By‌ ‌Ashley‌ ‌Zimmermann,‌ ‌Creative‌ ‌Content‌ ‌Director‌ ‌for‌ ‌@designREMODEL‌ ‌

Happy Holidays to all! It is that time of year again. Many of us entertain during the November and December months, and some modest home updates can create a fresh and cheerful atmosphere. If you are in the mood for a few revamp ideas, or if there are minor cosmetic issues that are bothering you, read on. Pick one or two suggested projects depending on your time budget. We’ll be discussing small home projects and some decorating update ideas.

A disclaimer: make sure to pick small projects that can you can accomplish quickly. The holiday season is not the time of year to add stress to your schedule. Keep your expectations realistic; we are all busy enough during the holidays. Don’t expect to find professional help on short notice, and certainly don’t attempt to start a renovation by yourself. Keep your projects modest and cosmetic. Larger projects can wait for the new year.

1. Guest Bedroom

Better Homes & Gardens suggests updating the design of your guest bedroom. You can achieve this quickly by shopping for new bedding, lamps, and wall art. For another quick makeover, consider rearranging some of your furniture. Add a nostalgic rocking chair, a chic chaise lounge, or a soft and comfy armchair for a bed and breakfast feel. Tasteful holiday decorations like greenery and a neutral tone palette with plaid flannel accents (like pillows or a quilt) can offer that ski chalet feel.

2. Paint an Accent Wall

Painting an accent wall can be achieved relatively quickly if you budget some time. Pick a color that speaks to your soul. Rich, moody colors can offer a modern update, or pick something like Benjamin Moore’s 2021 Color of the Year, Aegean Teal, for a Mediterranean "going on holiday" feel.

3. Bathroom Facelift

As mentioned in our 2019 holiday home updates article, your main and guest bathrooms will likely see lots of traffic this season, so this is the perfect time for a few updates. We suggested replacing the bathroom hardware, and this is still an easy option: “This includes the knobs and pulls, as well as towel rods and hooks.” As with the guest bathroom, you can swap out your wall art and linens. If you want to incorporate holiday decorations, avoid overdoing it with the kitschy holiday linens, and instead, opt for something timeless like a poinsettia, red ribbon, or small vintage figurines.

4. Lighting Fixtures

A few 2021 lighting trends have included sculptural and artful “lighting as a design focal point” style fixtures. Homes & Gardens suggests going big and bold in both large and small spaces. Think ceiling lighting and stand-alone statement pieces for your end table. Pick something interesting that you like, and you are good to go. You can’t go wrong this year. H&G explains, “choosing lamps should be like selecting accessories to complement an outfit.” I could not agree more. My fashion philosophy is to dress intentionally and wear whatever makes you happy. Mixing patterns and textures? Absolutely. Just do it on purpose. I recommend looking at the lamp image featured in the H&G article for an example of what I mean. Picking some interesting lighting fixture updates can impress your guests and, more importantly, give you a creative outlet and set the tone for 2022.

5. Beautify the Fireplace

Per our 2018 blog post, “Fireplaces will get a lot of attention during the holidays, so make sure that yours is looking its best. Painting over old brick can quickly rejuvenate the fireplace.” Follow Benjamin Moore’s instructions for the best results. Before starting, make sure this is what you want because there is no going back. (Brick paint removal is possible, but that is a story for another time.)

House Beautiful suggests filling lanterns with string lights and setting them in the fireplace if yours is nonworking for a gorgeous, unexpected faux fireside. Check out their photo (linked below) for inspiration.

6. Update Your Kitchen Cabinets 

Our 2019 holiday blog post suggested, “Add a coat of stain or paint, hang them back up, and add some new hardware” for a quick refresh. Please note: HGTV.com advises allowing two weekends for this project if you go the DIY route. Allow a budget of around $200. Follow HGTV’s instructions and finish up with some eye-catching luxe gold drawer pulls and knobs.

7. Refresh Your Living Room

Peruse your favorite home-goods store, use what you already have in storage, or borrow items like a couch throw and pillows from a family member for a quick refresh. As with other decorations, holiday-themed is okay but aim to keep it timeless and tasteful.

8. Smooth out nicks and scratches

Now is a good time to fix minor cosmetic imperfections like small scratches in your woodwork or nail holes in walls. For small wood scratches and nicks on baseboards, wainscoting, etc., follow these instructions:

1. Make sure to find a matching stain. 

2. Test out the stain in a small, inconspicuous area. Better yet, if you have a scrap of the same wood lying around. 

3. Once you have determined the stain is a match, stain over the scratch marks to disguise them.

To fill nail holes or dings on a painted surface:

1. Scrape over the hole’s surface with a putty knife to make it flat and use your finger to remove any protruding material.  

2. Use painter’s putty to fill the hole. Use your finger or a putty knife to get it in place and smooth out the excess. On a textured wall, you can use the “wet sponge trick” as a shortcut for blending the putty over the hole if you don’t intend to or have time to sand. 

3. Once dry, paint over the putty with matching paint.

9. Spruce up your Seating

If the mood strikes you, take a weekend trip to a local antique mall or thrift shop and look around for some wooden Windsor chairs. If you find ones in good condition, you can put them out on rotation without refinishing to add a little modern farmhouse charm for the holidays.

It is worth emphasizing that the time has passed for any medium or large projects or updates. However, you can tie up a few loose ends and fix cosmetic errors to make your home feel extra new, shiny, and ready for the season. I hope you found these ideas helpful!

References:

https://atdesignremodel.com/blog/pressed-for-time-this-holiday-season-these-quick-and-easy-projects-will-help-you-spruce-up-your-home - Pressed for Time this Holiday Season? These Quick and Easy Projects Will Help You Spruce Up Your Home

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/lessons/expert-advice/holiday-home-updates/ - 7 Quick Updates You Can Do Now to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays

https://atdesignremodel.com/blog/get-your-kitchen-holiday-ready-with-these-5-helpful-tips - Get Your Kitchen Holiday Ready with These 5 Helpful Tips

https://atdesignremodel.com/blog/holiday-remodel-tips-2019 - Updates Your Home Needs Prior to the Holiday Season

https://www.southernliving.com/home/bathroom/weekend-bathroom-updates-big-impact - 4 Big-Impact Bathroom Updates You Can Do Yourself This Weekend

https://atdesignremodel.com/blog/the-holidays-are-quickly-approaching-complete-at-least-one-of-these-5-remodeling-projects-now - The Holidays are Quickly Approaching. Complete At Least One of These 5 Remodeling Projects Now!

https://atdesignremodel.com/blog/paint-color-of-the-year-2021 - 2021 Paint Color of the Year- Aegean Teal by Benjamin Moore

https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/lighting-trends-207692 - Lighting trends 2021 – see the beautiful designs set to brighten our homes next year

https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g999/christmas-home-decor/ - 100 Decorating Ideas For The Most Festive Christmas Ever

https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g999/christmas-home-decor/?slide=34 - Fake Your Fireplace

https://www.hgtv.com/design/remodel/kitchen-remodel/how-to-refinish-cabinets-like-a-pro-pictures - How to Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/interior-exterior-paints-stains/how-to-advice/interiors/brick-fireplace - How to Paint a Brick Fireplace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVt2dR0Q9Ag - How To Cover up Nail Holes on Walls | Spackle Tips for Beginners