New Year, New Home: Furniture and Décor Ideas for a Fresh Start

The New Year could mean a new home and a fresh start. If you’re moving into a new property this January, you want to make your home your own as quickly as possible. However, after the festive season and with the cost of your new home still eating into your budget, money can be a little tight. So we’ve put together a few top tips on how to create a fresh new interior without spending a fortune. 

1. Create a mood board for each room

Mood boards are amazing – they allow you to gather up all your ideas and inspiration from magazine cuttings, colour charts, material swatches and photographs, put them all in one place, and then play around with different combinations. Take your cue from interior décor magazines if you want to know what's trending, and then work out your unique spin on those concepts.

2. Work with what you’ve already got

You’ll be moving into a new home with your own furniture and personal items, so use these as a starting point to work around. If you have a gorgeous slate grey sofa (a real colour trend for 2024) think about what colours could work well with it. 

3. Little things make a big difference

You don’t have to dive in straight away with a top-to-bottom redecoration. After all, it’s going to be stressful enough just getting all those boxes unpacked! So start small with your interior décor, such as new cushion covers, simple throws, a new lamp or new handles for the kitchen cabinets. The little things can transform an interior and they’re cheap, quick and easy to do, too.

4. Hold off on the wallpaper for now

While wallpaper is making a big comeback in 2024, you might want to hold off breaking out the paste brush and scraper until you feel more comfortable and settled in your new home. Start with refreshing things like the skirting boards with a colour that complements the wallpaper or wall tones, but remember that you need to incorporate all of your design elements, including the colour of your upholstery. 

5. Work room by room

Trying to redecorate a new home in one go is a huge job. So work room by room, starting with the living room. Add little adornments to turn it into a warm and welcoming space where you can relax at the end of the day. Hang some bespoke wall art to make it your own, consider redesigning the lighting to give it a softer feel, and add features such as occasional tables and ottomans for style and practicality. Once you’ve completed one room you can move on to the next.

6. Don’t forget the hallway

We’ve talked so far about rooms, but your hallway is where your visitors get their first impression of your home. So make it really special by adding features to create a more welcoming entrance. Mirrors strategically placed increase the sense of space, while mats and rugs add colour and warmth to any hallway.

At Crate & Barrel, we know how exciting a new home can be, so we’ve gathered a world of ideas together in one place. With us, you can turn your new house into a home, room by room. Browse our website and get some inspiration today.