EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC

as JoAnn Fabrics (you know not to shop at Hobby Lobby, right?), and buy batting and fabric. Cover the plywood with the fabric and batting, add a hanging bracket on the back and you have a luxurious headboard that would cost big bucks in the store for less than $100. For an even easier fix, take an old headboard and upholster it following the same format.

Without a lot of effort, you can give your house a facelift and be assured that it’s ready to welcome guests again.

Exploring Inner Space

If you are working from home more often, it’s more important than ever to create a workspace that is separate from your home space. This can be as easy as placing two bookshelves perpendicular to corner walls to create an “office.” If your guest room doubles as an office, consider investing in a good-quality Murphy bed. They’re usually not much more expensive than a superior quality sofa sleeper, take up less floor space, and are a lot more comfortable to sleep on. Or turn the closet in the guest into a contained office that you can close off when you have guests.

Light Up Your Life

Add a sophisticated touch to your home with some backlighting. Install a luminous strip behind the television, above your kitchen cabinets, or under the bed. Place a small spotlight or clip-light behind a plant or use one to bounce light off a wall. Update your kitchen lighting or get rid of those builder-grade ceiling fans and invest in something sleek and efficient. Changing out fixtures is fairly easy, just make certain to cut the power to the circuit first or hire a handy person to do the job for you. You can even change the fixtures in rentals, just store the old one and switch it back when you move.

Feb. 15: The Parker

Feb 18: Tennessee Williams Theatre

March 22: The Parker

March 23: New World Center

March 25: Tennessee Williams Theatre

April 26: The Parker

SOFA, SO GOOD?

Has your coffee table seen better days, pocked with scratches and a bit rough around the edges? You could replace it with something inexpensive from Ikea, but it’s just as easy to give it a facelift. A quick sanding will allow you to re-stain it or paint it. Add a bit of wallpaper to the back of bookcases or paint the back a contrasting color. Look at your seating. If it’s in decent shape, but just slightly worn, consider buying those stretchy slipcovers you see advertised on Facebook all the time. They don’t hold up for a long time but are so inexpensive you can replace them often. If the sofa is well-made, you can also have custom slipcovers made. Most can now be made with machinewashable fabrics.

SOMETHING’S AFOOT

Does the carpet match the drapes? If so, you can bet one or the other needs to be replaced. The days of matchy-matchy are long gone. As is wall-to-wall carpet, especially here in South Florida. Look under that carpet and see what kind of flooring you have. If it’s a decent tile or hardwood, expose them and have them cleaned if necessary. Then buy an area rug to define space. There are great buys to be had at HomeGoods and Ikea. If your rugs or carpeting are in decent shape, they probably would benefit from being professionally cleaned.