Get ready to break the Internet (and make all your friends jealous!) — our 31 designer tricks will help you create a picture-perfect home.
Go for the Gold
Buh-bye brushed nickel and patinated bronze, glittering gold is taking center stage. From lighting fixtures to gilded furniture, this hot hue has taken the design world by storm. Even a few small touches — like swapping out kitchen cabinet hardware or working in a few gleaming accessories will give your home an on-trend update.
Try a Cruelty-Free Take on Taxidermy
Mounted trophies are an easy way to lend a woodsy, lodge-style look to any space but if, you’re like me, the idea of mounting the severed head of a once-living soul to the wall is a definite no. Instead, give a playful nod to the trend with a mounted silhouette cut from antiqued lumber.
Color Your World
Goodbye greige, designers have fallen back in love with color. But, like anything, too much of a good thing can be, well, too much. To create a pleasing palette, take a cue from designer Tobi Fairley and limit your main colors to three choices.
Put Weathered Wood to Work
Reclaimed wood walls are hot, hot, hot! But, they can also be oh-so-cool as designer Brooke Wagner proves in this small bedroom where silvery gray boards installed in a timeless herringbone pattern create a dreamy backdrop.
Brush Up Your Bookshelf
FYI: #shelfies are a thing. That’s right, people everywhere are styling their bookshelf, then proudly posting photos for the world to see. The key to a well-styled bookshelf is to start with an interesting backdrop, like wallpaper or a kicky paint color, then layer on more color and pattern with assorted books or magazines and mix in a few of your favorite tchotchkes. To take your bookshelf to the next level on the cheap, turn prefab cabinets into a custom built-in.
Say It With Signage
Whether it’s a faux-tique you crafted yourself or a real deal antique, vintage-looking signs are a sure way to add a quirky bit of character to any space. Check local thrift stores, estate sales and auctions for legitimate trade signs or craft your own with our step-by-step instructions.
Take Mason Jars to the Next Level
Hands down, Mason jars are one of the best storage options around. Turn them into a space-saving solution as well by attaching the lids to the underside of kitchen cabinets, filling the jars with dry goods, then screwing the jar onto the lid. Get more tips from our friends at HGTV Magazine.
Chalk It Up
Chalkboard paint’s popularity has been on the rise for a while and shows no signs of declining soon. It’s not surprising — coating a tabletop, terra cotta pot or even an interior wall with a few coats of chalkboard paint is an easy, budget-friendly way to turn the everyday into something extraordinary. Ready to try it out? Give your kitchen backsplash a bistro look with our step-by-step instructions.
Corral Clutter With a Tray
Trays are indeed handy-dandy things — equally useful for turning assorted coffee table tchotchkes into a vignette as they are for serving cocktails when guests arrive. Purchase or craft your own decorative tray and use it in the bathroom to stylishly store toilettries or in the kitchen to corral countertop clutter.
Try Some Tuft Love
Working in a piece of tufted upholstery is a surefire way to take any room’s look from so-so to sophisticated. If you’re planning to have furniture reupholstered, consider springing for tufting — it will definitely add onto the bottom line but the luxurious look is timeless.