in so many ways—out with the old, and in with works that make you happy!

Photo: shopterrain.com

Enjoy Subtle Seasonal Touches

Even after you’ve taken down the stockings and packed away the menorah, you can still enjoy a bit of seasonal décor in your home that doesn’t scream “holiday.” For example, display some dried branches in a pretty vase and place them on the mantel. Cluster together some pillar candles inside your non-working fireplace to make your family room feel cozier during movie nights. If you have kids, snowman and snowflake motifs will add cheer to your home all season long. You can still embrace winter for all that it is even though the big festivities are over—the season is here for several months longer!

Sarah Lyon is a New York City-based freelance writer, originally from Bethesda, MD. She contributes to a number of national design and lifestyle publications like Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, and more. Sarah also works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots. Find more shelfies on her Instagram page, @sarahlyon9