Consider changing the arrangement of furniture to reflect the difference in the seasons. For example, while in the winter you’d want the sofa facing the fireplace, in the summer you might want to turn it toward the window to face the view, said Skriloff.
Paint the walls
Paint is the cheapest way to freshen a room. It also involves the least amount of pain: if you screw up, all you have to do is repaint. Choosing the right color, however, can be a challenge. Forget basing your decision on a tiny paint chip. Instead, invest in a $3 sample pot some paint suppliers now offer — if not, buy a half quart for $6 — and cover a two-foot square patch on the wall, observing it over a 24-hour cycle, during which time the light will change dramatically.
Interior designer Gabrielle Raven, based in Woodstock, advises using a warm shade of because the light at this latitude is blue or gray. “Psychologically, people react better to warm light, and it glows, especially at night,” she said. (However, in a northern facing room, especially a bedroom, she might choose a cool blue, which reinforces the tonality of the light.)
Raven said people often err by going too light. “You never want to be in that top tier, unless you’re choosing white,” she said. “It looks insipid, because it’s a tint, not a color. You want to move toward the middle. While a chip might look too dark, on the wall it may not be dark at all, since color is the reflection of light.”
Another mistake is going too bright, said Skriloff. “A rule of thumb is to choose a grayed-out color,” which is easier on the eyes, he said. He also recommended painting an accent wall, instead of an entire room. Go wild and break all the rooms in rooms that seldom get used, such as the guest powder room. “Paint it in a bright color and put mirrors all over the wall,” he suggested. “Or use wallpaper. Don’t be afraid to have fun. People will go in and say, ‘wow.’”
