You’ll find even decorators agree on the best advice of all: Do be willing to take a chances.
DO work with strong contrasts.
● There’s something so serene and elegant about this stark combination of creamy white fabric and dark woods. ● This concept works with styles too: Imagine a spare loftlike space filled with Old World furniture. ● Flowers can be enlisted to reinforce the dominant hue.
DO use palette to tie mixed pieces together.
● The bedroom, has a relaxed but polished air because crisp whites and soft blues make the jumble of weathered wood and brass more cohesive. ● A flower-pot wrapped with fabric is an easy pick-me-up.
DO use a painted piece as an accent.
● A sweet red-and-green chest has folk-art sensibility and complements the plaid sham and bed skirt. ● An electric array of extras—a faux-berry lamp, houndstooth mirror hung by a horse, fish-motif luggage—packs plenty of personality. ● The twig bed suits the woodsy feel.
DO add panache to practical spaces.
● A freestanding Venetian-glass mirror turns a bathroom sink into an ornate vanity. ● The leafy chandelier is an unusual but surprisingly fitting fixture. ● Towels can be designated for guests with weekday monograms or tacked-on ribbons. ● Candles always cast a flattering light.
DO make art of family photos.
● Whether they’re hung on a wall or lined up on shelves or a desk, framed photographs are always intriguing and sure conversation starters.
Don’t
lose sight of the purpose of a room. The accents and furnishings in a bedroom, for example, should reflect a sense of sanctuary, just as those in the family room should be inviting.
Don’t
hesitate to include plants wherever there’s light to nourish them. Natural shades of green are compatible with anything.
Don’t
Be shy about borrowing ideas—from books, magazines, other people’s houses. Then think of ways to give them your own personal stamp.
