Few Tips to Upgrade Your Living Space

Overhauling your home doesn’t have to bleed your bank account dry. In fact, it doesn’t have to cost you a thing, says Alex Reid, in-house designer for One King’s Lane. “Small changes are often the most effective and will keep your space looking personal, not like it came out of a catalog,” he says. Read on for some spendthrift tips you can use right now to elevate your space in a flash.

Consolidate Your Crap 

Coins, receipts, bills, mail — it’s all stuff that no one needs to see. Use a wood tray or glass bowl to organize all of it in one place. Then put all your shoes behind closed doors, whether it’s a closet or wooden crates. “Having a clutter-free place makes you look more put together, responsible, and attractive,” says Reid. “It’s an easy way to become more dateable, instantly.”

Show Some Greenery

You might not be the biggest fan of plants, but your girl is. So your house or bedroom should have some green somewhere. “Keeping plants shows you can actually take care of something,” says Reid. Skip the flowers and arrange a few large leaves or branches of a similar size in an old vase or glass jug. “It’s easier to care for than a dog or a baby, and she will definitely notice,“ he says.

Move Your Bed

Where you put your bed depends on the layout of your room, but there’s one place it should never go — in a corner. “Boys put their beds in the corner,” says Reid. “A grown man should be more thoughtful.” Instead, arrange your bed near the center of your room with the head against a wall. While you’re at it, make your bed every day, says Reid. Short on time in the mornings? Lose the top sheet and just use a fitted sheet and a duvet. Just shake out the duvet in the morning, and you’ll be able to make your bed in seconds.

Soften The Lighting

Don’t settle for the harsh, extra-bright lighting in your place. Set the mood with something softer, but don’t spring for a dimmer. Just turn off your overhead lights and opt for wall lights and lamps instead. “Indirect lighting is the most flattering,” says Reid. “It sets a romantic ambiance where everyone looks better.” Want to go the extra step? Switch out your 60-watt bulbs for 25-watt ones for an even more inviting mood.

Overhaul Your Bathroom

“A messy bathroom is a big red flag for women,” says Reid. So, clean up your act. Start by putting everyday items such as eyeglasses and other accessories in a basket or tray and all your grooming products into a dopp kit instead of on the sink or a countertop. “Your bathroom should evoke the image of cleanliness,” says Reid. “And less is always more in a bathroom.” Hang a single piece of art in the center of the largest wall and you’re done.

Fill Your Shelves

Don’t worry about having the coolest shelving. It’s what’s on them that matters most. Show off your personality by only displaying personal items like family heirlooms or keepsakes you’ve picked up from travels instead of store-bought design pieces, says Reid. Group things with similar colors, but mix them up when it comes to size. Don’t have enough to fill them? Break out your books. “They’re an instant conversation starter, and they show there’s more to you than the movie posters on your wall,” he says.

Curate Your Walls

First order of business: Lose the cheesy posters and beer paraphernalia. “It’s better to have a blank wall than something that makes you look immature,” says Reid. “Your artwork shows who you are and what you’ve done.” Short on hangable art? Frame anything — a menu from your favorite restaurant or torn out book pages work. “One of my favorite pieces of art was from a guy who framed all his grandfathers bow ties,” says Reid. “It was so classic and personal.” You can even frame printed photos — skip the party pics — in black and white for a sophisticated touch.

Become A Bartender

A true gentleman has cocktail ingredients ready to go at all times, says Reid. But your bar should be more than a collection of bottles on your kitchen counter. Turn any flat surface into a bar — consoles, credenzas, even an old trunk or book case works. Stock it with just a few of your favorite bottles of hooch, a few highball and lowball glasses, and a mixer. That’s it. Stow seldom-used martini glasses and champagne flutes, and only break them out when needed.

Tune Out The TV

Big TVs are cool, but they aren’t fun, and they shouldn’t be the centerpiece of a room. If yours is hanging, blend it into the wall by grouping artwork around it. Whatever you do, don’t buy a TV stand or entertainment center, says Reid. Instead, put it on top of a vintage dresser or trunk. Then make stacks of books on either side of it to hide ugly cables. It will give your place character and turn an otherwise dull appliance into a conversation starter.

All images courtesy of Tessa Neustadt. 

Source:AskMen.com