Your 2025 New Year’s resolutions may include more travel, less alcohol, or extra leafy greens — but no matter what you’re planning, I hope you’re also giving some extra thought to the space you call home. It’s the perfect time of year for a refresh, even if you don’t have time for a big redesign.

 

Today, I’m sharing a few ways to noticeably spice up your space without committing to a renovation or a full redesign just yet.

Paint a Room (or a Ceiling, or Some Trim)

Easily one of the most low-cost yet impactful ways to transform a home, paint is the unsung hero of the home refresh game. You can drastically alter the mood and style of a room with paint: from bright and energetic, to calm and soothing (or vice versa). And even if you’re already happy with your wall colors, we can still get creative — don’t forget about cabinetry, trim, ceilings, and even furniture.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Remember those middle school nights spent rearranging your room? It’s still just as satisfying, even all these years later. Rearranging your furniture is not only free, but it’s also a great way to tap into your own creativity as you plan out your space. Sit down and truly think about your rooms and how you use them. For example: Is that extra guest room really used all that often, or would it serve you better as a yoga room for your growing practice? And how often are you actually sitting in that extra living room… would it make a better music room instead? Don’t be afraid to color outside the lines — there are no true rules when it comes to how you live!

Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper

Wallpapering a room is one of my favorite ways to add personality, texture, and color to a space — and frankly, it does so in a way that paint cannot. There are countless designs, patterns, and textures available these days, and each allows you to create a bold statement or a simple, subtle backdrop. Every room can benefit from wallpaper — but if you know me, you know that a wallpapered powder room holds a special place in my heart.

Update Your Lighting

Underutilized, yet potentially totally transformative — that’s how I’d describe lighting in most people’s homes. Lighting controls mood, ambiance, functionality, and aesthetic appeal, through both the fixtures themselves and the lightbulbs within them. Replace outdated lights, add a mix of layered lighting with overhead, task, and accent lights, and consider incorporating dimmers in main rooms to create varying ambiance at different times of the day.

Declutter and Organize

I know it’s not necessarily a fun task, but this update is the one that will probably make the biggest difference in your life (and it costs nothing!). Decluttering will make your home feel larger and cleaner, and it’ll reduce visual chaos so you can feel more relaxed and focused. And if we’re being honest… Isn’t that what we all want for the new year?

To continue reading:

My Designer Predictions for the Biggest Design Trends of 2025

Impactful Design Changes You Can Make in a Short Amount of Time

The Five Spots in Your Home You Should Invest In