“What’s old is new.” It’s a saying that has become more relevant lately in home decorating. That’s right: Redecorating with things you already have around your home is not only cost-efficient, but it may be just what’s needed for a new, fresh look this season.

Consider using a fluted champagne glass or a round cocktail pitcher as a vase or centerpiece. Put some nice seasonal flowers in them and set them atop a mantel or fireplace. Add candles; be creative. Find some baskets, bowls or jars and create fruit displays to decorate a table.

How about putting unexpected art on your walls? Tear out a nice picture from a glossy magazine, put it in a frame and hang it up on a wall that seems a little lonely. Take that small oriental rug you never found a good use for and hang it on a wall. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination.

A related point: When thinking of ways to redecorate rooms in your home, you may need to do nothing more than reposition your furniture or remove clutter. Here are some easy ideas that can really change the look of a room:

• Take everything away from a wall —  furniture, artwork, bookcases — then give it a new coat of paint
• Rearrange the books on your bookshelves by color
• Let more natural sunlight in from your windows

Photo courtesy of One Good Bumblebee on Flickr

Related reading:

• How not to renovate: Projects that might not worth your time or money at resale
• Decorating Fail?
• So last year
• Resolved: Inspired ideas for improving home life in 2011
• Bright Colors for Any Season

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I claim credit for my wife for the books-by-color idea! She’s been doing that for 20 years. Sometimes our friends give us books with a note that says, “I thought you needed more yellow.”