There are no design rules. In fact, anything goes! But if you find decorating to be a bit overwhelming these decorating secrets will help you design a beautiful space without effort!
Without even realizing it, you’ve seen these decorating secrets used in every magazine and catalog. I’m breaking them down for you today!
Scale
Scale can be a bit challenging, but in general, if you have a small room, you’ll want to select a small sofa, smaller artwork, etc. For a large living room you may want to have a large sofa made.
You really see this come to play in our small living room!
Start with the basics (in the living room it’s the sofa) and allow that to be your guide. Find your little black dress – something that you can dress up, dress down and that will grow with you as your style evolves.
In our family room it is a 9′ sofa Belgian Linen sofa. It is a soft, neutral color, classic design and it translates to traditional, cottage and modern.
I accessorize it with throws and pillows to transition it with the seasons – or my mood!
When selecting a rug, the bigger the better. A small rug will make a room feel smaller. Floating a seating arrangement on a rug draws your eye in, immediately shrinking the room.
A general rule of thumb for choosing a rug size is to maintain a 12-24″ perimeter of exposed wood.
You can see a lot of these design secrets in play in our living room decor!
Consistent Color Palette
You all know I love a good cream color paint. It’s easy to transition, but no matter what paint palette you choose, choose a color palette for your room to keep it consistent.
A good color story typically includes three colors through furniture, pillows, rugs, art and accessories. Limit your purchases to those colors and play with pattern and texture.
Of course you can use more (I never go beyond five), but you’ll find the best results for amateur decorators (like myself) by limiting to three. Our spa bath is a great example of this!
I chose this space to share because I integrated painted furniture and color on the walls which is rare for me. You’ll note that the room is pink with a grey/blue chest, various shades of pink in the bedding and a hint of dusty green.
While they’re not typically colors you see together, it works because the palette is limited to three.
Blend Old and New
For anything to come into our home, I have to love it. It can’t just “work”, “make do” or be a “great deal”. Honestly, if it isn’t something you love & are excited about, it’s never a great deal. You’ll always try to make it work or replace it later.
Old or new, if it’s something you love, it will never go out of style. Incorporate family heirlooms, vintage or antique pieces you’re drawn to. It will instantly make your home feel warm, adding character and personality.
It takes a room from generic to interesting.
You don’t have to maintain a specific style period, but it is best to maintain a consistent color palette. It doesn’t have to match – in fact, it’s more interesting when it doesn’t!
Break away from a “set” of furniture and start collecting pieces you love, old and new. This can be a little scary at first, but you’ll be surprised of the depth it adds to your home.
Lighting
There are three basic types of lighting:
- ambient lighting – overhead lighting including ceiling mounted or recessed light (includes can lights)
- task lighting – targeted for a specific area (ie: over an island or a desk, under cabinets, a lamp on an end table)
- accent lighting – draws attention to an area (ie: over artwork)
Incorporating at least two out of three will add interest to the space. Of course, choosing the right light bulbs is equally important.
I prefer a warm white bulb. Check out my post on lighting design to see how light can create a warm and intimate space.
Add Something Organic
Adding anything organic brings a room to life. It is the easiest and least expensive thing to do to make a room stand out. Think about how you feel when you see fresh flowers!
- Bowl of Fruit
- Flower Arrangement – you’ll find an array of easy and inexpensive flower arrangements here on my site complete with video!
- Plant – select a low maintenance plant like succulents, ferns, etc
- Branches – bring in branches from outdoors – anything goes! In spring cherry blossom branches, in summer I love bringing lanterns in and in fall, a few berry branches or from whatever tree is changing colors.
To put all of these elements together, use my trick of how to design a room when you’re not a designer.
Check out French Country Decor Giannetti Style for some inspiration from Patina Farm.
More Design Tips
- How to Hang Curtains to Look Like Custom Drapes
- 10 Ways to Make a Small Room Look Bigger
- How to Design and Maintain a Clean House
- 7 Ways to Add Light to a Room
- 10 Easy Updates
- 20 Ways to Update a House
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I have a small living room that needs a revamp from floor to furniture and how can i make it look large thanks
Hi! You can read more on how to make a small room look bigger here, enjoy!
Beautiful, simple serene!
Apparently, you don’t have indoor animals! Lol
BTW the Lacanche Range would be my dream along with a copper farm sink or something similar.
We have 3 kids and until recently, a dog. My secret is easy to clean fabrics and outdoor materials. I love a copper sink, too!!!
It sure gave me an idea when you said that one of the best yet easiest ways to make the room and standout was to add an organic decor to it, like plants or a bowl of fruits, because it helps bring the place to life. I will take note of that because I will be redecorating the house next month, and I have chosen something that has a beach-like feel to it. Considering how putting a life buoy on the ceiling might not be the best way to showcase the theme, I think putting a tropical plant will be enough to get the point across. Thank you for sharing!
Yes! That one simple addition can make a significant difference. Happy decorating!
I love your home decoration tips. You are so creative.
Nice post. I love your all post. Beautiful decorations tips and ideas. You are so creative.
Thanks for sharing!
I love the use of organics! I think adding some sort of natural life is so simple and artistic and it makes for great use of decoration! Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful decoration tips!
These are fabulous tips! I love all of these colors. They really add a lot of character to the room! Nice job! Thanks for all the ideas!
Thanks, Morgan!
I often mix old stuff with new furniture to create a balanced effect like you mentioned. It really works!
Thank for your tips.
what a beautiful flower pot. Love the simple design .
I love the idea of having a plant inside a house. That will bring a very comfortable feeling to me
I like the idea of mixing old and new decorations. I have always leaned toward one or the other because of my all or nothing personality. The problem with my method those is that it doesn’t cater to as large of an audience as it seems your idea would.
I absolutely love the mix of old and new in decorating! Unfortunately, I’ve seen that mix and match theme done well and I’ve also seen it done terribly. I feel like adding something organic is a great way to make it successful, though! Thanks for some great tips!
I know it can feel that way sometimes. Play with it and see if a piece should be removed? Enjoy!
I really liked tip number 2! I have never bought a furniture set in my life, aside from my matching couch and armchairs, which were second-hand. I like mismatching pieces of furniture. I also really love photos. I decorate my living room with a lot of family photos. I was actually thinking about getting some cute custom coasters for the coffee table. All of these suggestions were great!
Hi Julie,
I love your blog!
I am looking for the tufted linen bench/ottoman you show above. Where can I find this?
https://julieblanner.com/our-updated-living-room/
I love that you said that it is okay to not match everything exactly. There are so many people that match absolutely everything. That is a little bit too much for me. Frankly, I think that it looks kind of tacky. What do you think helps when you are trying to save money decorating?
I saw the the white pitcher at Target a few years back and immediately fell in love when I saw it. It’s SO beautiful with red roses in it!! So many lovely décor variations you can do with it!!!
I use it for flowers all the time, I love functional pieces that serve multiple purposes. It’s timeless!
I love your third piece of advice to add something organic to the room you are decorating. I definitely agree that when you add a vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit to any room will be easy because, as you suggest, there is little maintenance or skills required! Plus, it will always add a pop of color to the room! Thanks for your insight!
Great tips, Julie. As always! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
I agree with you on not having items match. Having different pieces is great and fun to look for. I believe it takes more character and imagination to put different pieces together. Great post as usual Julie. I loved seeing that you like Ina Garten. I just posted a video of her on my blog this past week. Wonderful!
Thank you! She’s such an inspiration for casual gatherings!