Do Channel Your Inner Collector

Trawl your home for similar objects and consolidate them in one location to create an instant collection and to garner attention for treasures that might otherwise be overlooked.




Don't Be Square

Symmetry creates a sense of order and calm, but too much of this good thing can make a room feel static. So, shake things up. If your furniture is arranged symmetrically, hang wall art asymmetrically, or go free-form with the furniture and let your artwork add grounding symmetry.






Do Control the Flow

Here's one instance when it's fine to be a bit of a Machiavelli. Define and control the use of a space with furniture positioning. Place seating closer for a conversation area. Leave enough room for family and guests to walk between your knees and the coffee table. And if you want your view of this week's TV cliffhanger to remain unimpeded by the hub on his way to the fridge for a snack, define a more nonintrusive traffic pattern with the way you arrange the furniture.



Don't Get Cornered

Don't allow unfilled corners to become big, eye-grabbing decor blanks. Fill 'em up! Add a throw-topped ottoman; create a nook with a wall arrangement of photos and a comfy chair; pop in a plant; or insert an interesting floor lamp.






Do Embrace Blossoms

Remember that fab feeling you got the last time someone sent flowers? That same special je ne sais quoi is a handful of grocery-store daisies away. But it doesn't have to bloom to be beautiful. Fill water glasses with bunches of leafy twigs, ferns, or other foliage. Branches, even bare ones, can add graphic punch - consider using a smaller, watertight wastebasket as a vase for them. And you have an always available centerpiece waiting for you in the form of your houseplants.



Don't Get Hung Up

"Hang 'em high" should apply to Old West outlaws, not your precious artwork. Pictures should be hung at eye level, or about 60 inches from the floor. So if you have to crane your neck or shade your eyes from the ceiling light glare to appreciate what's in the frame, you need to bring yourself and your art down to reality.





Do Go Toward the Light

Lighting can alter the entire feel of an area. Scaling things down by using table lamps or adjustable-height floor lamps will up the cozy quotient, and adding one or two extras to the traditional pair of wall sconces is a softer way to add wattage to your favorite newspaper-reading spot. Generally speaking, overhead lighting can be a bit chilly unless augmented by some closer-to-eye-level glow, but if you really must hit the ceiling, be sure to install a dimmer. And of course, opt for energy and money-saving bulbs all around.



Don't Think Too Small

The "flying carpet" look of an area rug that "floats" in a room with its edges far from the furniture is definitely not decor magic. Steer clear of floor coverings that are too small to extend under both sides of a seating arrangement, or beneath opposing or adjoining pieces of furniture.






Do Think New

Liberate those prints from their hooks and layer them on a display ledge or set them on the floor and let them lean against a wall. Use photo clips instead of frames to create a snapshot family reunion, or create more tabletop space by using hanging shadow boxes to exhibit items that used to sit and gather dust. Display a treasured art book on a tabletop easel. The possibilities are endless.




Don't Risk a Pillow Pile-up

Yes, they're beguiling and an accent asset. But there is a limit to the number of throw pillows that anyone should toss on the couch or chuck on a chair. If you need to store the decorative dandies behind the sofa to liberate a spot for yourself, or if you find guests cradling one or two in their laps or sitting on the front six inches of an easy chair, you're suffering from throw-pillow-overload. And don't get too "poufy" with pillows either. Rule of thumb: if a pillow doesn't fit comfortably behind your back, it shouldn't be taking up valuable seating space.



Julie Mihaly