Furnished By Hand
Does anyone remember when FENG-SUI was a thing.....?
Yes / No ?
Okay, well I definitely  do remeber, so here is my take on it:
smooth black stone on white sand
Lots of people were very into feng-shui and designed their entire homes and offices using this philosophy (more of a technique).  The general idea was to make one feel better about life by ensuring that their surroundings reflected happiness and balance.... it was also quite a cool and slightly snobbish thing to do.
leather and chenille sofa
These days, i think that we are more accustomed to aesthetically pleasing or 'nice homes', than worrying about how rounded the corners of our living rooms are.
One thing is for sure, visuals play a very important role in our mental and emotional health. For example, memories from an emotionally or mentally draining experience, can be triggered by the visuals associated with that experience.   
Have you ever walked into a room and the room itself (not necessarily the people in it) seemed miserable. You may not have noticed it at first, but the atmosphere somehow spoiled your vibe and put a downer on your day?

So What Are The Options?

From my own personal experiences, changing the look of my immediate environment removes visual triggers and can rapidly elevate mood, induce positive feelings and boost mental energy.  But what if it's the rooms in your home that have all the visual triggers.   What options do you have?

The Great Outdoors

You could sell everything and live in the wild, you would be free and live free. Beautiful blue sky, fresh air, the earth beneath your feet, away from the hustle and bustle that's synonymous with other people and technology.
green tick
Nature is Calming
green tick
Manual labour can be rewarding.
insects and plentiful droppings  may get boring

That Fantasy Home

Imagine your fantasy home.
You like nice things, so buying your pre-styled fantasy home is probably on the pricey side - am I right? It might not be within your planned budget in any shape or form?
But what if you could recreate the essence of the beauty, opulence, and splendour of your fantasy home. It could still look very good and also, give your environment a fresh new ambience.
Remember....
green tick
creating your new world is liberating.
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you have control over every aspect
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decluttering has a cleansing effect.
A revamp may seem costly

Throw A Party / Go On Holiday or do Both

These used to be my temporary fixes: throwing a party or going on holiday are both briefly empowering experiences, that don't last longer than the specified time.   To be fair, you will have fun:
green tick
You are the king /queen of the party
green tick
Holiday = new environment and new people.
They cost money and  are both temporary.
Bearing in mind that a change in environment can have a profound and long-term affect on the way that we think and feel, a Declutter, Upgrade /Revamp / Rebrand / Redo  of your immediate personal space.   The best thing about this method, is that you won't feel like running away from your problems, or papering over the cracks.
Instead you can  remove the visuals that are associated with any 'unpleasantness' and create a balanced and harmonious environment.    You don't need to be in a bad place to need something new in your life.
My home has now become the 'Madonna' of the home decor world. It is constantly being changed, updated and reinvented. My windows and seating area have way more 'outfits' than I do.

How Much Does a Room Revamp Cost?

Decide which aspects needs to go and which need to stay.  I'd start with changing the ceiling, wall and door colour, alternatively use wall art to accomplish a similar effect. 

 Changing the seat covers is a clever way to update your scenery. In fact the more exquisite and luxurious the decor fabric is, the better. The colour and texture of these fabrics invigorate the appearance of your room. 

Sound flooring means it is complete, and extends all the way to the walls. While new rugs can cover a host of imperfections, if the flooring looks awful, then the room will look unkept.

There are beautiful carpets available to buy which complement any room. My preference is always an easy clean surface, so I opt for recycled laminate flooring and have it replaced regularly.

ReVamp Cost

Ok, so the first point to note is that the benefits far outway the time and cost that's needed to make your decor revamp happen.
Secondly, the biggest cost is time, it won't be an overnight process. Your supplies can be bought as they are needed. The key is to be generous when budgeting for your home. If necessary you can save, buy and execute.
list of supplies

ReVamp Process

There are an abundance of tutorials and courses on and off line. If there is DIY skill you'd like to learn or improve on, take time out to do that first. , chances are that a skill your learn will improve your next home decor task.
schedule of home decor tasks

The process that you follow depends on the space you want to change. My advice is to ALWAYS tackle one room at a time, because there is nothing worse than living on a huge building site for months on end.
The rooms that you spend the most time in are the most important ones to start with.
At our house, the living room and bedroom are the spaces that get revamped the most.   That's because the kitchen and bathroom rarely need more than a repaint, new tiles and new flooring. As these are tiny rooms, their revamp jobs take no more than a few days.

Whatever process you choose to follow, it is essential that you have a planner with a clear schedule of tasks to do each week, and update as it as you work.

Over To You !

Are there rooms in your home that you would love to revamp? Do you have a list of home decor projects? Which projects are No 1 on your list. Comment below to share.

8 comments on “The Handmade Home Decor Revamp”

  1. Hello,

    I just finished reading your article on "The Handmade Home Decor Revamp" on furnishedbyhand, and I must say, it's a treasure trove of ideas for adding a personal touch to our living spaces. Your passion for handmade decor and the attention to detail you've put into curating this guide are truly commendable.

