Don't Hibernate - Decorate! How to Tackle a Total Room Makeover

It’s mid-winter and you can’t stand sitting inside the same boring walls one more minute.

There’s a term for that feeling. It’s cabin fever, a phrase originally coined more than 100 years ago. Newspapers in January 1918 described cabin fever as: “that quarrel-breeding state of mind that comes to those whose lives are too confined and monotonous without action of variety,”and a “common disease of overwhelming domesticity.”

Our homes and the way we live in them may have changed a lot since then, but the discontent of cabin fever is strikingly similar.

Fortunately, there’s a remedy: remodeling! Nothing beats the winter blues like transforming a dull space into something spectacular. With fewer social commitments and more time indoors, winter is the perfect season to plan and execute a room makeover.

From both a practical and a design standpoint, there are a lot of decisions to be made before you actually begin remodeling.You may be raring to start your room reno. Maybe you’re already pinning pictures of new sofas, flooring, window coverings and paint.

However, don’t rush to the furniture store or fill up your online shopping cart just yet. The wide scope of a room remodel requires thinking through your project step by step.

Here’s a guide to help you plan your transformation efficiently and avoid costly mistakes.

Redecorating is an exciting and involved process. You can’t wait to make changes and enjoy a room that’s fresh and new, but you want to avoid expensive mistakes.

That’s why making a detailed plan should be the first step in your remodeling project.

First, consider how the room will be used and what is required to maximize its functionality. A multipurpose room might call for multifunctional furniture like benches and ottomans that can double as tables or console tables with hidden storage. A bedroom, on the other hand, has simpler physical requirements: A bed, a dresser or side table, a lamp.

As you re-envision your space, ask yourself:

• What is your budget? Set sensible spending limits to guide your design choices. Prioritize items you’re willing to splurge on, balanced with places in the budget where you want to save.

• What is your timeframe? Be realistic about how much work you can handle and how much time a project may require.

• What stays and what has to go? Decide which furnishings and decor will remain and which need replacing.

• Who will spend time in the room? Do you need space for audio equipment, gaming consoles, pets or kids’ toys? Involve other household members to determine everyone’s needs.

• What is the room’s best feature? Maximize standout elements like tall ceilings or a great view.

• What is the room’s biggest drawback? Strategize solutions for issues like poor lighting or awkward layouts.

Once you’ve addressed these questions, create a mood board using tools like Pinterest or Canva to gather inspiration and solidify your style, theme, and color scheme.

Your remodel may require laying some groundwork. If your vision includes structural updates like adding built-ins, rearranging cupboards or removing walls, it’s best to tackle these tasks early in the process.

Even light construction projects, such as installing baseboards, paneling or picture frame molding, will create a mess that’s better handled before you focus on finishing touches.

If the changes you want to make are beyond your skill level, consult a designer or contractor. They have the insight and expertise to handle those updates safely, with the least fuss, in line with local building codes.

Next step: Measure your room’s depth, width and height. Also measure windows, fireplaces, doorways and other fixed features.

During this stage of planning, many people follow the lead of professional designers and create a graphic rendering of their space. You can plot out the room on graph paper or use an online layout planner like Floorplanner or Lucidchart to create a visual representation of the room. On your floor plan, indicate the location of windows, doors and other fixed features like a built-in bookshelf or fireplace.

This is where the nitty-gritty of reimagining your space begins. As you shop for inspiration pieces, note furniture measurements and draw them into your design. Create paper cut-outs or virtual representations of furnishings. This makes it easy to explore different room arrangements, adjust furniture sizes and play with the overall configuration and design. Here, you can visualize all the elements of your room before making any purchases, helping to avoid costly mistakes.

Establishing a good traffic flow is essential to your floor plan. Allow enough area to move comfortably around the space. The recommended clearance space between furnishings varies, depending on the type of room and type of furniture. For instance, designers often leave 18 to 24 inches around furnishings within a living room seating arrangement, but up to 36 inches of walking room around larger items, like a dining table, or in a high-traffic area.

