The age of a home means much more than its actual age. Historic homes can easily feel modern & fresh just as newer homes can feel like they’re stuck in a different time period.
If you’re feeling stuck in the past and want a bit of a refresh, you’re not alone. I’ve noticed that many of my friends, color specialist colleagues and clients alike have been noticing the things they would like to change in their homes… especially as most of us have been stuck in our homes for such a long time!
The good news is that knowing how to modernize your home is simple once you start utilizing color. The great news is that modernizing your home isn’t limited to huge & expensive renovations!
Simple color swaps and additions are a great way to modernize your home easily. Here are a few ways to do just that.
1. Make Your Home Appear More Open
Homes with open floor plans and open concepts are super popular and add to that contemporary vibe. However, how can you have an open floor plan in a home that, well, doesn’t have an open floor plan? (Aside from knocking down walls and planning major renovations, that is.)
The answer is simple: color. Smart use of color and design can make your home appear more open, more modern, more contemporary and more up to date!
The importance of color in interior design can be seen in just how much color makes a difference with spaciousness in the home. Opt for light paint colors like white, cream, beige, light grey, soft yellow and greige. Lighter colors reflect light easier, which makes rooms appear bigger.
Paint finishes are another way of adding light into a room! Flat and matte finishes will absorb the light, but slightly reflective finishes like a low lustre or pearl, reflect the light giving the room a more open appearance. Your walls have to be perfect to try this approach because the light will show up beautifully, but so will any imperfections in your walls!
Speaking of reflecting light, adding mirrors around the rooms you’d like to appear more open & modern allows light to reflect even easier and creates the illusion that the room is larger and more spacious than it is.
2. Refresh Your Fabrics & Furniture
Rugs, couches, towels, blankets, carpet, sheets, duvets… all of these things add great pops of color and style to the home. Make them feel and look newer and refreshed to bring your home into modern times.
Replace any worn or faded fabrics with some new ones to really brighten them up and make the home feel fresh & new. You can always take this opportunity to switch up your home’s interior color palette to align with modern color and decorating trends, especially if you have fabrics, colors and designs that align with old trends from years past.
Furniture is another option for a home refresh. Even replacing just one item with a newer color option or style can change up the entire room!
Know you need a refresh, but not sure where to begin?
An online paint color consultation with color expert Amy Wax is the perfect starting point!
3. Window Treatments
Heavy, clunky and/or opaque window treatments only work to age your home. Consider replacing any window treatments that are outdated and heavy, especially if they don’t look new and fresh.
Modern homes with their open floor plans and emphasis on simplicity would work well with lightly adorned windows with sheer or lightly colored window treatments.
This allowed for a lot of natural light to enter into the home, which can work to make it appear bigger like I mentioned earlier. Having the windows visible or minimally covered by these types of window treatments also allows the eye to look outside, giving you a longer view. The longer view you have, the more you can appreciate the vast spaces in front of you!
This makes the room appear to be bigger and more open, which is perfect for modernization.
Window treatments are a great way to add pops of color throughout the home without committing to a new interior paint color. You can even swap these in order to keep up with the trends and the colors of the season you’re in!
4. Connect to Nature
Modern design has been increasingly focused on natural materials, biophilic interior design and connecting to our natural surroundings.
Alongside opening up any windows you have to visually connect with the outside world, indoor plants are seeing a huge burst in popularity. Whether you have a green thumb or opt for faux plants, having these pops of nature around the home can easily modernize and freshen up your home.
If you want to take it a step further, consider aligning your color palette with options that align with your modern day natural surroundings.
Live in a forested area? Shades of brilliant greens, earthly terra cotta, rich browns and sunny yellows would match that aesthetic better than the black and white that was so popular in the early 2000s.
In an airy beach house? Airy blues, clean whites, soft coral and sandy browns will bring your home up to speed with its surroundings.
How to Modernize Your Home: Try a Color Expert!
These are just a few simple suggestions I have on how to modernize your home using simple color swaps and modern trends.
If you’re still stuck on how to modernize your home without breaking the bank or bringing in a bulldozer, don’t worry! As a color expert, I can help you identify the best ways to give your home a refresh while maintaining your overall aesthetic and budget.
Contact me here to set up either a phone or online paint color consultation.
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Simple, easy tips to try!
Thanks Crystal, sometimes the easiest tips are great for inspiration!
I so agree, color is the fastest way to transform a room, and paint is often the biggest bang for the buck!
Yes Janet it is definitely the best way to transform a room instantly!
Painting really is the easiest way to update.
Yes Christine, you truly get back the value of your investment with changing colors!
Such great tips! Picking the right color is essential and always worth hiring a professional to ensure great results!
You are so right Christie, hiring a professional is totally worthwhile!
I agree, color is the best way to make a huge difference in any space.
Thanks Mary Ann, I know you appreciate what a difference the right colors can make in a home!
Color is a great way to make a space feel fresh and updated. Your post is insightful and full of great tips.
These are all great suggestions and tips, Amy! I agree with you whole heartedly. Colour is such a great way to change things up (and modernize).
Thanks so much Sheri, I love that we both appreciate color and how it can change a whole space when it is done well!
Love these tips and also LOVE pops of color in my home. It is a must for me and makes such a statement.
I also love pops of color and appreciate your comment. Color can certainly make the right statement when it’s done well!