I love redecorating and rearranging my home and I will take every opportunity I get to do so. Dashain gives me a reason to splurge a little on home decor and make my space look nicer. However, this festive season has been one of mixed feelings. The recent protests where many lost their lives have left a bitter taste in my mouth. Celebrating as I did last year doesn’t feel right. Shopping for home decor seems like a frivolous task. Ideally, this is when I would be buying new sheets, cushion covers, and other trinkets like vases and candlestands to beautify my space. But I find myself in no mood to browse through the stores and alleys in Mangal Bazaar in Lalitpur and pick up stuff as I used to. 

So where does that leave me? I want to infuse freshness in my home this Dashain while making sure I don’t have to put in all the extra effort for it. This has forced me to think a little creatively and use what I have around the house. 

One of the secrets of having a nice home is not buying things to fill it with but to use things in interesting ways to make it unique and give it your signature touch. If there is one thing I have learnt over the years it is this: a pretty house needs to be clean and personal. So here’s what I am doing to get my home ready for the festive season without shopping for a single thing (well, except for maybe some fresh flowers). 

Reusing fabrics for different purposes

Old bedsheets can be turned into table covers and cushions. You can also make use of silk sarees for the same. I made a throw using an old shawl that my mother has had for years. You can simply stitch some tassels or lace on the ends of the shawl and give it a new look. The idea here is to find whatever fabric you have around the house and repurpose it. Switching curtains between rooms is a great idea to instantly revamp your home. 

Interesting displays from household objects

Create little corners with displays to keep things interesting. You can use a variety of things that you have lying around the house for this idea. I used some old crystal ashtrays as holders for floating candles and paired them with tall candlestands for visual interest. This works great on coffee tables and entryways. You can create any kind of display you like with old vases, jars, trays, etc. Consider displaying interesting and fun ceramic wares as wall decor and arrange branches and leaves on a large vase for a great centerpiece. 

Changing the layout 

One of the easiest and quickest ways to give your house a fresh new appeal is by changing the layout of the furniture and decor items. Oftentimes, mundanity sets in because you’ve had the same arrangement of furniture and knickknacks. Simply changing where things are placed can give a brand new look to your space. These days, you can ask help from AI to change the layout of a room using pieces you already have. I’m going to swap tables and chairs between rooms and use small shelves as bedside tables. 

Revamp the old

Festival times are generally when we tend to throw out the old stuff and bring in new things. But you would be surprised what some cleaning and perhaps a fresh coat of paint can accomplish. This Dashain, I am giving all my photo frames a new lease of life by painting them in different colors. You can also rotate trinkets around the house and create new setups with the things you already have. Consider changing photos in the frames and even changing their placements. Sometimes, decorating means editing. Remove a few pieces to create space and see how you feel.