Cara Gibbs

Cue up the Christmas playlist, it's time to decorate!

Just because a room is simple and uncluttered doesn't mean it has to be boring. Here are 20 inspiring spaces to prove it.

Here are some of our favorite clever tricks.

Designing with books is no novel concept. We’ve all explored the many ways chic reads can enhance a rooms aesthetic. From coffee tablescapes and color-blocked bookshelves to color-coded and clever ombré displays, books have proven to be the finishing touches and cozy details that make a house a home.

That first cup of delicious morning coffee; that afternoon latte; a late night cup of tea [insert long blissfully happy sigh]—arguably the best part of your day, right? It’s those beautiful moments of peace, in the midst of emails and back-to-back meetings, and there’s just you and your caffeine (or decaf) du jour.

Obviously, there are set number of standard fixtures that you’ll find in your bathroom—you’ve got your toilet, your sink, faucets, and shower-slash-tub (if it’s not a powder room)—but when you’re not in control of what those look like (say, you’re a renter or not in any place financially to undergo a renovation), it might feel like your design destiny is bleak.

If you’re a vintage hunter, you know the feeling of spotting a mind-blowingly gorgeous rug in someone’s home only to hear the dreaded “oh, yes, it’s vintage and I found it in Marrakesh/a far-off flea market/I’m never telling you” when you inquire with its owner about where it came from.

So you’ve got a tiny kitchen. Whether it’s in a rental apartment or something to call your own, you might have a foot of counter space, a few kitchen cabinets, and maybe a wall to work with, if you’re lucky. Not a ton of room to get creative, but give us an inch and we’ll give you a mile of small kitchen organization ideas and decorating inspiration. A tiny kitchen doesn’t mean you need to forgo cooking and live off of takeout!

Because small is beautiful, too.

The sofa is arguably the most important piece of furniture in your home (based solely on the amount of time you spend on it). It’s where you binge watch episodes of Broad City and Game of Thrones; where you collapse after a long day of work; and where you curl up with a good book on an obligation-free weekend.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what mirror shape works for all? Well, since you asked, it’s the round mirror! Most furniture silhouettes are boxy, so a circle is the perfect form to break up all those straight lines. They’re great for entryways, dining rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms. Here are some of our absolute favorites across a range of budgets: This mirror is a favorite among style bloggers and decorators alike.

The dining room can be a tricky space in a home. It’s usually either a dumping ground with little to no identity or a way-too-formal space reserved for holidays and special occasions and scarcely seen in between. But this mystery room has a lot to offer — particularly with regards to style. That being said, I wish more people knew that you’re not tied to buying a predetermined dining set from your local furniture mart. Get creative!

If your sofa is the protagonist of your living room, your coffee and side tables are the necessary supporting cast — pivotal details to making the whole space gel. But pairing these elements can sometimes feel a little tricky. Do the wood tones have to match? Do the metal finishes have to be the same? Do I have to buy a pre-selected set at my local furniture depot (or picks from the same collection) just to get something that coordinates? No!

It’s likely there has come a time that you mulled over the purchase of an area rug for the more obvious spots in your house like your living room or bedroom, but what about those other spaces where an 8×10 won’t do the trick? Your hallways and narrow kitchens and bathrooms need some love, too!

We’ve all heard it before: small but mighty, tiny house = big style. But, in this petite stunner it was all about lifestyle taking precedence over every design decision, which left this city dweller even foregoing a conventional sofa. The Williamsburg apartment belonging to Sarah Ashley Schiear, chef and founder of Salt House, is a strong lesson in style and function conveyed in just 635 square feet.

Every so often, there comes along a home that just has it all figured out. This is one of those homes. Lee Lenox’s “Diamond in the Sky” rental is just 350 square feet but somehow it manages to make me want to give up my three-bedroom ranch home because it’s a testament that you don’t need a lot of space to have an utterly gorgeous home.

Recently, we shared our expert tips on how to style a coffee table. The table we used specifically, though, was rectangular, and some readers chimed in to request help with how to arrange a round coffee table. Though most of the same principles apply no matter what shape you’re working with, I’ve rounded up takeaways and inspiration for round tables. This tabletop shows off the power of divide and conquer (that is, dividing the table in two, and conquering each side!).

The design of a kitchen can sometimes feel a bit monotonous, and while we love a white kitchen (with white cabinetry and white tiles), we admit that it can feel sterile and totally “safe”. But, every now and then we come across a space that truly captivates and keeps your eye entertained and hungry for more. Enter the Buenos Aires kitchen of Argentinian journalist Carina Michelli.

Jennie Cohen’s Personally, I’m less of a neutral girl and more of a play your bold card type. But what’s most intriguing about this space is that it really marries neutrality with personalized style statements. The icy (almost white) blue—Benjamin Moore’s Lily White—that cloaks the walls acts as a supportive backdrop for those pure whites that pop off its hushed hue.

