It’s not uncommon for you to become a little bored with your lounge, bedroom or dining room. Change is good for us now and then, and that doesn’t mean you have to do a top to bottom redecoration job, and replace everything- furniture fixtures and fittings, carpet and wallpaper. In these times when most of us have to watch our pennies, we may be looking for ways to give a room a shake-up or a shake-down on a tight budget.

A room that has walls, carpets and ceilings in neutral tones means that you’ll be able to change your soft furnishings whenever you like and re-jig the room with ease. If however your room has bold primary coloured walls, floor and ceiling, then you have less options, but you can still make subtle changes.

Here are some suggestions:

The Sofa [or Settee] and Easy Chairs

Do your chairs and sofa look jaded? Maybe the kids or the pets have been a bit unkind to it over the years and they look a little, well, lived in and care-worn? Worry not. You can do a great spin job without having to recover/replace the material. The answer is a combination of a throw and cushions. Choose a luxury-feel throw in a neutral colour- white, cream, beige, grey, or even black. There are many cheap good quality washable throws that feel like velvet, fur, silk or any number of other exotic fabrics. Make sure you buy a size that will completely cover the whole of your sofa or chair. Then select some matching cushions to spark off against the throw. Not only do you have a wide choice of colours and designs for cushions these days, but they can come in very interesting shapes and sizes too.

Curtains

A new set of curtains can really transform a room. I know it can be a nuisance having to get on the ladder and do all that unhooking/re-hooking or sliding on and off the rails or poles, but it will be worth it. My tip is to have at least two sets of curtains for each room. A summer set that should be light, airy, pastel coloured and catch the breeze with panache. For the winter, when you’ll be drawing the curtain early each afternoon/evening, a thicker set of curtains will help make the room feel warm and cosy. Go for some dramatic patterns and perhaps darker colours; dark green, purple, maroon, or russet. And don’t forget to get some matching or contrasting ties. Your curtains can still look good when not pulled to. If you have a cottage type home, then go for heavy material drapes- even corduroy. If you have a modern house or flat, then any material will do. The only rule is that if you have a “busy” room, then go for plainer curtains. If you have a relatively plain room, then you can go for more adventurous patterns and designs.

Floor

Finally, whether you have a carpeted room or a bare wooden floor, consider a new rug to put a splash of colour in the centre of your room. Again you have a bewildering choice of colours, styles, patterns and materials. After a few months, simply roll it up and put it away. Get it out again for another season. Simple!