On the Calendar: Leap Day!

It's Leap Day, and we all know what that means: it's time to make a big leap in your life! Maybe you'll try a hobby you've always wanted to test out, scratch something off of your bucket list, or get a new hairstyle. No matter what it is, make sure you do something for yourself. We suggest making a design leap!

Little Leap

Let's go beyond the usual here. Everyone changes up their throws and pillows. We want to show you truly unique ways to spice up your interiors. How about painting your chair legs? Or the edge of your doors? We love this lamp shade with a glittery secret. You can even paint the inside of your cabinet doors or drawers if you want to keep them looking neutral to your visitors. Another fun thing we love is to change your drawer hardware in the kitchen or bathroom!

Medium Leap

Anyone can buy new drapes or accent furniture. Try painting the inside of your closet a bright color instead of the usual white. Or even the inside of your cabinets. It's almost guaranteed to make you smile each time you open it. Do you have some ugly exposed plumbing or a radiator in your bathroom? Don't bother covering it up; make it a statement piece.

Big Leap

If you're feeling particularly adventurous, update your curb appeal. That can mean adding a walkway to your front door, adding some landscaping, or adding window boxes. On the inside, you can make a huge statement by paintng your kitchen cabinetry (here are some great tutorials for painting laminate, wood with visible grain, and simpler cabinetry) or updating your countertops (our favorite styles are granite, quartz, quartzite, and soapstone). If you've got some old furniture you're not really feeling, try painting it. And I don't mean just paint it a solid color - use paint pens or stencils to paint a design on it!

Whether you're changing up your lamp shades or painting an entire house, leaps can be scary. There's no guarantee that it'll look perfect. In fact, it probably won't. But we think that's part of the beauty of home design: nothing is perfect but it's still a wonderful expression of who we are.