Of course, never block interior or exterior doorways with furniture.

Remember to incorporate adequate lighting into your layout. Decorators suggest considering how you want to live in the space to help determine your choices for ambient, task and accent lighting. Proper lighting ensures your comfort during activities like watching TV, eating, reading, preparing food or working on your computer.

Options may include recessed lights, table lamps, wall sconces, chandeliers, pendant lights and under-cabinet lights. Many homeowners favor “statement” lighting in a dining room, kitchen island or entryway. 

While you solidify your floor plan, finalize your vision.

Your mood board should reflect your style preferences. What common features stand out? For instance, do you favor certain colors? Do you prefer the clean lines of mid-century modern furniture or a free-spirited approach to decorating? Is your aesthetic light and airy or dark and moody?

You don’t have to give your design style a fancy name, but identifying the colors you like and how you want your room to feel and function will help you narrow your choice of finishes.

To refine your vision, gather physical samples of fabrics, flooring, paint swatches, and wood finishes to see how they work together. If you have a standout piece – like a favorite armchair or bold wallpaper – use it as the anchor for your design.

Once your foundational decisions are made, it’s time to decorate. But don’t get too giddy! Designers suggest a preferred decorating order to avoid missteps:

Remodeling a room is an expense few people can afford to get wrong. For this reason, many experts recommend nailing down your big-ticket purchases first. In most cases, this means the “fixed finishes,” or the parts of the room that are difficult or costly to replace, such as hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, built-in bookshelves and cabinets.

These elements tend to set the tone for the room and will help determine a style direction.

Building your mood board has probably given you a good idea of your furniture preferences. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to choose your key pieces.

Many online furniture resources have items in stock and ready to ship, but many more furnishings are special orders. These items might not be delivered for weeks, so build potential shipping delays into your design plan.

Note that you don’t have to replace furniture and accessories you love for the sake of starting over. Reusing favorite furnishings and possessions from the current room or rotating them from another room will help stretch your budget. By incorporating current pieces into your remodel, you set the tone for your renovations and design.

Keep in mind that 'new' is a relative term when it comes to furniture. A move toward sustainability has increased interest in obtaining good-quality second-hand furnishings from thrift stores, consignment shops or online marketplaces. You can also refresh older items by repainting or recovering them.

Some designers recommend beginning your design process by picking the items that cover the most area and make the biggest visual impact, such as carpeting and wallpaper.

Another option is to select high-impact furnishings or unique art pieces to guide your color and design choices.

Notice we haven’t yet touched on your paint color.

Deciding when to paint may be the most confusing part of a remodel. Paint can transform a room and set the tone for your design. You might be tempted to make painting your top priority, to avoid potential damage to new flooring.

However, if you plan to update furnishings and draperies. Paint offers far more color options than upholstery fabrics or window treatments, giving you greater flexibility to achieve your desired look. It’s much easier to match paint to a fabric pattern or carpeting than to find a rug or coverlet that matches your paint color.

Since it’s simpler to change a bad choice in paint color than to alter upholstery you hate, it’s usually better to hold off painting until larger design elements are in place.

Now you’re ready for the finishing touches. This is where your personality shines!

Finalize your room’s personality with throw pillows, decor and art reflecting your true style.

Consider ways you can use decorative items you already have. Some people like moving decor from room to room to keep things fresh. However, you can also save the cost of a new purchase by recovering existing pillows, changing out the lampshade on your current lamp or accessorizing with collectibles.

A trend toward biophilic design has made plants an important part of a room’s decor. If live plants are too much of a commitment, you may be pleased with the wide selection of artificial plants available these days. From tall plants to tabletop plants, there’s a variety and size to complement any design aesthetic.

Fill shelves with books, favorite photos and decor. Decorate the mantel and the coffee table. Hang art on the walls.

A total room makeover is the perfect remedy for winter cabin fever. With thoughtful planning and creativity, you can turn a dull space into a haven of style and functionality.

Enjoy the process, take your time and celebrate the transformation. After all, the best part of remodeling is making your space truly your own!

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