We’re Inspired By This Designer’s Creative Paper-Cutting Techniques

#1: Paint

Whether you refresh a wall, a whole room, or your front door, paint can dramatically transform your space. "Consider painting your baseboards and ceilings to match your wall color for a truly impactful overall effect," says Kirsten Blazek of LA-based design firm A1000XBetter.

UK-based Graham & Brown announced its Color of the Year 2025: Elderton, a neutral toned brown inspired by nature. Looking for more inspiration? These paint colors are expert-loved for creating a warm, happy home!

"Whether you choose a bold, rich shade or a soft neutral, paint can dramatically change the style and mood of a room without needing any major renovations," echoes Amanda Leigh, cofounder of LA-based design firm House of Rolison. "Plus, it's often a DIY project, making it a simple and budget-friendly way to create a big impact."

Christiane Lemieux, founder of modern luxury shop Lemieux et Cie, agrees. "Repainting is an affordable way to transform a room by changing its color palette. It refreshes the walls, updates the look, and can make spaces feel bigger, cozier, or more modern, depending on your choice of color."

#2: Lighting

Statement lighting can also transform your space, from offering a more impactful design aesthetic to better functionality. "Swapping out old or dated lighting fixtures for more contemporary or statement pieces is a cost-effective way to enhance the overall feel of a room," adds Lemieux. This Cheverny Large Chandelier is a gorgeous way to make a statement in your space.

Leigh agrees that lighting often gets overlooked, but it's one of the most effective ways to change the feel of a room. "Cool, harsh lighting can feel sterile, while warm, ambient lighting creates a more welcoming and cozy vibe," says Leigh. "Go for energy-efficient LED bulbs with a color temperature between 2500K and 2700K for that perfect glow."

#3: Wallpaper

"Wallpaper can transform a space by adding color, texture, and personality to walls, creating a more inviting or sophisticated atmosphere," says Taylor Hahn, cofounder of House of Rolison. "It can make a room feel larger, cozier, or more vibrant, depending on the design." Choose a bold pattern or subtle texture, says Leigh. "We love sourcing unique yet cost effective options on Etsy, and other online retailers."

I love this Painterly Labyrinth Wallpaper from Lemieux et Cie!

#4: Hardware

"Replacing cabinet and drawer hardware is a small investment with a big payoff," says Lemieux. Upgrade your hardware on kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers for major impact. "This small change can create a cohesive and polished look, transforming even basic furniture or cabinets into something more sophisticated without breaking the bank," says Amr Samaha of Samaha Studio.

#5: Declutter + Organize

You don't always have to spend money on home upgrades to make a beautiful difference. "Tidying up and removing unnecessary items can instantly make a home feel more spacious, clean, and organized," says Lemieux. Fall in love again with the things that bring you joy. "By editing clutter, you create a more serene and functional space without spending any money." Organized areas can also highlight your home's architecture and design features, she says.

#6: Flooring

Whether you choose to remove carpet, sand existing floors, or upgrade your flooring, it can instantly enhance the look and feel of your space. "New flooring can define a room’s style while increasing home value," says Hahn. "It doesn’t have to be expensive either! You can score amazing deals on real wood and tile from flooring warehouses, overstock sales in showrooms, or even offer up and Facebook marketplace!" she adds.

#7: Rearrange Furniture

Before you spend a dime upgrading your space, look around and see how your furniture can function better in a room. "Simply moving your furniture around can dramatically change the flow and perception of a space," says Lemieux. "You can improve the room's functionality, make it feel more open, and even highlight natural lighting. Rearranging is entirely free but can breathe new life into your home."

But even Larson has days she feels off, saying she knows that feeling "very well," and whether it's seasonal blues or mental health days, she knows routine is where she thrives — and seasonal affective disorder lamps. "Light is a big game changer for me because I grew up in California," she says.

To engage her other senses, she relies on movement, breathing techniques, and temperature changes to keep in touch with her body. "A hot bath, a cold shower, both — anything that sort of wakes your brain up and kind of jolts it," she says. "I have a pretty demanding schedule and I truly don't have room to not feel like I'm present in my life. And so you come up with ways to figure out how to do that."

