How to Make an Old Home Look Modern
- 1). Employ your paintbrush. Color will have the most impact when updating a space. If your rooms are still carrying a color palette of the past---say a pale country blue or sunny 70's yellow---fear not. Today's colors run hot and cold. Monochromatic schemes continue to be the rage, with soft whites and beiges leading the pack. A burst of saturated color---red is always popular and orange is considered the "new" red---on one focal wall boasts a modern statement. Decide on your new colors; cover everything in the room and paint away.
- 2). Add some architectural elements for a dramatic update. Molding and trim can be applied and painted in a bright white and will accent any wall color. Columns can be added to a room, or can replace a wall, opening up a space to natural light. For those more industrious homeowners, applying a tile or tin ceiling will provide interest.
- 3). Reduce the number of furniture pieces that carry stained or dark wood surfaces. A whitewash applied to a lightly sanded wood finish will brighten and lighten the overall look, producing a shabby chic effect. Kitchen cabinets, bathroom commodes and any dark heavy pieces will benefit from the lighter approach.
- 4). Replace heavy fabrics with brighter, lighter textures and fabrics. Covering old upholstered seating with light-colored slipcovers and accenting with brightly colored or textured pillows is a sure bet on the road to modernizing a room.
- 5). Choose new lampshades---perhaps in patterns or colors, or tackle the lighting from the bottom up by replacing an old fashioned lamp with a new, modern base. This is a perfect place for a "pop" of color and some terrific examples are available in all colors of the rainbow.
- 6). Modernize your walls with some new art. This can be done with a can of paint and some canvas. Just splatter (in the manner of Jackson Pollack) on some color and watch what happens when you put it on the wall. Or try a piece of fabric affixed to stretchers---big and bold prints work best.
- 7). Move the furniture from room to room to get a different balance---try to offer more space as a spacious feel will give any room a younger, and therefore updated, feel. When in doubt, take it out. Clutter is aging and the more room you create, the more modern your space will feel
Source...