Quarantine Creativity
Dallas designer shares 4 easy steps to redecorate without leaving your home
As an expert on creating trendy, Instagram-ready rooms, Dallas designer Ginger Curtis, owner of Urbanology Designs, has a knack for styling a space. But here’s the catch: she can do it without purchasing any new decor — a handy skillset given the current circumstances and the temporary shuttering of brick-and-mortar stores.
So for folks craving a change of scenery during the shelter-in-place order, don’t fall victim to the temptation of leaving those four-weathered walls. Instead, try redecorating using these steps straight from Curtis’ wheelhouse.
Step 1: Edit
Before just rearranging the furniture and calling it a day, Curtis advises that you take a step back and examine the space. Remove the items that are bogging down the room in order to leave space for something more special.
“Sometimes you just need permission to Marie Kondo [your home] and be like, ‘I don't love this. Why do I have it?’ So just start editing and paring back, and that will give you some breathing space,” she says.
Step 2: Look for the opportunities
Dallas architects have infused eye-catching homes with noteworthy details inside and out. In this next step, Curtis draws attention to those intricacies that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.
“You don't want to just start filling the room with things without giving some thoughtful intention and considering the opportunities,” Curtis says. “Do I have some really great windows or cool architectural features I can highlight? Or can I draw attention to the moulding? If you just start shoving the room full of things, then you could miss a really fantastic moment.”
Step 3: Rob Peter to pay Paul
Now that the editing is complete and you’ve considered details to spotlight, the time has come to start shopping your own decor.
“I like to say, ‘Rob Peter to pay Paul,'" she says. "Basically, chop up your own house. Go to a different bedroom and maybe you've got a cool piece that’s weird or quirky or interesting, and it could really shine on a shelf front and center.
"Sometimes we're so used to seeing our things because we've had them or they've been in a family, and just moving it to a new location can give you a whole brand-new set of eyes.”
Step 4: Zoom to the experts
Quarantine has been in session for more than three weeks now. We are all starting to get that itch to make major changes, so Curtis encourages a quick, remote chat with a designer.
“It's a great time to do some projects around the house,” Curtis says. "It's also a great time to partner with a designer. Any designer can jump on a Zoom call and walk through your house virtually with you, and be like ‘Okay, hold on. We have definitely got to highlight this feature.’ So it’s a really great opportunity to just pause, get some fantastic design advice, and then go and execute.”
