OY! If only giving your space a quick pick-me-up were as easy as making a quick post-office stop at some global fast-fashion store where a premium linen check long-sleeved shirt or a linen stole can give your summer wardrobe that extra punch—without burning a hole through your pocket.
True, having a bold accent wall (say, in Pantone-recommended Marsala?) should easily freshen up your tired-looking space. Then again, this would be quite the commitment that, if it turns out that this shade of deep red isn’t quite your thing, you can’t hide in the deepest recesses of your closet as easily you did that floral-printed shirt you bought after learning that Prada was doing flowers for men. (What were you thinking?!) It’s something that you would have to live with until Pantone announces the color of the year for 2016—and how sure are you whatever that would be is something you could stare at for the next 12 months?
So, forget about the accent wall, however appealing a concept it may be. As with your wardrobe, you don’t need do a major overhaul of your space to look forward to returning home from work after an exhausting workday—and it should cost you only as much as that recent LBD purchase (the nth such piece in your closet, by the way, but really you can’t have too many LBDs, right?), perhaps even less.
How about those linen throw pillow covers from H&M Home to give your space that bohemian vibe? That straw box, also from H&M Home, makes for stylish storage for the space-challenged. And since we’re on the subject of coming home after a tough day at work, the Crate & Barrel Nash entryway cabinet should be just the right welcome. You might want to consider a couple of those turquoise Neils dining chair from Crate & Barrel for your studio apartment because, hey, it’s summer. (You can always bequeath to your poor sister those industrial-looking—and supremely uncomfortable—chairs that came with your opaque glass table.)
Go for the things that speak to you in terms of both aesthetics and functionality. And don’t worry too much about whether that photo frame from H&M Home matches the rest that you have at su casa. Remember not only Tim Gunn’s disdain for “matchy-matchy” but also that you’re putting together a home—not some sterile showroom for a condo developer.
Image credits: Photos from Crate & Barrel, H&M
