Expert Design Tips for Home Makeovers & Moves

Are you dreaming of updating your home décor, or planning a move? If you’re on the fence about redecorating, consider the benefits it can have for your emotional health. There are changes you can make to boost the positive impact your home has on you as well as your visitors. For example, modifying the colors of walls, furniture, and accent pieces can affect your mood and reduce stress.

The Power of Color

“Color influences so many aspects of our lives,” says Marisela Panzarella, designer and move-in coordinator at Splendido, an all-inclusive community for those 55 and better in Tucson. “It can create strong feelings – calm and soothing, or vibrant and energizing, or even cozy and personal.”

You can make a room happy with warm tones, or serious and restful with cool ones. “Color provokes mood; it’s very psychological,” explains Marisela. “You only have to look at how restaurants use color to see how it can work. For example, in most fast-food restaurants, the prevalent colors are bold and energetic, like bright yellow and red. That’s because they want you to eat fast and get you out of there!”

The good news is that we have more colors to choose from today to help set the right mood. “We’re blending more colors now, going up and down the color scale,” Marisela points out. “And we’re adding more to our homes than we used to.”

Mixing Old & New Looks

An aspect of enlisting your home décor to help you Age Well is to keep and showcase the belongings that make you happy. Those concerned about mixing new styles with antiques of heirloom pieces need not worry.

“Yes, at a certain point you should downsize and streamline, but hold onto the mementos—and furniture—that are meaningful to you,” says Marisela. “Those can be used as accents to your new decor.”

When new residents move to Splendido, Marisela works with them to help with space planning and design. Her advice is start with the pieces you are keeping, and look at the colors and tones of wooden pieces. “Maybe you have an area rug or piece of art you love,” she says. “We’ll take those things into account, and then we’ll create a palette for you.”

Trending Now

There are some current interior design trends that support creating an environment where you can Age Well. Chief among these is a focus on natural materials and textures. “There is a trend to return to a natural state, and position the home as a quiet and simple refuge from the busy world,” explains Marisela. “Homes are being designed with stone, wood, and tile—Splendido plans to incorporate some of these in the new Villa Homes coming next year.”

Other design trends Marisela notes include “super plush” textiles, metallics, and a return to the 1970s, “with strong colors and bold geometric patterns.”

When planning a home makeover or moving to a new home, how much you rely on trends like these is a matter of preference. As with the colors you select to set the tone of each room, “your design has to reflect you and your likes and dislikes,” says Marisela.

To learn more about Splendido, find us at splendidotucson.com.