How to plan a room refresh that feels intentional and cohesive

A successful room refresh involves honest assessment instead of impulse buying. You need to set a firm budget and deadline and have clear goals. You need to measure everything and double-check.

The space around you affects you more than you might think. According to the Newport Institute, environmental psychologist Roger Ulrich found that physical surroundings have a measurable effect on stress levels and recovery. His research suggests patients in a room with a view tend to recover faster than those without one.

Cohesive interior design and intentional home décor can significantly boost your sense of mental well-being, so let's look at the fundamentals of doing a room refresh.

Figure Out What Isn't Working

Before you get started with your room design plan, first, you need to figure out what isn't working. Often, a complete space transformation is unnecessary; you just need to try a new approach.

First, walk around the room and take photos of the space from each corner. The pictures often illuminate problems with the room that are less apparent when you're in the room. That's largely because the space has become so familiar over time.

When you see the space through your phone screen, try to see it from another perspective by imagining you're looking at a furniture showroom in Orange County, CA, or somewhere similar. 

When the room feels less familiar, the details pop out more.

Using the photos, write down what isn't working. The list might be quite long, but you don't need to change everything to make a difference.

Your list should be as specific as possible, as this makes your list more actionable. For example, instead of saying "it feels too cluttered," you should specify exactly where in the room is messy, and the specific objects that make it so.

Set a Budget and Deadline

You should decide on a budget before you start browsing for furniture and decorations. Without an upper limit, expenses can pile up, and you have an endless project without clear goals, which, according to Positive Psychology, is undesirable.

Your room redesign plan should set a decision deadline for important choices like what stays and what goes. You might also set deadlines for deciding on a color palette. By making these decisions clear, you avoid an endless, open-ended project.

Measure Everything

Measurements are essential, and mistakes in this area can seriously derail your room refresh plans. Get accurate measurements for the following elements:

• Room dimensions
• Furniture sizes
• Doorway measurements

The most costly mistakes tend to be those where something you buy doesn't fit. According to InspirationforHomes.com, you should avoid trying to estimate visually, as humans are ill-adapted at estimating without measurement scales.

Make Key Room Refresh Decisions Before Spending Money

You should confirm the big pieces are the correct scale for the room before you purchase smaller items. A rug that's too small or a sofa that looks tiny against a massive wall are problems with proportion and perspective, and no amount of accessorizing can fix it.

When you plan a room refresh, you need to figure out exactly what isn't working and make it clear in your planner. Have clear end goals, ensuring you're not just in an endless cycle. If you're interested in learning more about similar topics, see our other blog posts.

This article was prepared by an independent contributor which helps us continue delivering quality content to our audiences.