Love your home again: decorating ideas from the heart

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network Feb. 4, 2024

There’s a pretty townhome in Notting Hill with a bright pink door and a window just above that says “Love.” I read about it in a travel article and on my last trip to London, tracked it down because I will do just about anything to see a home so loved that its owners would install this window. And there it was. Just a simple window with a huge message to anyone walking by.

In a time when we need more love more than ever, we find ourselves welcoming February, a month that’s all about hearts, love and showing a little extra kindness to others, ourselves and to our homes. With the holidays well behind us, it’s the perfect time to make a few changes to make you love your home again. And to do that by refreshing some spaces in your home.

Our homes are our sanctuary. A place that we return to shake off the day and find peace and comfort. It’s also a good time to think about what your home means to you. Is it a place to pass through and sleep with a busy schedule that keeps you on the run? Is it your happy place surrounded by things that you love? A place of love, warmth and happy memories?

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I help my clients decide what is most important and how to best create a space that makes them love their home the minute they open the door. No two homes are the same and the relationship with our homes can be complicated. With some thought and a solid plan, you can soon be on your way to creating a home that you love and one that’s in step with your lifestyle.

Throw a teddy faux fur heart-shaped pillow on Pottery Barn’s curved silhouette swivel to round out any space. Photo: Pottery Barn

Love really is the operative word when you refresh. Love what you surround yourself with. Love it or don’t buy it. If you don’t love it, donate it.

Four rules to keep in mind to love your home again

Find your inspiration. Is it a new color, light, mirror, piece of furniture? If you need a change but don’t know where to begin, it may be time to call a professional to help.

Classics never go out of style. Trends some and go and can be fun to sprinkle here and there but you can’t go wrong with the classics.

Stop scrolling. I call this one “facebook envy.” We are bombarded daily with the latest and greatest, most gorgeous ideas for our homes. Before you go off the deep end making a pile of changes, take a deep breath and think about what really matters. To you. No one else.

Purchase mindfully. Before you buy, think carefully about what would make you love your space. Do your research, go on a few shopping trips to look. Take your time. And take photos.

Refresh old pendants with something fresh and new. Shown: Scallop rattan suspended from an antique bracelet chain. Photo: Serena and Lily

A few ways to give your home a loving refresh!

• Make home repairs that you have been putting off.

• Set a pretty table.

• Give your entry a new look with a dramatic color.

• Paint your front door.

• Wallpaper a powder room. Something outrageously beautiful.

• Add some sparkle: a chandelier in the living room or bedroom (you really don’t need a ceiling fan in every room in the house). Or hang one in the master closet. It will make you happy every time you walk in.

• Soften the harsh, recessed lighting in the kitchen with a lamp on the counter or island. You won’t believe the change.

February, a month that’s all about hearts, love and showing a little extra kindness to others, ourselves and to our homes. Shown: Benjamin Moore’s Valentine color favorites. Photo: Benjamin Moore

• Hang something colorful in your laundry room.

• Change your drapes or drapery panels over the sliders. Make sure you hang them high: just below the ceiling or molding.

• Delete what is no longer working in your home. I do this seasonally as things do tend to accumulate no matter how hard we try.

• Add a little glam to each room: a tufted sofa or a chaise lounge. Pick a color that you love. Or a new mirror or a few glass accessories for some sparkle.

• Want color but afraid to commit to an entire room? Fine. Paint the ceiling that color that you have always wanted to try. Yes, the ceiling!

• Create a gallery-style wall with your favorite art.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces, color palettes and solve decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information, visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog