How to Update Your Home Without Renovating

The Vivant

By Leah Bourne, The Vivant

The new year is upon, which means you are probably thinking about ways to upgrade your life, your home included. Doing a full renovation is costly, time intensive, and just seriously out of the cards for most folks, but that doesn't mean you can't get that home upgrade you deserve without doing a total overhaul.

Related Article: Inside Kate Bosworth's Country Themed Wedding: The Menu, Tablescape, and More

We consulted with interior design guru and furniture designer Jonathan Adler, and author of the book 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life for his top tips on giving your home a new look that doesn't require breaking down any walls. Adler shared with us, "A new look for your pad doesn't always require a team of contractors." One word-phew!

Related Article: The Ultimate Stay In Bed All Day Sheets

1. Paint. "Don't be afraid of color," Adler shares. "Life should be chic, glamorous, and colorful-and so should your home."

2. Rearrange the Furniture. "There is no one right placement for your furniture," Adler says. "Move things around and try something new. Just because your couch has always been in the same place doesn't mean it needs to stay there for all eternity."

3. Swap Out Your Rug. "The rug is the foundation of the room," Adler says. "Find something bold and graphic and it will make you smile every day." (Editor's note: Adler's Greek Key rugs are seriously lust worthy).

4. Hang a New Chandelier. "Buy a chandelier that is bigger than you think it should be and more expensive than you think you can afford," Adler advises.

5. Change Out the Hardware on Your Furniture. "Refresh your furniture, cabinets, or doors with new hardware," Adler suggests. "It may be small, but it's important: they're the things you touch every day."

More from The Vivant:
The 50 Coolest Rooms in the World
How to Peel a Banana the Right Way (Because Apparently We've All Been Doing It Wrong)
Get the Look: Ginnifer Goodwin's Gallery Wall