Decorating With Patterns

Don’t be afraid of prints: A touch of pattern, from florals to graphic numbers, can add instant style to your home.

Decorating Tips

What’s Your Decorating Personality?
This fun visual quiz will help you focus your décor choices. Once you’ve determined your design type, go to Your Decorating Style Defined (below) for inspiration: dream rooms, product picks, shopping tips, and more.

Stylish Shortcuts

Decorating With Florals
An interior designer offers ideas for adding cheerful, pretty flower prints to your decor.

Decorate Your Home With Letters and Numbers
Impose some alphabetical order with bold, beautiful printed material.

Tool Kit Checklist

Ever wonder how much stuff (make that how little stuff) you actually need? Real Simple rallied the experts to find out. Get your trash bag: We're parin' down.

• A putty knife: Removes old caulk or opening paint cans.
• A standard flat-nose claw hammer: 12 to 16 ounces with a steel head.
• A multihead screwdriver: Phillips-head, flathead, and Torx (six-point star shape).

View The Entire Checklist