Love Your Home More Each Day With These Doable Decor Ideas

Do you want to love your home… every inch of it? If so, consider implementing one or more of these doable decorating ideas and practical tips that you may not have thought about doing in your home that will make a big difference.

Fall in love with your home even if it is not your dream home or without buying new decor or taking on a renovation or an expensive room makeover.

Green moss globe on floor in whitewashed terracotta pot.

Follow my doable decorating ideas for your living spaces and home decor tips you may not have thought about doing in your home that can bring you happiness while creating a place of refuge away from the outside world for you and your family.

Before you know it, you will be turning your home into one that you truly love a little bit more with each passing day.

White hydrangeas on a stack of white books on a table in front of a wall of mirrors.

Do you love your home, like really, really love it? I do. I love my home, my home- sweet-home.

Even though it is an older home and nothing close to a decorator showroom with many imperfections and aspects I would have never chosen myself. It is my comfy cozy sanctuary.

Decorating with vivid colors

A big part of the changes to each room of the house was using creative solutions, small touches and by adding real comfort that make the house more than four walls with an attractive interior – it has the true purpose of a home, a soul and has become a meaningful place that feels just right and the ideal home for my husband and I.

Over the last 8 years of living in the house and making it over to fit our style and the way we want to live, many readers have asked how I come up with the decorating ideas so I thought I would share what goes on in my head when I make changes to the house.

By making a few changes, some simple – others a bit more complex and looking at your home with new eyes, you can change the entire atmosphere of every room in your home to one that you love without a huge expense or tons of time or skills.

How to Love Your Home

The place you call home is one of the most important aspects of your life. It is literally where your life revolves – the hub.

Home provides security, control, belonging, identity, a gathering place and privacy. But most of all, it’s a place that provides us with a place to escape from the busyness and intrusiveness of the world.

View from the water of lake house

Even when out and about, traveling for weeks at a time or going to work daily, your home is your base where you always return to relax and enjoy your family and favorite pursuits. Getting it just right can make your life all the more better.

When you want to love every inch of your home, keep in mind that your house is the framework – your home is the life you live in the house. They work in tandem.

To create a home you love will take some thought on your part. It requires first figuring out a few things and then putting them into action.

If you’re ready to create a home you absolutely love, here are a few ways, ideas and simple tricks to start making it happen.

What is Most Important for You?

Ask yourself, what is the most important aspect for you to have in the house or a room?

Do you need more counter space in the kitchen? A larger dining table for your family to fit around comfortably? More closet space? Updated flooring?

Some items may be costly and require a contractor to do, but other smaller things can be done with what you already own by simply creating a new furniture layout in a room.

Make a checklist to figure out what would make life in the house better. If you can’t afford what it is you want yet, then create a savings plan for it.

wall of glass doors

I love the look of a wall of doors or windows in a room like in this vacation rental home I once stayed in. Open and airy with lots of natural light makes me feel my best at home.

How to open a wall between two rooms

To make it happen in my house, we had to remove a wall between two rooms and hire a contractor. This was important to us so we put our time and money into getting it done so we would get the look we dreamed of having.

There are always options that are doable, try to keep an open mind to find them. Find ways to make what is most important to loving your home a priority. The rest will follow.

Focus On What You Like About Your Home

Even if you don’t love your home, focus on the parts of it you do like. Build on what you like and as time permits, remove or change what you don’t like.

Kitchen decorating ideas on a budget

Maybe you love your large kitchen, but not the cabinets. You can remove cabinet doors to create the look of open shelving or replace the doors under the kitchen sink with a pretty fabric skirt hung on a tension rod in a color or pattern you love that will make you smile.

Try to bring out the best in what you love and build on it through other spaces.

Don’t Overlook Crafty Budget Friendly Decorating Ideas

When working within a small budget, decorating or updating a home using traditional methods is not the only way to get the look you are after.

Don’t think crafty or creative measures means low quality or that if you do them they won’t last. I have done many crafty techniques in my home that cost a few dollars and lasted year!

How to paint a chandelier

When you want something changed on a small budget – use out-of-the-box thinking to come up with a way to get the look you for a few dollars.

  • Did you know you can change the colors on a tile backsplash design with nail polish. I did this for a friend who had an orange and brown design on her kitchen backsplash. With pink and blue nail enamel we changed it in a few hours.
Easy decorating ideas

The diamond blocks on this vinyl floor were originally green. I wanted them to be black and found a way to cover them without using paint for a total of $10.

