Solar blinds can control light that may damage older window fabrics

Decorating with furnishings that are already available in a household is a practical and resourceful way to approach room makeovers.


But it can present a dilemma for home decorators when they don't know whether to refinish a piece of furniture that has been in their family's possession for many years, according to HGTV.com. Sometimes refinishing or painting robs the value of a piece that has built up patina and a well-worn look over time.


Designer Emily Henderson, who hosts HGTV's Secrets from a Stylist, has a rule in such cases. If furnishings are more than 50 years old, they shouldn't be painted. The charm and age of a piece is what gives it beauty as well as value, she told the website.


Using older, delicate fabrics for window treatments should be done with care as well. Sunlight can fade fabrics, but curtains can be saved from this damage by underlying them with solar blinds that control the amount of sunlight that comes into a room.


Another of Henderson's tips is to arrange accessories in threes or other odd numbers to create balance without symmetry. Creating a vignette with items from other parts of the home is another way to recycle them for a fresh look.