House Beautiful
When was the last time you truly updated your master bedroom? Lately I’ve been asking myself that very question.
House Beautiful
We moved into our house fairly recently, yet I’ve had the same bedding for nearly ten years. It was good quality, so it has held up well and remains classic and neutral. Still, after seeing it day after day, I’m ready for a fresh update.
Coastal Living
Sometimes all I want is to walk into the bedroom and be greeted by something new—an unexpected color, a quirky lamp, or a patterned pillow that catches my eye and lifts my mood.
House Beautiful Victoria Pearson
I have a small, silly habit: I’ll walk down a hall and then quickly peek back around the corner into a room to see my reaction. If the sight makes me smile, the space is working and I feel at peace. It inspires me and that’s enough.
Coastal Living Dominique Vorillion
But if I grimace or think “meh,” I know something needs to change. I’ll swap a pillow, add a new accessory, or rearrange furniture until the next quick look makes me smile instead of cringe. If it still doesn’t feel right, I try something else until it does.
Coastal Living
Call it unscientific, but this “double take” method really works for me. It’s a simple, immediate way to gauge whether a room reflects how I want to feel when I walk into it.
House Beautiful (Kathy Ireland designer)
How to refresh your home in three easy steps
The inspired (and delightfully simple) approach
Step one. Walk down a hallway casually, taking in the view without focusing on anything in particular.
Step two. When you pass a room, do a quick double take and look back into the space.
Step three. Notice your reaction. If you feel calm, happy, or inspired, great—move on to the next space. If you think “meh” and find yourself cringing, change something right away: swap textiles, add a plant, adjust lighting, or move a piece of furniture. Then repeat the process until each room makes you smile.
The end.
It sounds almost too simple, but that’s exactly how I approach decorating.
House Beautiful Kathy Ireland
If you want more guidance on creating a restful master bedroom—especially if you have kids at home—I’ve shared additional tips in a guest post elsewhere.
One more confession: after a recent double take in my own house, I heard a loud “MEH” come out of my mouth. Instead of finishing other tasks, I stopped and started rearranging furniture and refreshing the space—proof that the method works for me.
Have you done any double takes lately?
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More ideas for decorating your bedroom!