Having a home with a chic, modern decor is important to many homeowners, but it may seem that the only way to accomplish this is by completely remodeling an entire room. However, there are other ways to spruce up the appearance of your older house without actually having to change anything drastic. These tips will show you how different accessories can reinvigorate older spaces.

Fresh artwork
Prints or originals of older paintings are dignified and majestic, but may make your home seem a bit behind the curve. Instead, try using something with a more modern, graphic feel. This can be anything from large prints of brightly colored floral designs to contemporary silhouetted artwork, as suggested by Better Homes and Gardens. Hanging these paintings in unusual spaces, such as lining the ceiling of the room or having it partially obscured by a piece of furniture could create an edgier feel with more energy than traditional placements.

New accessories
Just by putting a few modern devices into a room, you can update its entire feel by decades. Instead of using conventional blinds, consider cellular shades, which will allow some light to get through. This way, you'll get a softer light that often works well in kitchens or dens where people congregate. Using cordless shades that go against the grain of typical accessories can also revitalize the former look of traditional curtains or blinds. Choosing the right blinds and shades will allow you to set the perfect amount of light into a room to accentuate its spaces. While making the room look as bright as possible seems like a given, allowing certain nooks to be shaded may add a pleasant balance to the room, as well as an area to hang art pieces that may be more sensitive to sun exposure.

Color schemes
Having a room centered on one color is becoming a major trend. A collection of green-based rooms from HGTV showcases the possibilities of basing a room around the perfect hue of a fairly common color. Using small accents of complementary colors often pleasing to the eye and can give a room a very modern feel. Try experimenting with combinations like green and purple or orange and blue to achieve a new look. Keep the color scheme throughout the entire room, such as wall paint, pillows, blankets and wall decorations to complete the look.