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Besides reconsidering your drinking and dusting off your work-out gear, the new year is a fresh opportunity to adjust your home. Whether you want it to be cozier for cold months ahead or less cluttered, Kara Mann has a few tips to get you started. The stylist turned interior designer masterminded goop’s Chicago pop-up, and the sumptuous yet pared-back interiors of the Talbott Hotel, among other projects.
In the spirit of the new year, Mann offers 11 simple tips to refresh your home without any serious rearranging. Below, resolutions you can actually plan on keeping.
New Bedding "There’s nothing better than fresh, clean sheets for a restorative new year," Mann tells Vogue. She recommends switching your duvet cover to a slightly different tone, then layering with a textured textile (linen is in!) on top. "The materiality will give your bedroom a completely new look."
Faux Fur Throw Mann suggests adding a faux fur throw to your sofa. It's simple yet luxurious, and will help create a cozy environment.
Leopard Print Runner "I consider leopard print a neutral and use it in small doses to add flavor to a space. It’s ok to be playful; not everything needs to look like a design catalogue."
Low Maintenance Plants You don't have to have a green thumb to freshen up your spot with plants. "Your blood pressure will go down just walking into the room," Mann explains. "Try a low maintenance option like an indestructible peace lily or a few small pots of jade."
Edit Mann lives by decluttering, which allows new ideas to emerge. She suggests listing items that aren't performing a function on Chairish or donating to your local Housing Works. "If you can avoid it, don’t throw things away—better to promote a circular economy and sustainability."
Renew "Never underestimate what a new bright coat of paint can do for a tired piece of furniture," Mann says. If you're looking for something even bolder, use wallpaper on the inside of a bookshelf or to make drawers pop.
Clean Out the Pantry Mann recommends repackaging food in glass canisters for a pretty, clean look.
Make Use of Baskets and Bins "I am a big fan of hiding 'the stuff of life' for a prettier, well-edited environment. There are so many beautiful, inexpensive woven baskets on the market that will take your home up a notch. It will also give any room texture!"
Upgrade Your Bath Accessories Details can make a difference. "I like to shop at vintage stores for old glassware and canisters and then use them for cotton balls and q-tips in my bathroom. Set on a pretty vintage tray, it elevates life’s mundane tasks."
Eliminate Plastic Cleaning Accessories Mann proposes switching from plastic to wooden dish brushes, mops, and metal buckets. "These products look chicer but are also safer for the environment. Such an easy way to elevate your home and have an impact."
Pillows Switching out decorative accessories with the seasons is an easy way to update a room. Mann recommends Etsy for finding handmade treasures.