20 Decorating Secrets......Thanks to HB magazine

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

Don't Forget the Closet Lighting
Love your closets. Paint them, paper them, hang pictures in them to inspire you. And definitely light them.

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

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

Plants Cheer Up a Lonely Corner
Nothing softens a lonely corner in a big room like a potted tree.

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.

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."

Kick Your Traditional Coffee Table to the Curb
The most versatile coffee table you'll ever own is an ottoman topped with a tray.

Tuck In Your Throws
Keep throws under control. Fold them lengthwise, then in half, then tuck them into cushions.

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

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

White Works
You'll never get tired of a white room.

It's Okay to Skip the Sofa
There's no rule that a living room has to have a sofa

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.

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.

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.


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

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

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.

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