    What I appreciate most is the diversity of ideas you've presented. From upcycled furniture to handcrafted art pieces, you've covered a wide range of options, making it accessible for readers with varying levels of crafting expertise. It's clear that you believe in the power of creativity to transform a space.

    The step-by-step instructions and accompanying visuals were incredibly helpful. They provided a clear roadmap for each project, making it feel achievable even for someone like me who's not a seasoned DIY-er. Your writing style is engaging and encouraging, creating a sense of excitement to embark on these creative endeavors.

    Thank you for sharing your expertise and inspiring us to infuse our homes with handmade charm. I'm looking forward to trying out some of these ideas and giving my space a unique and personal touch.

    Warm regards,

    1. Hey Pasindu, it's really lovely to meet you. 

      Thank you very much for your wonderful comment, I'm so happy that you found the article helpful and engaging. Please feel free to share any ideas you have with us too.

      Best Wishes,

  2. I am in the process of going with a minimalistic living style. And when you referenced feng-shui I thought of that. My only and biggest problem is letting go of all the things that clutter my living space. Do you have any advice for someone who wants to live a more minimal life but is struggling with letting go of old items? 

    Like I've tried and it seems like I only still have allot of stuff.

    1. Hi Thomas, thanks so much for your comment.

      I totally appreciate how difficult it can be to let go of items that are taking up space in your home.

      I sometimes feel overwhelmed when I'm trying to figure out what should go and what should stay. My trick is to look at the space occupied by each item and imagine someone else making good use of the item, while I enjoy the space it used to occupy.

      Have you thought about taking the items to a charity shop or even selling them on 'pre-loved' sites?

  3. The revamping of home decor is something I think we all have dealt with over the years. Our needs and wants change as time goes on, as do our tastes. What was so garish and loud back in the 70s now seems quaint and overdone these days. The Fen-Shui of yesteryear is also out the window (for me anyway).

    I like minimalistic living today and likely will be most comfortable going forward with this type of decor and living style. It goes beyond the layout and decor, it is a complete mindset for me. Things are just not the answer to peace in the home, and more things do not necessarily mean more peace in life.

    It is a phenomenon that is perhaps not exclusive to my generation (I am 67 now). I remember clearly that my grandparents and parents seemed to need less and less as they got older. The material stuff just was not as important as relationships, mostly with family and loved ones.

    Perhaps there are some lessons in all this? The decor is a reflection of who we are, and if done tastefully, we can project the peace that we build around us, including our decor, to others. That is not a bad thing at all. You have brought up some good points on other alternatives to a do-over, a revamp of sorts, and it does help put things into perspective. Thanks for that, I enjoyed the article!     

    1. Hi Dave, thank you so much for your comment.

      I especially enjoyed 'The decor is a reflection of who we are, and if done tastefully, we can project the peace that we build around us, including our decor, to others.'.  That is beautiful, and very true.

  4. First and foremost, this was a detailed and enlightening article on the importance of our living environments and the impact they have on our mental and emotional well-being. The way you've connected personal experiences to the broader topic of room revamps and their positive effects is both relatable and persuasive.

    Your point about how visuals can trigger memories and emotions is particularly striking. It's indeed true that our surroundings can significantly influence our mood and mindset. I appreciate the solutions you've offered, ranging from embracing nature to undertaking room revamps. Each suggestion seems carefully considered and viable, catering to different preferences and lifestyles.

    **Question to the writer:** You mentioned that your home has become the 'Madonna' of the home decor world. I'm curious, are there any specific inspirations or influences that guide your frequent revamps? Are there trends or cultural elements you draw from?

    Overall, thank you for sharing your insights. I think many will find solace and inspiration in your words, especially in these times when our homes have become even more central to our lives.

    Lou.

    1. Hi Lou,

      Firstly let me thank you for your great comment.

      Yes our living spaces can heavily impact our mental and emotional well-being.   I think it is one of the reasons that people get so happy and excited before and during celebratory events - from birthdays to public holidays.   For some people, it is the only time that they get to change the visuals around them, for example, the need to wear 'nice' clothes, as well as the room (and outdoor) decorations for those events.

      To answer your question about specific inspirations that guide or influence my frequent revamps:

      I have aspirations of living in Biafra, the country where my parents were born. It is a vast, largely untouched part of the world, and an environment where I could enjoy strolling through luscious greenlands and walking along breezy coastlines.

      If I lived there, my home would be large and airy, with sunlight streaming though the windows all day AND it would always be neat and tidy, with plenty of storage space. These dreams of mine are a stark contrast from the tiny, cramped (and often gloomy) flat that I live in.

      So all of my revamps are based on 'what my home would look like if...'. I may see a gorgeous piece of upholstery fabric, or a furniture idea and think to myself "this would look great in my dream home, but I can't wait for that ... so let's use it now".

      What about you?  Can you share your tried and tested ways of revamping your living space with us?

      Cheers

      Abumchi 😉

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