3 Brilliant Tips for Waking Up a Hopeless Room, According to Designers

It’s only natural that the beginning of the year is filled with big plans for all the cozy design changes you’d like to make in your home. Maybe you want to rearrange your living room layout or paint your bedroom a new color. You could also be itching to donate items you’ve been meaning to get rid of, making room for newer finds. Initial excitement likely pushed you to check at least one or two of these plans off your list this winter and spring. Now that it’s almost summer, though, maybe that fresh-year energy has given way to your busy schedule — or even just feelings of complacency. It’s totally normal and more common than you might think.

“In the course of everyday life, our homes and spaces can start to take a back seat to our other priorities,” says Rachel Robinson, architect and founding partner of Dunham Robinson. “They can become catchalls for clutter or reminders of an incomplete to-do list. Or sometimes, the look and feel of a space isn’t in sync with the way it actually needs to be used.”

Robinson often works with clients who feel like they need to level up their surroundings, either with more functionality or an updated style. Designer Heather Peterson, principal of a namesake firm, agrees, adding that this feeling can also stem from scrolling. “Trends move faster than ever with social media,” she says. “The increased pace can make it feel like we aren’t ‘keeping up’ if we aren’t constantly changing our space.”

The good news about this nagging feeling is that it doesn’t have to take an overhaul or a big budget to make changes. Here’s what these two designers recommend for waking up a tired room and feeling good about your space again. Read on for three easy ideas and to see three different rooms that have all benefited from a slight shift to achieve glown-up status. 

When the days start getting longer and the air feels fresh, the cozier details of a winter-ready room could make you feel bogged down. Instead, switch out those heavy layers for a classic spring and summer material: rattan, which has a long history in design. “Rattan is a personal favorite,” Peterson says. “It’s natural, sculptural, and airy; plus, it’s available in many products and styles. Go big with a chair, or opt for something small like a mirror or coatrack. Investing in a piece will feel current, but rattan has real staying power.”

If you’re looking to do a DIY project now that the weather is more likely to cooperate, then rattan lends itself well to a furniture upgrade. You could shop for a secondhand dresser, for instance, and use rattan (or rattan-look peel-and-stick wallpaper) for the door fronts. And in the name of spring cleaning, rattan baskets are easy storage options to bring home. “Rattan is one of those materials that can add a great layer,” Peterson adds. “It’s natural and neutral, but warm and dynamic. It’s also a bit irregular by nature, and that looseness feels welcome!”

There’s also a chance that you’re feeling a little bit frustrated with the look and feel of your space because of one word: stuff. An abundance of things — knickknacks, coffee-table books, candles, and so on — may have started as a small collection but turned into something a bit overbearing at times. If this scenario feels personal, then Robinson says it could be time to address it. “The approach of paring down to start over may feel counterintuitive, but distilling can really help establish what’s most important,” she says. 

Take your bedroom, for instance. If it’s flexing as one-too-many spaces, then you could benefit from bringing it back to its basic function. And in a kitchen, subtract some (or all!) appliances on your countertops for an airier feel. “Once you realize the one or two elements that really matter and make the space great, the rest of the aesthetic choices become more clear,” Robinson adds. “Having some breathing room or negative space can be truly refreshing.”

Peterson has noticed how color drenching has been a design trend for a while, and it could be sparking a slump these days. If that’s the case, the fix is fun: Bring in patterns. “If your space has been simple and grounded in solids, intensifying the amount of pattern can truly change the energy,” she notes. That’s exactly why this color-drenched Chicago living room sings — the rug and artwork provide nice touches of pattern and texture amid all the solids. 

You could use existing shades to determine the stripes on a duvet or the swirls in a fresh area rug (as shown here), which can help tie everything together. But don’t stop there — patterns can pop up in a number of places. “Patterns can show up in materials other than textiles, including art, tile, book covers, and even woodgrain,” Peterson says. To coordinate with the warmer seasons, she would seek out florals and patchwork as well. Overall, have fun with the change of pace. 

“Even professionals get into a slump,” Peterson says. “Give yourself permission to play. Swap bedding between rooms. Reorient the furniture. You can always move it back, but who knows what new combinations might sing when you let go.”