Bump It Up!

Quick and easy tips to bump up the style factor in your home

(without ruining your weekend or breaking the bank)

Hello readers!

I'm pretty excited to be writing this, since this is my VERY FIRST blog post EVER. Some of you may have been wondering what was taking so long, and if I was even still alive. Well, happy to say that yes I am; it just took me a while to psych myself up to get started. Not so much the writing part, or the ideas part (believe me I always have plenty to say), just the 'how the heck do I send this out to subscribers, and how to I add a blog to my website?' part. But, turns out it's not as hard as I thought -- or I'm more techy than I thought! Probably the former...

I spent quit a bit of time pondering what I wanted my focus to be in my newsletters and blog. I knew for sure when I began my business that what I wanted most was to help real people with real budgets to create a home they truly love. I was a teacher for many years, so I also know that I love to teach (read: love to tell people what to do). One activity I often did with my students was "Bump It Up", where we would take a sample of work and practise applying the tricks and strategies we had learned, to take a good piece and make it even better.

Ooooh! Pick me!

Perfect! That is exactly how I can help subscribers make their lovely homes even lovelier, one little strategy at a time.

So without further ado, let's get started!

One quick and easy way to create a feeling of quality in your home, for a small expenditure, is to simply switch out those basic switch plate covers for ones that are a little more substantial, and that enhance the existing style of your home. Switch plate covers are probably something you don't even 'see' in your home anymore, you have been looking at them for so long. But they are right there at eye level, making (or not making) a style statement.

Here are the builders' basic switch plate covers you see in most homes:

Nothing wrong with them, just a missed opportunity

Why not switch your plates (get it?), and even your outlet covers, for something that architecturally fits your home, adds a finish that complements other details in your home, and lends a sense of quality to your rooms?

Check out these fine examples:

Mottled antique brass from Switch Hits, for warmth and depth

Oil rubbed bronze from Signature Hardware, would work in an Arts and Crafts style home, or in a more rustic decor

One of my personal favourites: Architectural in black by Brainerd

Brushed Nickel by Atlas Homewares, for a more modern look

Great for traditional and transitional looks, by Hampton Bay at Home Depot

And look at all these lovelies from RH

All you need is a screwdriver and the skill needed to use it to make this switch-up (ha! did it again!) in your home before breakfast this Saturday. Easy, right?

Here's another not quite so fast but still pretty easy thing you can do, and the impact you get for the effort and expenditure is amazing. I'm talking about taking those builders' grade moulded interior doors and painting them something besides WHITE. I did this in my own home:

Even my husband, a non-believer when I suggested it, is now a happy convert to black-painted doors

Here are some other beautiful black doors:

From Apartment Therapy.... nice, huh?

Photo by Paul Godfrey. Notice door trim is also painted black here

Another great example of the power of black-painted doors, from Focal Point Styling

Black is not your only option though. Dark grey softens this look a little, as seen in these examples:

From littlehouseofcolors.com

Or, you could pick your favourite colour, and go with a softer look, like this:

From Apartment Therapy

Or this lovely laundry room:

From @the_rusticpallet

Or, hey, go bold! Not sure if I would do this on more than one door though:

Behr

All you need is a can of paint, a paint brush, and a little willingness for this one. Do one room at a time, or blitz the whole house--your choice! Or, if you own a teenager, bribe them to do it for the greater good of the family (and some pocket money).

Painting your doors is a real game changer. It takes more time than changing the switch plates, but would definitely be worth it, don't you think?

Check out my Pinterest board, Painted Interior Doors, if you want to see more ideas.

Well, that was fun! My very first blog post, tick! Check that off the list of life experiences. Now I can't wait to do my second...

I'd like to add something about asking you to leave comments or suggestions, but I haven't figured out that part yet ;) Bear with me!

Thanks for reading,

Susan