Eye for Design
By Lorette Mawson
http://www.DecorateWithLorette.com
We are approaching that time of year when, quite frankly, I am ready to say goodbye to winter, open up those windows and welcome spring.
This time of year seems to get me motivated to spruce things up a little, which brings me to something I love to do: reinventing things I already have. During these economic times, we are being frugal with our money. It always amazes me how some good old-fashioned elbow grease, paint, fabric or new handles can transform something familiar into a thing of beauty.
Just because a piece was bought for a certain place, does not mean that it cannot be used for something totally different. I have seen china cabinets brought into bathrooms and a dresser used as a TV stand. Remove doors or change colour; there are many possibilities.
This is also great time to declutter. Because we spend more time indoors in the winter, things sometimes get a little disorganized. Sometimes that means we have to make a furniture purchase; if this is the case, I always look for furniture that is multi-purpose. For example, I just purchased a set of cubes that look like ottomans, and which provide extra seating in my living room. The seat can be flipped over to become a tray that comes in handy as a table for drinks. They also provide storage space for things like toys, magazines. They are soft, so kids don’t have to worry about hurting themselves. Multi-purpose furniture like this makes life a little easier.
So, whether you purchase a new item or you reinvent something that you already have, it is all about creating a place you feel comfortable in and that you love to come home to.
If you are interested in purchasing cubes or other interesting items, check out Leon’s Buy and Sell outside of Exeter. They have new items, as well as affordable items that, with a little tender, love and care, could be great pieces. You just have to think outside the cube.