Repurposed Bar Cart
Setting up a booze station on your bar cart is a no brainer — but using it as an end table (especially when space is limited) to display blooms, art and coffee table books is just genius.
Low Furniture
Short pieces, like this tufted couch, keep an open floor plan cozy. Use area rugs to define individual “rooms” within the space.
Navy Walls
Give beige a break. Dramatic hues drench a large living room, like this inky wallpaper. The deep blue provides a surprisingly neutral backdrop.
Comfy Seating
Your style may be posh, your furniture can still be cozy. Plush sofas and armchairs rule the roost in Ellen Pompeo’s L.A. home. “It’s fancy in a cool way, not in an ‘I can’t sit there’ way,” she says.
Chic Storage
Need space, stat? Swap boring shelving for more decorative options, then load up on fabric boxes or baskets to hide an overflow of knick knacks.
Slim Footprint
Save square footage without sacrificing seating by using dining chairs in the living room. A rattan-and-cane perch takes up less real estate than a traditional recliner.
Family-Friendly
Yep, white furniture can work in a house with kids. Just choose durable fabrics (a leather couch) and surfaces (the plastic rocker, the lacquer table) that wipe clean easily.
Statement Rug
The key to subtle color lays at your feet. A patterned carpet plays up the neutral furniture in a New Jersey home, while a similarly-hued pillow adds another punch to the armchair.
Fast Fixes
Makeover a room by rethinking the pieces you already have. Use up leftover wall paint on the frame of an old chair or refresh curtains and pillows by sewing fancy trim along the edge.
Subtle Pattern
Avoid future boredom with calm colors using texture and pattern. In a dreamy beach house, muted prints in the same palette keep a neutral room from looking bland.
Sheer Curtains
The quickest way to let light in starts at the source. Replace heavy fabric curtains with gauzy ones, making sure the panels go all the way to the floor. To accentuate a tall ceiling, mount the drapes about a foot above windows and doors.
Second Surface
Change up tired decor with this quick DIY. Add old wood planks to a coffee table as a bonus shelf. And skip painting — the weathered finish has more character.
Easy Access
An open floor plan like in this Connecticut cottage creates one large space for entertaining. Two columns (garage-sale finds from years ago) stand at the corners of the kitchen, anchoring the room.
Dark Accent
Look to the opposite end of the color spectrum to tie everything together. A moody blue grounds a windowed living room by Sarah Richardson without overwhelming it.
Sneaky Furniture
Bonus Materials
Don’t forget to punctuate color with natural texture. Sarah Richardson used wicker baskets, a wood-frame mirror and an antique pine dresser to warm up a rustic cabin.
Blank Space
Start with an all-white canvas and swap in seasonal accents all year-round. This summery living room uses cool blues, jute accessories and nautical accents for a beachy vibe.
Light and Airy
Measuring just 250 square feet, a tiny guesthouse copies a staple of Scandinavian style. Bright white shiplap creates the illusion of added space.
Cohesive Palette
HGTV host Emily Henderson uses a “hero color” throughout every room to pull it all together. In her Los Angeles home, blue with gray and olive accents creates a casual, layered look.
Natural Textures
Global Home
A Dallas home feels bohemian and well-traveled thanks to wood floors and gray walls. The neutral base helps a bold kilim-covered sofa and mix-and-match throw pillows shine.
Inviting Corner
This breezy Florida living room (with happy-hued pillows) is as pretty as it is practical. The sofa is upholstered in water-resistant fabric to create a put-your-feet-up attitude.
Bold and Bright
Inject personality into your living space with energetic hues and quirky secondhand finds, like this colorful apartment’s coral sofa and gilded accent pieces.
Eclectic Mix
This Toronto home achieves balanced decor without being too matchy-matchy. The furniture and accent pieces are diverse, but the symmetrical design grounds the look.
Rustic Appeal
The antique wooden beams are a welcome contrast to the modern furniture in an airy farmhouse.
Cozy Cottage
Exposed brick and a thrifted coffee table work together to create a country vibe in this rustic room. Consider your living space as a place for your collections, too, like this homeowner’s vintage fans.
Gorgeous Gallery
Achieve the drama of a major art piece inexpensively by displaying a tight grid of small frames.
Elegant Bungalow
Our home design director Sarah Richardson elevated this cozy gray-and-cream bungalow with surprising touches of orange.
Understated Glam
A neutral palette doesn’t always mean playing it safe. Layer textures and mix in flea market finds to keep things interesting like this glam home and avoid a flat appearance.
Black and White
This ultra-modern room uses color sparingly for a sleek look.
Classic Elegance
Position your couch under an oversized window to allow the sunlight and outdoor scene be the focal point of an otherwise neutral room.
Nice Arch-itecture
An eclectic floor-to-ceiling bookshelf acts as this room’s accent wall — it’s a bold way to show off your most prized knick-knacks (and books, of course).
Color Harmony
Traditional-style furniture gets a dash of regal style with rich purple accents and an oversized rug to anchor the conversation space.
Perfect Symmetry
When in doubt, choosing dual accents (coffee tables, lamps, pillows, frames) always makes for a balanced look.
Go Eclectic
Instead of a classic wooden coffee table, choose a colorful one, like this teal option which is meant to mirror the couch.
Light and Airy
White couches are a true classic, and look simply lovely paired with garden-style accents like a floral rug and sage trim. Choose white slipcovers to make this look more practical (and easier to clean).
Contemporary Warmth
Golden yellow touches bring coziness to this family room — and that antique-inspired wall clock makes quite the statement, too.
Minimalist Dream
Achieve a serene, polished look with dark flooring and furniture in varying shades of white.
Nature’s Best
This room incorporates outdoor elements with the tall stack of firewood and orchid centerpiece.
Keep It Simple
Try a less-is-more attitude by sticking to clean lines and a neutral color palette. An area rug and throw pillows keeps the space warm and inviting.
Go for Gold
Turquoise Touches
If you’re too nervous to stray far from a neutral, choose just one shade you love (and keep the walls a calming beige, as seen in this living room) to dip a toe into the pool of color possibilities.
Preppy Palette
Hints of gold make buttoned-up pink and navy shades look a bit more glamorous.
Embrace Americana
Skip the primary versions of red and blue, and choose navy and burgundy for a nod toward patriotism that doesn’t overwhelm your space.
Chic Blend
