How to Give Your New Home a Grown-up Look

Guest Author:  Lillian Connors

When you move into your new home and decorate it to your taste, it can feel “finished” the moment you bring in an oversized potted plant or you hang up your best friend’s artwork. But as time passes and your taste inevitably changes, your place might appear a bit dated and immature so you start looking for ways to update it so it feels more grown-up.

Once you decide to give your home improvement project a go, there are lots of quick and inexpensive ways that can help you transform your home in just a couple of days. The easiest and cheapest way to make your home look more grown-up is to clean it up and declutter all rooms.

From there, you can upscale your living space with a few design hacks and affordable decorations that will give your home a grown-up look, and here are several expert tips you can use.

Decorate with books and artwork

Most of us have a load of books lying around, so start with those and use them to your advantage. Don’t keep them in storage boxes, bring them out and use them as decorative pieces. This is one of the most affordable ways to decorate and is among designers’ favorite tricks.

Think about stacking them up next to your couch, showcasing a few of the greats on your coffee table, or placing them both upright and sideways on your shelves. They will add visual interest to the room, and even suggest how well-read you are.

The same goes for your favorite posters and artwork. Pick simple and elegant black frames for them and hang them up. Mix and match actual artwork with family and travel photos, yours or your kids’ drawings, or even some cool prints you’ve accidentally dug up at a thrift store.

Having such a variety on your wall gives more definition to your space and your own identity, showing your visitors what it is that matters to you. On top of that, it adds a note of seriousness to your home making it appear more put together.

As a current bachelor’s degree in interior design teaches, this exciting field has the power to change the world around us, from the simplest to the most complex things. It also shows us how to reinvent and improve our surroundings with the application of decoration, various materials and textures, and accessories. Putting these things together, you can create tangible solutions that will convey any message you desire, from a cheerful bohemian vibe to a grown-up and sophisticated place.

Get one high-quality item

One striking, statement piece can really transform a room, and make it feel more polished and complete. If there’s room in your budget, buy one or two high-quality items that will stay in your home for years or even decades. It could be a day bed, sofa, armoire, or dresser. Don’t hesitate to rummage through antique and thrift stores for you might come across something classic and lovely that will cost only a few dollars. You might strike gold with a beautiful wooden dining room table, a vintage bookcase, or an elegant, tufted velvet sofa.

Paint a Wall

Another simple way to upscale your living space is to paint one wall and make it a feature. Nothing screams ‘young apartment’ more than the uniform yellowish wall color. Choose a neutral grey or eggshell paint and repaint your room in just a few hours, but leave one wall for a more striking color, such as olive green or navy blue. It will serve as a perfect background for your posters and art, and it will certainly give your room a grown-up feel.

Update the lighting

In an adult space, plastic, cheap-looking light fixtures have no place. Do yourself a favor and update your lighting with some new lamps that are well-scaled according to your room and their position. Choose something that catches the eye, makes a statement, and fills your space with abundant light.

Add texture with rugs and curtains

An adult space doesn’t mean a cold, minimalistic interior – it can be as warm and cozy as a kids’ room, and the best way to achieve that feeling is to add more texture with rugs and curtains. Layering rugs will add a lot of warmth and comfort to a space, and transform it into an inviting and cozy area that your friends will never want to leave. Even if your room has carpet instead of hardwood flooring, you can still layer a rug over it. It may sound weird, but if you make a good pick in terms of color, texture, and size, it will work magnificently!

Bare windows can seem sad and empty, so adding curtains and dressing them up will give the finishing touches to your all-grown-up home. You don’t have to go for the most expensive drapes you see, but don’t buy the cheapest ones either. Choose a fabric that feels luxurious and rich, and go for the full length. Let them puddle lightly on the floor and you’ll have an instant adult look.

With any of these design suggestions, you’ll be taking your home to the next level, giving it a sophisticated vibe, showing off your style, and creating a home that’s comfy and cozy but far from your college dorm.

About the Author: Lillian Connors can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of home improvement/DIY projects and spread the word about them. She’s also deeply into green practices, cherishing the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit and what we eat, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. Check her out on Twitter.