Decorating Rut? We've Got You Re-Covered (p.32)

By Laura Williams and Traci Rice

You walk into your living room and just sigh. The greens and golds that you loved four years ago have begun to grate on your nerves, no longer the stately colors they once were, and the striped couch in the basement has become just "blah." You've tried new pillows and throws, added a vase, and thought about adding a new rug, but nothing is working. Face it – you're in a home decorating rut.

Don't worry, we've all been there. And in today's economy, the option for a complete home makeover with a designer isn't in the cards for most of us. The good news is there are options available that will help you transform the "blahs" into "ahhhs" that don't break the budget.

For many of us, our interior design is an assorted collection that reflects our personal and family lives from the time you last decorated until today. The vase jar full of black sea shells from the in-laws' beach house, the wicker stalks that were added at Christmas a couple of years ago, the painting we bought in New York City on a couples' trip in 2005, etc. – all are fantastic additions to your home individually, but do they work when placed as part of your whole design? The problem is these items are more than simple shells and paint on a canvas – they represent memories of family and friends and are key parts of who we are as families.

That's the challenge we all face as we examine our homes. It's often hard to take that step back and look at a room and look at it impartially and holistically, instead of at each component that makes it into your home. It's often hard to pinpoint in this type of collage décor what isn't working and why, because everything there has a memory and is important in its own right.

Our recommended first step is to decide what you want the room to become and what type of statement you want it to make. It can be as simple as you want a room in which you can relax or one in which guests will feel welcome. Next, step out of the room and envision what you want that room to look like. Now step back into the room and see what's out of place from the room you envision. Slowly start to remove these items until the room is down to the basics and is a good, clean place to start building upon. Keep everything you've removed from this room in a nearby place.

The next step is a bit of a treasure hunt, which can be kind of fun. Walk around the other rooms in your house or peak into your attic and see if there is anything that will help you create the room you want and bring it into the room. It might be a different painting or a wingback chair, or it might be a simple vase or photo. Don't put anything into place yet; just put it in a central spot in the room. Once you've collected your new "found" items, take half of them and put them with all the stuff you took out of the room. Trust me … this is a key step in the process!

Now close your eyes again and envision your room. Once that vision is firmly set, start to place the items you've collected around the space, maybe moving a table, sofa, or chair as needed. If you see an empty space, or have something that you have to include, then go ahead and place it now. Remember, it's okay if you didn't place everything that you brought into the room. Take anything you didn't use and put it with the other stuff you took out of the room. Take a step back now and look at the room as a whole. Does this new mix of furniture and decorations make the room work for you? If not, try removing a few items and substituting them for other items you collected. Mix and match until you get the result you want, or at least until the room feels better for you aesthetically.

If things still aren't quite what you were hoping for, think about a change of base paint color on your walls or maybe adding some texture or color with curtains or a new fabric for your couch. Color palettes and fabric pattern preferences will change over time, so you'll need to factor this in to any core decision you make about the room. These changes will require more time and extra expense, but if the basics you are working off of aren't right, you'll probably never get the end result you are looking for in the end.

Making a room feel new or different can feel like an overwhelming task, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes it's the simple things that make all the difference, and sometimes you have to look at how the individual things work together to create a pleasing whole. Regardless, with a little time and objectivity, you can get there and start enjoying the look you want with the room you have.

Laura Williams and Traci Rice are the owners of Hugo and Beatrice, www.hugoandbeatrice.com and www.facebook.com/hugoandbeatrice.