The floor lasted for over 5 years and may be still going strong, but I moved from the house so I don’t know after this the 5 year point.

How-to-make-fake-beveled-glass-with-Gallery-Glass-window-color

A craft store product that can also be found on Amazon is one of the best crafty decorating projects I have ever done. I did it front and center that everyone could see in my previous home. It transformed the sidelights around my front door. 20+ years strong!

Shape Your Surroundings to Fit Your Life

Shape your surroundings to function for your life, family and the style of living you want.

Don’t let a builder’s floor plan, Instagram, Pinterest or a decorating magazine’s current “must haves” dictate how you use and decorate each room in your home.

craft room made in dining room

If the builder’s plan has a room marked as a “formal living room” and you have no need for it since there is a large family room in the home, designate the room for your needs. You can change the function of a room at any time.

DIY Rolling Door Tutorial for Bifold doors
Rolling door added to separate 2 rooms.

You may need to add a door in a open concept area if the room doesn’t have one, but don’t let that stop you.

I did just this and created a fun rolling door from bifold doors found at Habitat to close off the a formal living room that that I turned into a craft room that was opened to my family room in my previous house.

Maybe you always wanted a music room, home gym or a craft room or even a full room clothes closet with a pretty chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Make it happen.

How-to-turn-a-bedroom-into-a-home-gym
A bedroom became a fitness room.

Let Your Personal Style Shine

Your home is personal and it should reflect your personal style and tastes. To make your home one you will truly love and feel comfortable in, hone in on your style likes and dislikes.

blue and white bedroom inspiration ideas

Don’t feel you need to follow trending color schemes or decor that you see in someone else’s home, in interior decorating magazines and on websites.

The interior designer’s style may look pretty and catch your eye. I know when I see a room I like, I look at every little detail until I figure out what really is catching my eye.

When looking at a room or photos that you gravitate. Go over them with a fine-tooth comb to find exactly what it is about the space you like.

Most of the time what you like is not the room as a whole, but a parts of it. An open floor plan, open and bright spaces, a pattern on the curtains, a cozy mix of eclectic furnishings, or the use of mixed metals.

For instance, I always am drawn to white walled rooms. When I look further though, it is not just the white walls, but large windows, the casual feel of the space with large unframed artwork, a pop of color, chunky white candles, along with a mix of textures – wood, and natural fiber rugs.

Come Up With a Style Plan

Pine dining room sideboard and hutch
BEFORE: Dark dining room in previous home

Everything in this dark and very brown dining room came with the room or was a hand-me-down when we first moved in. I disliked everything, but made a plan focusing on what I wanted for the room.

White-decorating-color-scheme-for-dining-rooms
AFTER adding my decorating style

Over time I changed EVERY single part and item in the room to fit my decorating style using mostly paint and fabric. The only thing I bought new was the natural fiber rug.

Whatever it is that grabs your attention, make a list of these decor items and accessories you like and start adding them to a room. Keep adding until you begin to love the room. It may not happen all at once, but overtime will evolve to a space you enjoy being in.

Look At The Rooms in Your Home From Different Angles

This is one of my favorite things to do when I want to redecorate or update a room. It is finding the potential in the space using what I already own.

decorating trick using a mirror

I do what I call “The Upside Down and Reversed Trick”. It is a done by looking at the room with a mirror. It is a decorating trick that will help you gain a new perspective on any or all of the items and rooms in your home.

Best part of doing this, is that it is so easy to do, all you need is a mirror.

Working With What You Already Own

When you come up with new ways to use, display or style what you already own you can reap huge home loving rewards without spending a dime.

Use what you have decorating by repurposing furniture and using it for purposes other than it was intended for.

One of the easiest ways to get these rewards is to not allow home decor to become static. Rotate items seasonally and from room-to-room to change the look in on or more. Consider using small risers or decorative risers under lamps and vases to make them taller instantly giving them a new look.

Move an area rug from a bedroom to your home office. Change the pillow covers on the sofa.

White dresser in foyer decorated for spring.

Move a bedroom dresser to use as a sideboard in your foyer/entryway. The reward is you get a whole new look for two rooms without spending a cent.

You can do this with any furniture or items in your home.

