The long, dark, cold days of winter tend to give project-loving homeowners the blues. But you don’t have to wait for spring to add cheer. A few thrifty home improvement projects can spruce up your home and your spirits. Here are some ideas on how to brighten your mood and your home, and beat the winter blues.
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Upbeat Lighting
First of all—this may sound obvious, but bear with me—turn on some lights! This might be a good time to add a lamp or sconces to a gloomy room. Adding warm light throughout your home makes a big difference.
Colorful Container Gardens
You might also consider planting an indoor garden. You can plant colorful flowers or something edible to remind you of Spring. If you go the edible route, just make sure you choose a location with plenty of sunlight, as certain vegetables need as much as six hours of direct sunlight to grow and thrive. You’ll also need room for containers about 18 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep. And don’t forget about water! You can actually get mini-greenhouses online these days, and with more people container gardening, seed companies are working on vegetables specifically bred to be grown indoors.
Read Transcript
TOM: Want a great way to banish the winter blues? Introduce new paint colors and patterns to your living spaces. Hi. I’m Tom Kraeutler.
LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete with today’s Money Pit Home Improvement Minute.
TOM: You don’t have to wait until spring has sprung to freshen up your home. Brighten your outlook by introducing color and pattern in unexpected, mood-lifting ways.
LESLIE: Amp up the energy in a room with an accent wall painted in a fresh, bright shade. Coordinate the color with existing décor or take the opportunity to introduce a new hue.
TOM: Repurpose tired furnishings with paint, upholstery, or slipcovers. A so-so side table can suddenly become a showpiece and a new pattern or texture on the sofa will create visual interest.
LESLIE: Take the boring out of a bookcase by lining it with a color or print and mix books with keepsakes and photos for a fresh gallery-style look.
Energy Boosting Paint Colors
Don’t underestimate the effect color can have on your mood. Psychologists have been studying the effects of color for decades and say there are definitely some hues that can brighten your temperament, and your room. Take red for instance. It’s associated with love and desire and can raise the energy of a room. Yellow can add vibrancy. It’s considered optimistic. White is actually a sunny color. It can add a clean and peaceful feeling, but be sure to pair it with other colors so it doesn’t become sterile.
You don’t have to go out and paint your whole house red or yellow to benefit from the colors’ energy-boosting abilities. Just add splashes of these colors in things like tiles, throws or pillows and watch your room and your mood brighten.
Front Door Facelift
One last idea for a winter pick-me-up involves a quick facelift for your home’s entrance. I always like to pay special attention to front doors. They can be a great welcome for you when you’ve been out in dreary weather. If you don’t have the budget to paint or get a new door, just polish the hardware! I promise it will make a noticeable improvement that will make you smile every time you see it.
You can also get an inexpensive new doormat and boost the lighting on your front porch to the maximum wattage allowed by the fixture. That should make you feel a little cozier as you hibernate for the winter.
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