Switch It Up Before You Switch It Out

By Soper Designs Founder, Jean Soper

It’s hit you like a brick wall – walking into the same room day in and day out has you itching for a fresh view.

Before listing your “room to go” on Facebook and melting plastic at Target (...certainly been guilty of this...), consider a good switch up before you switch out. 

I am a big proponent of starting here if you’re not ready to break out the check book for something new. In fact, I just finished stretching my switch-it-up muscles myself at our home.

Start with the main events – your furnishings. Just by rearranging your furniture and staple pieces, you will change the footprint of the room. This simple switch can have a dramatic impact on the feel of a space.

From there, treat yourself to some new throw pillows. PS, these accents don’t have to start at $150 a pop either – grab a gal pal and check out Target, TJ Maxx, Stein Mart or a local antique mall. If you like it, try it! Pillows are meant to be played with and are delightfully easy to swap out.

We even have clients who swap their pillows out depending on the season. There's nothing that screams summer louder than having red, white and blue pillows on your sofa. Live your life.

Throw some shade at your lamps and lighting. Lamps themselves can be an investment and worth holding on to for some time, but lamp shades are a different story. Try a new color or shape while you’re at it – you’ll be surprised at how this little swap out can give your lighting new life. 

Change out all the pictures in your frames. We often hang a picture and never consider replacing it. Swapping out your framed photos and artwork is a quick change that packs a lot of punch. If you want to go the extra mile, introduce some new frames while you’re at it. 

If you have a little more to spend, go get a new light fixture and switch it out with the one you’ve been pining after for years. I recently changed the two pendants over our kitchen island from two lovely chrome fixtures to two amazing jute fixtures from Celedon.

The difference in the textures and the amount of light cast has completely changed our culinary vibe from a sleek, modern coastal feel to a relaxed, bohemian chic.  Everyone who walks in immediately notices that something has changed and all it took was investing in two light fixtures.  

Still not quite there? Create an accent wall. Find your canvas in the room you want to change and give it a spritz – add shiplap, wallpaper, paint color, or a gallery of all your favorite art.

Want some more ideas, solidarity and support for your switch up? Let’s chat!