Dear Jean and Richard, is there a way to re-design a room and keep most of your current furniture? I’m not sure how to update or freshen a room without starting over.—Davia, Hendersonville

Jean: Hi Davia. Of course, a lot depends on what your current interior looks like. We find that many people are just tired of their surroundings but not quite ready or able to replace everything, so your question is a common one. But the answer doesn’t have to be common.

Richard: I suggest you start with one thing you really, really don’t want to part with. Maybe it’s a family heirloom or favorite painting. From there, you can consider—piece by piece—the other items in the room and determine whether they complement that piece or detract from it. For those things that don’t seem to work, first consider what other places in your home they might fit, but if they remain awkward, maybe it’s time to find a new home for them.

Jean: Wow, Richard. That was diplomatic. “Find a new home” sounds better than “garage sale.” But you make a good point. By really asking yourself if a piece “works” with the item or items you want to keep, you’re on the way to making some big decisions. Once you mentally pare down the furnishings, you’ll know what you need to replace. Then I would go back to the favorite piece and work from there.

Richard: And follow a simple trick that retail stores do: shuffle your furnishings around and you’ll see them in a whole new light…literally! Also paint can make a huge difference. If you are working around a painting or print, you might want to choose a color that is in the image, but not the predominant one. If you’re working from a piece of furniture that is painted or has a pronounced finish, find a color that coordinates with it AND with the room next door.

Jean: Yes, but I would wait on the paint color until you’ve found the new items. There are so many ways to approach this, but it’s usually a mistake to try to match new purchases to your existing finishes or surface treatments. Some of the finest homes (or at least our favorites) have an eclectic mixture of textures and color, and if you’re trying to salvage some of your current furnishings, a deliberate mix is probably your best approach.

Richard: I would not challenge that—Jean’s the expert on “mixed up.” But I would offer that when designing a room décor, there needs to be some consistency in scale and taste. For example, if your focal point is an elaborate Victorian china hutch, you wouldn’t want to display NASCAR collectables in it.

Jean: Gee Richard, what do you have against NASCAR collectables? I agree, but sometimes you can effectively mix in an unexpected accessory or add a whimsical object to lighten up a conservative setting. The right mix can offer elegance and fun at the same time.

Richard: Sounds like a plan.