Jennifer Sheahan: How to refresh dated decor

How to give your interior design look a revamp

Add a trim around windows to change the look without having to replace them.

When you buy a home that’s not brand new, for better or worse you will inherit the previous homeowners’ decor. You might get lucky and walk into a turnkey house that is perfectly suited to your taste with a high-quality finish, but more often than not you will likely want to make changes. This is easy when changes need to be made — when poor quality or damaged items need to be replaced, or if you’re ripping out rooms for an extensive renovation.

It’s less easy when you have inherited items that are high quality and perfectly functional, but are simply not your style. Perhaps they’re a little dated, or maybe they just don’t fit the vision you had for your home. Trends come and go but durable and high-quality materials remain timeless in their own right — even if they’re not quite what you want right now. If you find yourself working with dated but high-quality finishes, there may be no need to rip them out.