How to Make Your Dream Home a Reality

Once the decision has been made to turn the home of your dreams into a home you absolutely love, there are a multitude of decisions that must be made. What is your budget? Are you going for a modern look? A vintage feel? A brighter or cozier home? While it can seem overwhelming at first to think about the task at hand and all that is required to accomplish it, there are some easy, fun tips and tricks you can use to more easily (and more affordably) turn your home into one that rivals the luxuriousness of posh hotels, even if you’re not a professional designer.

Vintage Furniture Brought Back to Life

One of the largest investments made in rooms of a home are the furnishings; from modern pieces with sleek, clean lines to vintage furniture with retro form and timeless style, the furniture you choose for your dream home must be of good quality. You’ll want to skip the particle board furniture and poorly made items, because those will end up costing you more in the end. While premium furniture that is made of excellent materials and crafted with care is going to cost much more when purchased brand new, your best bet is to shop at consignment shops, estate sales, and second-hand stores. Furniture of yesteryear was built to last! Don’t discount any pieces solely on the basis of the upholstery it sports – you can save hundreds of dollars with a vintage sofa and have it reupholstered, and still come out ahead with giant savings.

All that Glitters is Not Gold

To complement your furniture, you’ll want accessories that are modern, clean, and not gold-tone. Keep in mind that although gold is often synonymous with wealth, if you have too much of it, your room will turn out looking outdated and tacky. This is especially true if you’ve got a room full of gold frames, gilded trinkets and brass lighting. Swap out gold-colored items with chrome and silver – clean, simple, and very modern. Brushed nickel, along with silver and chrome, are not only easier on the eyes, but also offer a nice polished look. Silver-toned objects are also going to reflect light better, helping to brighten any dimly-lit rooms.

You Don’t Have to Sacrifice Warmth for Style for Floors

Wall-to-wall carpeting, while popular a couple of decades ago, is no longer considered to present a lavish, luxurious look for the most part (not to mention the bacteria, dust, and dirt it harbors in a home). Although carpeting is soft and warm, hardwood flooring is the go-to trend that provides classic visual appeal. There are many options available for home owners who cannot afford true solid hardwood flooring – you can purchase flooring with the same look that is made of different materials like laminate, bamboo, vinyl planks, cork, and others. You don’t have to stick with a wood look, either; porcelain, concrete, and classic linoleum all offer unique luxurious looks for floors without the outlandish price tags. If you do choose a wood or wood-like floor, opt for dark wood, which will add richness to the space. When your floor is finished, you can add a few beautiful area rugs to bring in a touch of soft warmth (and protect those floors at the same time).

Attention to Detail: Hardware Finishes

Rise above the temptation to be content with standard hardware finishes, which are generally cheap – both in cost and appearance. Don’t be the guy that thinks, “The knobs on my drawers are so small, no one will notice them anyway.” The truth is that it’s those very details that can contribute to or detract from the luxurious look of a home. You want your dream home to be unique, custom-designed, and stunning, and hardware is going to get that accomplished. Check flea markets, vintage furniture stores, resale shops, and the like for unique dresser handles, rare drawer pulls, one-of-a-kind faucets, and doorknobs with flair. One of the great things about changing out that cheap, standard hardware is that it can be done little by little, and it isn’t very expensive to purchase in order to achieve a more personalized appearance for your dream home.

Beautiful Paint for Your Dream Home

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make regarding your remodeling project is the paint you will use for each room. There are several points to consider, but a couple of decisions must be carefully thought about before any paint is purchased and applied. The obvious choice is color: Keep in mind that light colors, neutrals, and whites will lend an air of sophistication to a room and make it appear larger, while dark, deep colors for your walls will draw a room in, making it seem cozier, but smaller. You also need to consider whether you’ll use flat paint, semi-gloss, or gloss. Flat paint is the cheapest option, but can be very difficult to clean. Gloss is more expensive, but is easier to wipe smudges, dirt, dust, and fingerprints from. The “happy medium” for many people is the semi-gloss option, which presents a nice balance in features.
One popular trick you can use to add an expensive feel to your room is to paint doors black, with the walls being white or another light color to contrast. Just be sure to have a few other black items in the room to tie the doors into the complete look.

Wrap Up Your New Look

While paint, furniture, hardware finishes, flooring, and accessories will play a major part in the successful turnabout of your home from “drab to fab”, there are many additional things you can do as well: Use lined fabrics in complementary colors for your window treatments, don’t neglect to add some decorative throw pillows where needed to add some coziness, revamp the lighting to accommodate your tastes. (Is it currently too dim? Too bright? Too yellow? Outdated?) Keep organization to a premium with items in your home, and make the most out of small spaces without falling prey to clutter. Never skip over neighborhood consignment shops, resale stores, vintage furniture stores, and the like – unlimited treasures are bound to be discovered that will be exactly what you’ve been searching for!

Know more about Trove:
Trove lets you list items and buy items safely – if you’ve been thinking, “I’ve got to find consignment furniture near me,” you’ve found it, and a whole lot more! It’s quick, easy, and fun to sell home furnishings and used furniture online with Trove! Cut down on the back-and-forth of traditional online selling, save time, and discover friends nearby at the same time.