  • Group smaller items on a tray or in a basket so they don’t look like a lot of clutter. Instead offering smile worthy style.
Decorating-with-vintage-collectibles
  • Remember that unrelated smaller items or simple things you have laying around can look like clutter. Group them to turn them into a pretty vignette.
  • If you have too many small items in a room, try mixing in a few bigger pieces of decor or furnishings – doing this can make more of a statement.
January and Winter Home Decorating Ideas
  • Gather like-items to create collections that you can display together to make a unique curated appeal where each item has a story behind it.

Hang a group of family photos or empty frames bought at a thrift store or yard sale together to create a gallery wall at the top of a staircase or in a boring hallway.

Add Purpose and Function

One of the decorating aspects that can make your home feel off is failing to consider how the space is truly going to be used. Would adding a large round table make it more functional if you have game night every Friday night? More upholstered chairs in a living room instead of a couch?

Know how much a room will be used by your family and for what purposes down to the actual tasks that will be done in the space. Then make sure to add the function to the room when decorating it.

Creating storage spots or designated landing spaces can also be decorative when you add some thought to them.

Fireplace wood storage in living room.
  • A fireplace needs wood to function, make the wood look part of the decor by stacking it neatly or placing in a large urn or basket.
  • Add a pretty tray to the top of a sideboard in an entryway to place keys in when you come home. As a plus, each door in the sideboard itself can be well-organized setup for each member of the family to place their shoes, totes or backpacks.
Kitchen-Decorating-with-vintage-finds

Set up purpose zones by making them look pretty. When everyday condiments are placed in a stylish lazy Susan, it keeps them handy and saves kitchen counter and cabinet space.

When everyone in the family knows where items go, because the area has a specific purpose, they are much more likely to be returned to their home. This helps keep things tidy, efficient and you loving your home.

Get the Lighting Just Right

This is one part of decorating a home that most homeowners don’t put enough thought. The lighting in your home can make or break how much you like the way your home looks in the evening.

Don’t settle for a dimly-lit room or an overly bright one with a cool grey cast when you want a warm soft glow and cozy look.

Try this Cree Soft White 60 watt Cree LED bulb in your home to create that looks and lights just like an incandescent bulb #CreateWithCree

Take the time to experiment with lamp placement in a room and the types of shades(transparent or opaque) as well as the lightbulbs you use. Nowadays there are are so many types of bulbs to choose from for you not to create a perfect ambiance.

In the evenings, having wall or lamp dimmers or smart bulbs on your lamps with soft white bulbs for overall lighting that can be changed for your needs – less light when watching TV and more light when reading a good book.

  • Look into ways to make a few changes to a light fixture without having to replace it. Try adding a new lamp shade or change up the glass globes on a chandelier that are sold at the home improvement store. No new fixture or electrical skills needed.

Read more here about how to get the lighting in a room just right for your needs.

Lastly Make Sure Your Home is Comfortable

When your house is a home you love, you know the feeling… it is the only place on earth that you feel true comfort, quirks and all. 

Is the seating in your home truly comfortable or did you buy your sofa and chairs from a catalog to fit a certain decorating style?

When you are not feeling well or tired, where do you go to try to find comfy peaceful space?

How about when you want to read a page turner or watch a movie – do you have a super comfy place that you can melt your body in or even better a seat that is designated just for you?

There is nothing that feels better and will make the room a favorite because it is the space that provides real comfort besides your bed where you sleep.

A few years ago, after Ed’s insistence, I bought two matching recliners for our living room that also rock and swivel – you know… the big, cushy kind with plenty of padding with a seat cushion to sink into for movie watching marathons, reading the latest best seller, taking an afternoon nap or to kick your feet up after a long day.

If you have one or more of these chairs in a your home, the comfort factor alone will make them your favorite place to sit.

At first the chairs made me cringe, but now they are my favorite pieces of furniture. They may not be stylish, but they are so comfy and where everyone who comes to the house wants to sit.

If you have uncomfortable seating – the best investment you can make to live comfortably in your own home is to remove uncomfortable seating and add new armchairs and sofa that every member of your family finds comfortable.

I can guarantee you will love your home even more after doing this.

