Whether our home is brand new or 100 years old, we all are looking for creative ways to update or enhance our living spaces. That’s one of the many appeals of the 2024 Bexley House & Garden Tour.

“I would never have thought of that!” “I think I could do that in my house.” “That wouldn’t cost much at all.”

All are some of the comments often heard during the last 17 years of the tour. Although some homes are professionally constructed, decorated and landscaped, the look and function of many homes are inspired and brought to life by the homeowners themselves.

Here are several decorating tips from the owner of one of this year’s tour homes. Rhonda Brotherton is a real estate agent whose experience in home sales and staging has been honed by her boundless creativity and energy.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match various furniture and accessory styles.

• Spend your money on a few important pieces and save money, refurbish or reuse minor or accent pieces. For example, you may choose a nice sofa, but save money on less expensive window treatments.

• Look for unique items you can refurbish or reuse. On the tour, look for the wooden painter’s plank that Rhonda repurposed as a family room coffee table. A velvety textured shower curtain of a beautiful color became an accent throw on a bed. “Don’t be afraid to take a chance on items you find for free or in various discount stores—nothing is off limits,” says Rhonda.

• Be willing to try various items if they are a good price and fit your color or decorating scheme. Just be sure they are returnable if it turns out they don’t work. But don’t be lured in by a low price. Sometimes even the best wholesale deals aren’t worth it.

• Use room specific furniture in other areas. Rhonda uses well constructed outdoor chairs in her dining room. A very large chandelier goes over the bed in her bedroom.

• Be patient. Sometimes you have to wait for just the right color, size or item. Rhonda notes that even the best priced piece available immediately will not look good if it doesn’t fit the space or decor.

• Look at your floor plan from different angles. Rhonda saw in her house plans that the front hall closet abutted the kitchen. She was able to open a kitchen wall to install a pantry closet in that space. The original hall closet door now opens up to narrower shelves. Rhonda confesses that every time she uses her new pantry closet she thinks, “I’m so glad I thought of that!”