20 Decorating Secrets from House Beautiful

20 Decorating Secrets

from House Beautiful, May 2010 Issue

Pick your paint colors last, choose mismatched seating, and don't forget the closet lighting. Here are the best tips and tricks that nobody ever tells you about decorating.

By Multiple Authors

 

 

 

Pile On the Pillows

One pair of pillows always looks skimpy. Use two pairs, in contrasting patterns, colors, and textures.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Buy a Bigger Bed

Small-scale furniture only makes a small bedroom look smaller. Try a high bed and a tall headboard. Your room will grow.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Leave Cabinets Open

An open armoire is more interesting than a closed one. Let people into your secret world.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Go Dark

Dark walls do the opposite of what you'd expect: They make a small room feel bigger.

Photo Credit: James Merrell

Wallpaper Is Easy

The fastest way to make over sliding closet doors is to wallpaper them, like Melissa Warner did to turn a bedroom into her office.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Large Collections Need Order

Wall brackets can bring order to a large collection or odd shapes, which is what Mary Watkins Wood did in her master bedroom.

Photo Credit: Thomas Loof

Use a Real Rug in the Bathroom

Use a rug instead of a bath mat. It was made to withstand a lot more wear than the occasional wet foot.

Photo Credit: Thomas Loof

It's Okay to Skip the Sofa

There's no rule that a living room has to have a sofa.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

White Works

You'll never get tired of a white room.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Mix Styles

A four-poster bed will take the chill out of a modern bedroom, like this one designed by Vicente Wolf.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Layer Your Lighting

Four lamps are better than two. You need ambient light for mood and direct light for reading.

Photo Credit: James Merrell

Tuck In Your Throws

Keep throws under control. Fold them lengthwise, then in half, then tuck them into cushions.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Kick Your Traditional Coffee Table to the Curb

The most versatile coffee table you'll ever own is an ottoman topped with a tray.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Skirted Furniture Finishes a Room

Too many chair and table legs can make a room "nervous." A skirted piece or two will make it feel "grounded."

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Gold Is Gorgeous

Gold is back in a big way. A few accents will warm up a room, like this classic living room designed by Kirsten Fitzgibbons and Kelli Ford.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Plants Cheer Up a Lonely Corner

Nothing softens a lonely corner in a big room like a potted tree.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Leather Lasts

The most indestructible fabric for dining chairs is leather or vinyl. Especially if you want white.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Switch Up Your Seating

Mix up the seating at your dining table. You wouldn't have eight identical chairs in your living area.

Photo Credit: Eric Piasecki

Don't Forget the Closet Lighting

Love your closets. Paint them, paper them, hang pictures in them to inspire you. And definitely light them.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson

Refinish Vintage Finds

Don't be afraid to paint a vintage piece. Every piece of furniture can't be brown.

Photo Credit: Victoria Pearson