Secrets to the Always-Put-Together Home (that You Can Do Today!)

Eschew the ubiquitous gallery wall (for once) in favor of an oversized art piece, like the above black and white beauty spotted on sfgirlbybay. The statement artwork will act as the room’s focal point, while at the same time unifying your palette.

One of our own instant tricks for styling any room (and we mean any) is to collect pretty things in a tray. This works in the bathroom (like the shot above from 100 Layer Cake), the kitchen, the living room, your coffee table, your bedside table, your dining room, your entryway…you have a room, put a tray in it.

Decorating doesn’t always mean going out to buy something new to make your home look beautiful. It’s about arranging what you already have. Try pulling together something you have in numbers (like these hats from Simple & Chic) in a chic yet simple collection.

We say, design in pairs. A dose of symmetry, like in this balanced master bedroom by Ben Pentreath, always pulls a space together.

If you opt for a gallery wall (we get it, it’s hard to resist), keep it consistent. Matching frames, similar shapes and sizes, or a unified color scheme, will give a composition intention and more appeal. Julia Leach nails this idea in her Manhattan apartment, as featured on Lonny.

Shape up your shelves. No matter how proudly diverse your library may be, there should be a method to the madness. Look to these tonal tomes featured on Lonny for inspiration.

If the organize-by-color idea is one you’d rather do without, creating neat stacks of magazines and coffee table books, like Michelle Adams did in her home featured on One Kings Lane, will ensure a tidy and beautiful bookshelf.

Give a foundation to your punchy pieces. Pattern-rich rugs and heavy-hued throws can distract from a decor scheme. Be like Amber Lewis of Amber Lewis Interiors, and layer that Turkish rug on a sisal – you’ll be happy you did.

Additional tip: a large sisal area rug is a great way to create a room within a room, and is far less expensive than a printed rug of its same size. This is where layering is key!

Introduce a new color into your home in the form of a bold accent wall, similar to this black moment by Stamp Architecture. A painted structural element gives an extra layer of thoughtfulness to your pad, even more so than a temporary “pop” of color from textiles or decorative accents.

No other design element (well, besides the tray, we’ve decided) brings together a room like lighting. Positioning a stately pendant lamp, like this brassy fixture in a breakfast room by Consort Design, in your room’s center will instantly complete your home’s new – and polished – look.