That includes everything from drinking plenty of water and prioritizing sleep to packing foam rollers and bands in her carry on. "It looks like a clown bag!" she says. "I always do [those exercises] every morning because even if I don't want to do it, which I always don't want to do it, I feel a lot better after I do it."

Admittedly, that's exactly how I feel some days about making breakfast — but a powerhouse like Larson knows how important fueling our bodies is. "Pretty consistently I'm having an egg, like a breakfast sandwich, egg on toast first thing in the morning," she says. "I can't think beyond that for breakfast because I wake up so early. It's like there's no creativity happening in the morning. I'm sorry. No."

And while her mornings are all about wellness, her evenings are all about getting cozy, and she tells me her dream night in includes playing a new video game, wearing Gelato Pique sweatpants, and ordering Thai food. But when she's in the kitchen? "I've been making pasta and sausage quite a bit and I make tacos quite a bit. I mean, I kind of just do like protein and veggies and a little bit of a carb," she says.

Cozy nights in wouldn't be the same without a movie, and there's a very good chance you've seen Larson on your screen recently, whether you're rewatching Captain Marvel, 13 Going on 30, or Lessons in Chemistry. But how does the actress consistently choose such beautiful, inspiring pieces to work on? She equates the feeling to having a crush.

"When I feel like [a story] hits something that lives so truthfully in me that I just want to know if it's true to other people," she says. "I just know that we all have more that's the same than different...Film and television, it lives in a way that is beyond me physically. So I'm here talking to you, but anybody can be watching whatever they want. And so I try my best to think through what the pieces are saying so that they go out in the world and I don't get to be at the end of it and explain it or tell people what to feel or what to take from it. It lives a life outside of me. So I try and make sure that it has a complete message in it that I feel like I'll be able to live with for the rest of my life."

Just like Carol Danvers and Elizabeth Zott empower so many viewers, Brie Larson says she feels empowered by her own Hollywood heroes. "Earlier in my career, like when I was trying to visualize what kind of career I wanted, it was Toni Colette and she's still a hero of mine, but she was truly the one that I was like, 'I want to disappear into characters the way she does.'"

"There's so many incredible [actors]," she continues. "Some of them are people that are more my age and some are older than me. But that's the fun part of my job is that there's so many good people and so many things that are getting made. And so it just feels like we're constantly kind of maneuvering, and when they take on certain roles and represent certain things, it frees up for other people to do other things. And so we kind of all work as a unit."

One movie on the horizon that I'm excited for is Mattel's new American Girl movie. Like many 80s and 90s kids, Brie Larson loved American Girl dolls — and borrowed her stage name from pioneer Kirsten Larson! And just like the rest of us AG kids, she tells me she can't wait for the movie. "I've also seen that there's going to be adult Halloween costumes, which I'm also very excited about," she says. Will she be grabbing a Kirsten one for herself? "I just might!"

Q+A With Brie Larson

What's the first thing you did after you won your Oscar?

I probably drank champagne...I drank champagne and I put sneakers on, and then I went to the airport.

What's the best piece of advice you've received?

"When I think I know, I miss so much." We all get stuck in these things — I think an easy one to think about is like, you're in a fight with your sibling or your partner, and you are just so right in how angry you are. And then maybe the next day you wake up and you're like, "Maybe there was another side to that." And so we miss things when we're in a space where we believe that we know. Having an openness to what something can be or that things can be different than what you think makes things easier.

What's on your holiday bucket list?

I love the holidays. Because I'm in California, I really am looking forward to this year having a chilly winter. I love a cold winter, cozy winter. I love Christmas markets, so I'll definitely hit things like that. All the little holiday markets pop up around, yeah, it's just like a rare time when everybody is resting at the same time.

What are you watching, reading and listening to right now?

Okay. I am reading a book called Patricia Wants To Cuddle. I am watching Love is Blind season 7 because I am not silly. And listening to Chappell Roan, obviously.