Company Coming? 8 Fast Decorating Fixes

Sometimes you don’t have much time to prepare for company — particularly around the holidays when a lot of different things are consuming your time. Your home could use some sprucing up, but fast! Here are simple suggestions to add personality, a fresh feel and function.

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1. Check your bulbs. Lighting can make or break a room. 1 burned-out bulb can ruin the mood, whether it is a ‘large and in charge’ chandelier or a straightforward recessed light. If you know company is coming, do a fast walk-through of your home with pen and paper, turning on every light. Take note of any bulbs that you need and you will only have to create one trip for replacements.

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2. Cut tags from throw pillows. A great deal of decorative throw pillows come with bothersome plastic tags. These tags can be frustrating to work with when you’re setting pillows on your couch: the pillows must be placed just so and then you have to tuck the tag under so it does not show. Whatever you do, don’t rip off those tags: you might tear the seam. Rather, use a pair of scissors and cut as near the seam as you can. I have a buddy hold the pillow and also stretch the tag, pulling it out as much as possible so that I can cut near the seam.

Pear Interiors

3. Keep an extra roll on hand. An inviting toilet definitely contains an extra roll of toilet paper. Shop it from site, or try setting it in a jar for a more casual feel.

More ways to stash the TP

4. Make port covers, switch plates and outlet covers vanish. Walls painted in a deep rich color could be beautiful, but any vents, outlets and light switches on that wall can really stick out. Help them mix by painting them. Simply unscrew the covers and then dust them off using a clean cloth. For switch and socket covers, spray using a bonding primer like XIM, then paint. For port covers, gently rub steel wool (therefore the paint can adhere) and paint.

Hint: Never paint the actual switch or socket. It could be dangerous and interfere with the role of the electrical mechanism.

Witt Construction

5. Reorganize your own bookshelves. Bookcases can become cluttered. Turn on your favorite music and devote one hour. Consider turning a few novels in their sides and using small accents throughout to bring in personality and keep the shelves from feeling crowded.

6. Produce a showstopping wall. Pull a wall together with all the lonely framed art and photographs you have around the house. The frames do not have to match. Hang them close together. Recently I added three additional framed photographs to two which were already hung to a wall. It filled the wall out nicely and I love it.

To work out how I am going to hang my art, I love to lay out the pieces on the ground in front of the wall, create my layout (use a tape measurer to make sure that the length and height work with all the wall), then snap a photo to use as my guide for hanging them.

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7. Add ‘Wow’ to your dining set. To up the drama, add new thoughts chairs to your dining set. In case your other chairs are timber, attempt two upholstered chairs to give them significance.

When you have the time, consider reupholstering the chairs of your chairs. If you are a DIYer you might have the ability to unscrew the chairs and secure new cloth on the chairs using a staple gun. Or go to your regional upholsterer for the job. Recovering just the chairs is an economical method to refresh your chairs, since you don’t need a good deal of fabric.

Shirley Meisels

8. No window treatments; no problem! Produce a statement in minutes using plates, platters and bowls. Hang them on both sides of a door or window. You’ll have to buy plate holders out of a home improvement store. I had a customer who didn’t want window treatments in her dining area since her son had allergies, so we wrapped a plate holder on both sides of her window, also utilized brightly finished plates.

Tutorial: How to Hang a Plate Collection

More: 10 Holiday Home FixesGet Your Living Room Ready for a Party
How to Arrange Your Room for Entertaining
The Way to Make Your Kitchen Party-Ready

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