Refresh Your Home For 2019 With Lancaster's Top Designers

There’s a special kind of cabin fever that comes along with the start of a new year. As soon as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, the living spaces we cherished all through the holidays can suddenly feel stagnant. January is all about new chapters, so it’s no surprise that you’d want to give your home decor a bit of a refresh. Fortunately, a few simple shifts can create all the change you crave. If you’re ready to welcome 2019 with a new look for your space, Lancaster’s top interior designers have you covered. Here are a few of their favorite tips for a quick home touch-up.

Details make all the difference.
Adding a few new stylish, inexpensive pieces can transform a room. “To quickly and easily refresh the mood of a space add new throw pillows or an area rug,” says designer Alison McIndoe of AK Interiors. And don’t be afraid to mix patterns. “It can create a boldness in a room that you never knew was there.” McIndoe also suggests adding a few fun seasonal accessories to create a bit of variety in the long winter months. “These little details can really liven up a vignette, a mantle, or an entryway.”

Break out a fresh coat of paint.
Lancaster interior designer Sharon Hanby-Robie has noticed a recent pattern among her clients. “Within the last three days I had several appointments with clients, and do you know what they all wanted? New paint colors for the entire home. Keeping the old furniture but going to fresher, lighter colors.”
According to Hanby-Robie, a new paint job can make the whole space feel new again. “How old are your walls? When is the last time they were painted, and what colors are you leaning towards these days when you open up design magazines?” If you’re torn on which color most catches your eye, Hanby-Robie says that some of the top hues on the horizon this year are purple, pastels, brick tones, and orange tones.

Choose a focal point for your space.
If you don’t already have a designated focal point in your favorite room, take the time to consider what you want it to be and make sure it’s highlighted. “It is important to have a focus point,” says Henrietta Heisler of Henrietta Heisler Interiors. This could be your ceiling, your beautiful flooring, or a wall you especially love. “Once your eye focuses on a main place it can explore the rest of the space.”

When in doubt, start with the door.
“Start with first impressions, and that’s your front door, both the exterior and the interior,” says Hanby-Robie. She suggests giving your door a new lease on life with a fresh coat of paint or a new wreath. “I recently painted the interior of my front door a bright aqua. It transformed the foyer.” If you want to try this yourself, Hanby-Robie has a simple formula: “Choose one of the three main colors from your home and find a shade from there that coordinates well with your foyer. [Your door] is the first thing people see when they come to your home, and it’s the last thing they see when they leave.”

Brighten things up wherever you can.
Energizing yourself for the new year is a lot easier when you’re looking at cheerful brights. “We’re facing the winter doldrums and nothing can make you more depressed than heavy, dark fabrics and furnishings,” says Hanby-Robie. “We desperately need to feel fresh and like sunshine. So lighter, fresher fabrics, and patterns.” You’ll also want to make sure your light sources are as joyful as possible. “Look at your window treatments. If they’re heavy and ornate and complicated, let’s try to simplify that. Let’s try to get them down to a shade and some simple side panels.” That simple act can dramatically transform a space.

Play up your home’s past and present.
There’s something to be said for letting your home’s structural personality inform design choices, especially in an older building. “Architecture is the starting point of a space and it is the aspect of a room that shapes the overall feeling,” says McIndoe. “The beauty of a space is woven into the details: millwork, fireplaces, windows, and lighting. These are the things that make a space memorable and unique.”

In a city like Lancaster, where historic spaces are around every corner, aim to add a touch of the new while still honoring the building’s past. “We love the Lancaster design trend of renovating historic buildings,” McIndoe says. “It’s exciting to see an old space reimagined and brought to life again.” For inspiration, look no further than our own neighbors in spaces like The Keppel Building and The Press Building. “The Press Building is an amazing example of this because each home owner brings their own individual style to their space that creates a greater unique community. It’s been a joy to see the variation in styles across our design clients in that building.”

Above all, remember to choose looks you love.
Just because a design choice is trending on Instagram doesn’t mean that you’re obligated to try it yourself. “We love to let people know that you don’t necessarily have to follow trends,” McIndoe says. “You can set your own, by keeping your design rooted in history and courageously mixing the old and new.” You’re the one who will be living in your home day in and day out, so don’t be afraid to go for a design that makes you happy. At the end of the day, you deserve positive, energizing sanctuary to come home to each night.

By: Claire Hannum