Empty Nest Makeover 

The quote, “The days are long, the years are short” by Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project is so incredibly spot-on true. When our children are young it feels like an eternity to potty train, get them to sleep through the night, and go through the endless nightly homework. But as they age, it seems the years go by faster and faster. Before long, the kids are off to have their own lives and parents are considered “empty nesters.” 

While this stage in the game may bring on fits of melancholy, it can also mean a time when you finally get to be a little selfish and create a home that truly fits your style, your needs, and become your dream home. 

Getting Started 

Making over a home after the kids have grown and flown can be exciting. The first thing you will want to decide, now that your child’s bedroom will no longer be a shrine to their youth, is what you want the function of each room in your house to be. You may want to switch things around and make a bedroom into a study, library, office, man cave, sewing room, or any other number of things. Some empty nesters rejoice in the freedom and use the free rooms for something all their own. It is all up to you! 

Color Scheme 

Now that you have an idea about what you want your new rooms to function as, chances are that you will need to do some redecorating. Before you start moving the furniture around and rearranging items, you should take this opportunity to give the walls and ceilings a refresh. Choosing a color scheme for each room can be fun and add to the main goal of the room. For example, if you want the kid’s old bedroom to function as a tv room or den to watch movies and snuggle up with your spouse, you might want to choose a deeper or darker tone to set a mood of coziness. 

Or maybe you have decided that your children’s old bedroom or playroom would serve well as a guest room for all of your grandkids to come and stay. Then you could choose youthful colors like a vibrant blue, upbeat yellow, or subdued green for an updated kid’s room with bunk beds, cribs, or twin beds depending upon how many grandkids you hope to host at one time. 

The color scheme is one of our specialties, so if you know what you want a room to function as, talk to our color specialists who can help you choose a perfect color. 

Tying It All Together 

Now that the rooms are painted and you have placed furnishings to match the purpose of each room, you will want to start tying the rooms together. You will want to add lighting that helps with the function of each room. For example, if you have transformed your children’s rooms into a craft area where you need ample amounts of light, you may want a strong overhead light and smaller area lights. If you have created a man cave, then you may want lights that can be dimmed for that movie theater vibe. 

In addition to lighting, you will want to consider floor coverings, art for the walls, keepsakes, and the main layout of each area. We encourage you to have fun with this project. How often in your life have you really been able to have a room or two all of your own?

Categorised in: Decorating, Fun stuff, How-Tos, Interior painting, Jerry Enos