February is a cold month in Minnesota, but also the month we celebrate love. How about giving your home some love with a few updates that will make you fall in love with your home all over again! For tips on how to best do this, we turned to Tom Wiest from Yetzer’s in Waconia.
“A quick and inexpensive way to make changes to your living room is with color, be it pillows, art, home décor or throws.” says Tom. “Most homes have a neutral colored couch and by changing the pillows with a new color, you get an instant change.”
Another suggestion is to buy a new piece of wall art or move your art to a different wall. Art tends to draw the eye and creates a new experience in the room. Home décor such as vase or sculptures added to a side table, will create a new focal point in the room. “The days of “matchy – matchy” is over” says Tom. “Bring in accessories that do not compete with what you already have but instead complement what you have.”
If you are looking to make more of an impact, you can completely change the look of a room by buying new furniture or changing up the flooring. Yetzers has some great advice when it comes to flooring. By choosing a dark flooring, you can make a large room look cozier and inviting. Lighter flooring will make the room look bigger and is great to make small rooms larger. Fortunately, when it comes to flooring, you have many choices. Choose anything from a hardwood to a fabricated floor, then use a rug to pull the room together.
A great way to show your personality is by using furniture such as couches, love seats and comfy chairs. Today, and at showrooms such as Yetzers, you can customize a couch down to the nails! You are free to choose any type of fabric, configuration and style of feet. A couch is a major focal point in the room, and it is important to make the best use of the space. Yetzer’s urges their customers to bring in pictures of every part of the room, including corners, ceiling and walls as well as the measurements of the room. “Dimensions are important. If there is not enough furniture, it will look empty and guest will not feel comfortable sitting down. If there is too much furniture, it will look cluttered. There is a fine line”, advises Tom. By customizing fabrics, wood and configuration, you can get a seating arrangement that is both comfortable and inviting.
Lighting is another important design decision. There are almost limitless options on the market, but what you should first consider is what you want the light to do. Are you adding illumination to a painting or piece or art? Do you need the light for reading and if so, should it illuminate one seat or more? Is it to brighten up the room or just for ambient light? Do you want the fixture to be a focal point in room? Once you decide the purpose, there are choices in almost every material and size, for all types of uses. Knowing why you want the fixture in the first place will help you decide what to choose for your lighting.
We also asked Tom about window covering and if drapes or blinds are the way to go. The answer is the inevitable, “It depends”. “Think of why you want to cover the window in the first place” says Tom, “Is it to prevent light, to reduce heat loss, for privacy or just to frame the window?” These questions all go into the decision. Generally, blinds are great for privacy, to keep light out and are more versatile. When it comes to blinds there are endless options to include opaque, black out, wood and plastic. There are even blinds that works off an app on your phone so you can shut your blinds from anywhere in the world.
Curtains are a good choice as well. Similar to blinds, curtains some in many different styles, materials and sizes. If you need privacy, the thickness of your curtains is an important consideration. Thickness adds weight, which must be considered when choosing a curtain rod or treatment. In today’s market, a curtain rod or treatment can be as important as the curtain – make sure you talk to a professional for advice on what’s best for you.
Tom offered some thoughts about trends for 2020. He said that there is no standout design style, but the popular colors for this year are combinations of blue/green and green/blues. Mainstays are darker brown and dark blue herringbone, but nothing too bold. Make a statement with color, but don’t scream it.
“Remember that the furniture should last for 20 – 30 years, so it should be comfortable”, offers Tom. “Most important of all, you should love your look! If you don’t, make some easy changes that will make you fall in love again”.
Yetzer’s has been a mainstay in Waconia for 78 years. They offer design services, furniture and home decor and focus on quality, not price. “Everything in our showroom is customized. Custom does not mean expensive. If you can dream it, we can do it!” says Tom. “We are here to build relationships and help expose the customer to what they really want. There are so many styles on the market and we are here to educate the customer on what is available, so they have all the options they need to make a good decision”.
Yetzer’s is located at 33 W 1st Street in Waconia, MN 55387 and can be reached at phone (952) 232- 0976.
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CONVERSATION STARTERS - Home décor that doubles as conversation starters are always great. These adorable bulldogs not only hold books in place, they add a sense of whimsy to your room. Pick pieces that make you smile when you see them and that add enjoyment every day.
FOCAL POINTS- Large geometrical pieces draw the eye and creates a focal point in any room. These pieces can be placed on the coffee table, side table or in a bookshelf. Allow room around the pieces so they can stand out. One or two are enough for most rooms to avoid a cluttered look.
POP OF COLOR- Consider adding a blanket in a new color to your couch or chair. It will add a pop of color and also be there when you need to warm up. Choose from red, green, grey and blue as these are great colors that typically work with most homes. Blankets and throws are relatively inexpensive and can be changed frequently.
LIGHT FIXTURES –Fixtures is a great way to showcase your personality. Keep in mind that fixtures will add to the overall feel of the room, so think about what the light should do. Is it to add ambiance, to highlight or to illuminate? Once you have decided the purpose, you can choose a fixture that fits your design style.