So you just moved in (that, or you’re itching to move some things around in your existing home). Now what? I don’t know about you, but I’m always so excited at the prospects of a blank canvas floor plan, until I actually have to start making decisions on where to put everything. I start questioning everything! Is my rug the right size? Should my sofa go against the wall or float in the room? Do my nightstands have to match?

Have you ever looked at an image of a room and just couldn’t help but smile? That’s exactly the reaction I had when I saw this happy-go-lucky patio makeover. It’s part of the home of Bri Emery from design blog Design Love Fest and every spot my eyed landed on was better than the next. Don’t make me pick my favorite part: the geometric concrete tile floors, all those amazing little seating nooks, the fringe-y umbrella (a DIY!!)…who could choose?

Navigating the waters of home decorating can sometimes be a little choppy. You may find yourself often asking “am I doing this right?” with every decision you embark on. And though most of the time, you’re doing just fine, other times, well…someone with a trained eye (and tons of experience) could easily call out some potential pitfalls.

When it comes to dressing your windows, draperies and curtains often seem to steal all of the attention, while blinds, their more structured cousin, always seem to play second fiddle. So we’re calling out one blind brand that’s rewriting the rules when it comes window coverings: Bloc Blinds. Based in Northern Ireland, Bloc Blinds is the innovative design house that, since their inception, has continually shattered everything we thought we knew about the conventional world of blinds.

Slipcovers have earned themselves a reputation as being shabby chic traditionalists, but to the contrary, these transformative beauties are proving to also have a modern side. These days, slipcovers are sporting more modern, simple silhouettes to accommodate in-demand contemporary furniture lines—the result is a fresh upholstered piece that embodies that cozy-modern vibe that’s been sweeping the design world right off its feet.

We promise there are way cooler options available now than the cheesy inspirational quotes your mom has plastered across her walls.

I work from home as a freelance writer/editor in a room that once was my formal dining room, which I transitioned into an office, as I wasn’t content with sitting at my kitchen island on my laptop for hours on end every day. The room is jam-packed with furniture that didn’t quite work anywhere else in my home. That printed floral chair I bought for a corner of my bedroom that didn’t really fit? It’s in my office.

With cold-press juice bars sprouting up on every corner and new iterations of yoga (aerial, water and candle flow) hitting a studio near you, it’s safe to suggest that people are more cognizant than ever about their health, achieving balance and the overall quality of their lives. And, naturally, this holistic-centric health wave is extending itself to our most personal retreats and sanctuaries by way of the ancient Chinese art of placement: Feng Shui.

For when you're ready to break up with those safe bet, go-to color combinations you see everywhere.

It’s no secret (or surprise really) that the world of design is leaning a bit more toward the modern side of the spectrum these days (with the boho craze as an isolated deviation). The modern-minimalist movement has come a long way from stark, cold interiors many associated with the look, making way for a much more livable aesthetic that proves you can still have warmth and coziness without all the stuff.

Formal dining is so two thousand and late. Now, it’s all about the conveniently located cozy dining nook. More and more people, couples and families are turning to this alternative way of dining as their main source for all things eating and entertaining. Here’s what we love about this solution: First and foremost, its location. Dining nooks are often nestled right by (or in) the kitchen, which is the natural gathering point in most homes.

When Target starts to carry something, you know you've reached trend fever pitch.

We all love H&M for their affordable threads, super-cute jewelry and all around budget-conscious styles, but did you know they also have incredibly gorgeous home décor? This was a recent revelation to me, one that was incredibly welcomed in my life. I’m talking throw pillows and decorative accents under $10, baskets and tabletop under $20, curtain panel pairs under $30—yeah, total no brainer in my book!

Have you been thinking about refreshing your lighting? Designers are always referring to chandeliers and pendants as the jewelry in any space, and they are right. Fresh fixtures are the perfect way to ramp up ( and vamp up!) any room. We’ve taken the liberty of pulling together some really great looks for a variety of tastes. From classical crystal chandeliers to blown-glass pendants, traditional fixtures offer a touch of glam without being too overt.

Time is money, so we already did the shopping for you.

Tranquility, peace, rest and reprieve—just a few integral qualities usually on the wish list for the perfect bedroom. So, we decided to comb through some of the most luxurious retreats we could find to see what exactly the recipe for perfection is. And what we found were a few common ingredients that turn an ordinary room into extraordinary sleeping quarters. Sure, these bedrooms are unapologetically large, but their essence can be replicated with some key pieces.

Tropical prints like banana and palm tree leaves, monster plants and beyond have been hotter than the climates they normally reside in over the past year, and are still going strong. These leafy motifs make a space eternally happy, playful and perfect for daydreaming about lounging on the beach all day, even in the dead of winter. Be made in the shade with these 11 picks and sources.