Kim, Fix My House: Home Improvement on a Budget

Photo Source: Erica Cook

Q: How can I make my home look better without spending money?

De-clutter and De-junk

Everything in your home will look better if there is less of it. Edit, edit and edit some more. Everyone says it, but how do you do it? Take a garbage bag or box and put everything in it that is cluttering the surfaces of your space. Be ruthless! Put the bag or box in your basement. If you can’t remember what’s in the box a month later, toss it.

Detoxify Your Space

Sweep, dust and scrub your space. Spring’s bright sunlight reveals dirt that has collected in your home during the winter months. Objects in your home will look better if they are clean. The air will feel and smell fresh and your space will shine.

Refresh your Design

A room is not a puzzle. There is more than one way to arrange all of its pieces. Rethink your space. Take an hour and move your furniture around. Swap items in your living room with ones from your dining room. It will feel like you have just moved into your home.

Decorate Your Bookshelves

Books are linear objects begging to be styled in a new and interesting way. Group all of your books according to size and colour. Then take one section per shelf and lay down several books horizontally. Place a special object of the same colour on top of the pile. The result is an eye-pleasing design and a way to use the knick-knacks that pile up on your dining room table.

Design A Gallery Wall

Play art gallery curator. Most people move into a new home, hang their paintings and never touch them again. Choose a section of wall or even a corner. Take down some of the art from other rooms and hang them in a grouping. Rethink some of your favourite objects. Can they be hung? If so, add them to the wall in between the paintings. Print some of your favourite photos, frame them and add them to the mix. Voilà! You now have a French salon.

As seen in Canadian Home Trends Magazine Spring 2014

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Kim Bartley

Kim Bartley, Principal of Kim Bartley Design, brings 25 years of business ownership and management to the table. Kim’s keen eye for design lends her rooms an edgy sophistication while remaining current and functional. Her philosophy is that your home should make you happy and reflect your lifestyle and changing needs. Focusing on unparalleled client care, Kim aims to make the design experience positive and enjoyable at each phase of the project. She works collaboratively with her clients to develop spaces that are clean and modern but still warm and approachable. Kim believes that everyone deserves to live in a beautifully designed space and focuses on truly “getting” her clients.

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