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20 Comments

  1. So many easy & stylish idea. U r the best.

  2. Michele M. says:

    VERY good advice. This is a well-written, helpful and informative post.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks Michele. :-)

  3. Hi Diane – I must agree with other commenters, this is really a great post. You have written many times “shop your home”, and this post gives practical tips as to how to do exactly that. It isn’t just the cost of new decor, it is the time and emotional energy it takes to shop, worry, stew, procrastinate, etc – LOL!
    Question regarding the Gallery Glass project: does it look as good from the outside as it does from the inside? The inside view is impressive! I have window clings up that mimic this same effect, and they are ok, but the view from the outside, that is the view from the front porch, isn’t quite what I would prefer. Here are the clings, I don’t know if this link will open for you:

    https://mobileimages.lowes.com/productimages/7deed454-f6ab-4184-ab87-9f146d0cf14e/15583313.jpg?size=pdhism

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks AK :-). In regard to your question about Gallery Glass, it looks great from the outside. I had it up for over 20 years and everyone though it was real beveled glass. On the inside was the texture, the outside was just the smooth exterior of the glass. I didn’t know they made clings for sidelights. They look nice. I will check them out to see what sizes they come in. Thanks for including the link and photo.

  4. Look your blog and this post.
    Any ideas on ways to get my spouse on board with my ideas? I really, really, really want to do my staircase like you did. Paint the risers white and stain the steps. Of course that means getting the runner on the stairs replaced. Mauve carpeting is not my thing but we can’t not have carpeting/runner as we mat slip on the wooden stairs.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Patti – Know that you are not alone in trying to get your husband on board with your ideas. I receive emails and comments from many readers on a regular basis telling me the same thing. I am sure it is frustrating.

      For the staircase, you can tell him that it is not that hard. Removing the runner, sanding and then paint and stain. For cost, it is not expensive for a brand new and fresh look. Paint and stain and any supplies you need to stain/paint. The cost of replacing the runner is the only thing that may add to the cost depending on what you choose.

      Try to sell him on these and he may be all in. Another thing is to show him photos of homes with the ideas you want so he can see it firsthand. And best of all, tell him that updating will add value to your home. Wishing you luck and hope you can go forward with a staircase makeover.

      1. After being a faithful reader for sometime ….. I think you are very good at what you do….and I’m sure your readers appreciate your very positive attitude as much as I do. Thanks for all you do!

        1. Diane Henkler says:

          Thanks being a long time reader and always leaving me such nice comments Nancy. I appreciate all of them. XO

  5. I love all of this advise
    I want to paint my sideboard but it has a plastic finish on the top so not sure how to do that

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Debbie – You can paint the laminate/plastic finish. Sand and prep it just as you would wood. Then add a thin coat of a gripping/bonding primer on the top. Let it dry completely, then add one more light coat. Let dry and then paint. Here are the primers I recommend using:

      https://amzn.to/3wavEna
      and
      https://amzn.to/3wf79p0

  6. Molly Fossett says:

    Thank you for this post. The practical advice is what I need as we go about making a newly built house into our home.

  7. Johnson Emma says:

    Loved the way you have styled everything and its good to have most of the ideas in one place. It’s my first time seeing so many ideas and so detailed. Keep it up, Your Hard work can be seen, hope to see more of your work.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks – I enjoy DIY decorating and sharing it with readers.

  8. This post is why this blog is my favorite! Your practical approach to design is the encouragement needed to make my home comfortable and inviting.

    1. I agree! Diane’s style is more “approachable” than 99% of the homes featured in her blog. I especially like the point about going over the room, with a fine tooth comb to discover what it is I like about a room. Long time lurker and have incorporated many of Diane’s ideas in making my own style.

  9. This was a really great blog today. So many really great ideas. I’d make this longer but I have to go look around the house and repurpose, move, and add/delete things from all the rooms. Thanks for all your hard work.

  10. I have followed you for many years. Loved all the things you did to last home (and copied many🤓). You mentioned nail polish for changing backsplash. I just bought a new house with a horrible color accent tile around the garden tub and row around the main shower. Is there some type of paint I could use on those accent tiles that would hold up to use? Tub wouldn’t get much at all, but shower would have to survive daily water and also cleaning. Hate to try removing tile bands and replacing with new tile. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated 😅. Thanks

  11. Fun ideas, thanks! I always love seeing pictures of your pretty home and the ways you’ve changed it. I’m in love with the coastal rattan chairs around the dining room table from the picture in the email.
    Do you have any info on them?
    Thanks again for the great post and ideas!