New Decorating Book, 10th Edition (Better Homes and Gardens) (Better Homes and Gardens Home) (Better Homes & Gardens Decorating)

Excerpts from the Book



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From the Editors & Experts: Decorating Tips

Inspiration

Editors' Favorites
Use the palette of a striped rug to inspire your choice of room accents and furnishings.

The back of a fabric, curtain, comforter, or area rug is sometimes more interesting—and toned down—than the front. If no telltale signs like hems will show, go ahead and flip it.

Look to nature for perfect color combinations—the landscape, flowers, and vegetables. Animal coats are always perfectly hued. You could do a living room around your calico cat’s coloring!
—Elaine Griffin

I love white walls and neutral furnishings with pops of colorful accessories and accent pieces.
—Annette Joseph

Swatching

Editors' Favorite
Consider how much light a room gets before picking colors. South-facing rooms get more sunlight, so use cool colors such as blues and greens, to soothe the room. North-facing rooms beg for red or yellow tones to warm things up.

Looking at a fabric or paint swatch six inches from your eye is different than seeing it in a room. If it’s going on a horizontal surface, look at the swatch horizontally. Or drape it over a chair. Step back six feet and look at it from a distance.
—Janie Hirsch, Interior Designer

Always do paint test swatches with two to three coats first to make sure you love a color.
—Elaine Griffin, Interior Designer

Grouping

Editors' Favorites
Break up a room of matchy-matchy wood furniture with one painted piece. It doesn't have to be a bold color. Or try black. It balances nicely with natural wood.

Buy vases, pitchers, or decorative boxes in shades of one color and group them to add an easy, impactful pop of color in a room.

Corral a stack of books and the remotes in a colorful tray to create an eye-catching decorative display on a coffee table.
—Grant K. Gibson