Our 20 Most Popular Decorating Tips

By Real Simple
Updated January 21, 2015
Jonny Valiant
Over the years, Real Simple has shared dozens of décor tricks. Readers particularly loved these.
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Paint Ombré Stairs

Jonny Valiant

For an ombré effect, choose consecutive colors on the same paint strip. A small, angled brush is best for edges; use a larger brush to fill in. (From top: Icing on the Cake, Forget Me Not, Spectra Blue, Peacock Blue, Teal Ocean, $16 a quart, benjaminmoore.com for stores.)

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Group Like Objects

Victor Schrager

Ornamental mirrors, especially dramatic on a dark wall, make a striking wall display.

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Do the Same on a Mantel or Shelf

Antonis Achilleos

Do you have odds-and-ends vases in the same color family? A compact arrangement will have visual impact.

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And Along a Staircase

Frances Janisch

Notice how the juxtaposition of the photos and the cohesiveness of the frames (and sizes) upgrades the usual family-portrait display tactic.

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Bookcases? No, Everything Cases

Dan Duchars/Ideal Home/IPC+ Syndication

Think outside the box: A shelving unit is equally at-home in a dining room, where it holds plates, linens, and, yes, books.

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Do as the Pros Do

Monica Buck

Paint the back wall of a bookcase a hue that’s a couple of shades deeper than the room color.

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Change Up a Coffee Table

Lucas Allen

A length of fabric can completely alter the look of a glass-topped coffee table. Just wrap it around foam board and attach it under the table’s top.

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Deploy Wallpaper Strategically

Chris Everard/Homes & Gardens/IPC+ Syndication

Wallpaper can be pricey, so remember: It doesn’t have to cover an entire room or even an entire wall. Consider adding it just above or below a chair rail, if your room has one.

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Then Make Use of the Leftovers

Ditte Isager

To create this scroll-like hanging, fold the top and bottom edges of a length of wallpaper over wooden rulers or dowel rods. Secure with tape and hang from a ribbon.

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A Bright Idea

William Waldron

Shopping for a floor lamp for your living room or den? Sixty-eight inches is the ideal height: The bulb will be concealed whether you’re seated or standing. Try a floor lamp on one side of the sofa and a table lamp on the other.

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Pause for Reflection

Mark Lund

Brighten up a darker entryway or hallway by positioning a mirror to catch any natural light. Paint the mirror a clean, crisp white for added brightness.

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Pick a Pattern

Simon Bevan/Homes & Gardens/IPC+ Syndication

A small-scale pattern on window treatments will add interest and texture to a room without overwhelming it.

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Or Pile Them On

Lucas Allen

A profusion of pillows adds ready-made coziness to a bed. Don’t shy away from mixing patterns. Combine large prints with small ones, florals with geometrics. Just keep your color theme consistent.

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Create a Pro-Style Art Gallery

Dean Kaufman

Start by choosing inexpensive frames with precut mats (here, black frames with white paper mats and silver frames with linen mats; Target and West Elm are good sources). Then print out favorite images to fill them at the size you need.

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One for the Amateurs, Too

Jonny Valiant

An easy way to display your kids’ masterpieces: floating frames. Rotate what’s in them as new pieces arrive home from school.

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Picture This

Sang An

Another, very simple way to use frames, old or new: Group them on a mantel, on shelves, or even just propped up against a wall to create visually striking geometric patterns.

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Put a Pin in It

David Brittain/Ideal Home/IPC+ Syndication

Cover bulletin boards with fabric to create attractive artwork that doubles as a spot for holding reminders, notes, and more.

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Mix and Match

Tom Leighton/Homes & Gardens/IPC+ Syndication

Forget the idea that your kitchen or dining room chairs need to be a set. Instead, mix up styles, but coordinate them—here, the yellow of the chair at the head of the table and in the slipcovers pulls everything together.

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Plate It

Bob Hiemstra

Hang a collection of unused plates in an unexpected wall arrangement. Go for a variation of hues (within a family), sizes, textures. Put the most dramatic plate toward the center (lay out the plates first to experiment); attach wire plate hangers and hang plates on picture nails.

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Paint a Headboard

Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Literally: For about $20 (in supplies), you can have the headboard of your dreams—by painting it on the wall. For how-tos, see Paint a Faux Headboard.

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