Bring the outside in by placing a large mirror – or series of mirrors – across from windows. Bring the outside in by placing a large mirror – or series of mirrors – across from windows. Floating furniture away from the walls and atop a large area rug can make a room feel larger and more open. Consider matchstick, bamboo or rattan window shades that add a sense of nature to a room – and let you regulate light while still allowing air in. Recycle home-office-shredded materials! Save them in a leaf bag and use as packing material. Buy an extra cutlery tray for the home office to hold pens and markers – or for makeup on a vanity. Think of new uses for glassware. Compotes can become paperclip holders, and glasses can become vases Select handsomely designed salt and pepper grinders that go from kitchen to table with style. A big soup tureen can do double-duty as a centerpiece for flowers, seashells – even as a makeshift cookie or candy jar. Buy colorful kitchen towels by the dozen and use them as generous and plush napkins! Use decorative trays to organize remotes, pencils and pads in a family or game room. Towels can completely change the mood of a bathroom: icy white is so cool; hot tropical colors get their samba on, black and wine add drama. Coordinate all bathroom knobs, fixtures, frames, and accessories in similar finishes like ceramic, brushed stainless, polished chrome or brass. Use linens to change the mood of the bedroom instantly –florals are romantic while plaids are tailored much like men’s shirting. Use clear plastic boxes to store shoes, scarves, belts – it makes finding what you need a breeze. Store out-of-season clothes in bags and boxes made of a fabric that breathes; never in dry cleaning bags. Lampshades are often overlooked as a way to make a style statement. Change them seasonally and see your favorite lamp in a whole new light. Look for collapsible, stackable measuring cups, strainers, and storage containers to get the most out of limited kitchen space. When choosing a floor lamp, make sure it’s light enough to move around the room with ease – so you can always have Use a magnet strip to hang your knives instead of the traditional wooden “block.”  This will give you more counter space. Display fresh herbs in glass jars on a narrow kitchen shelf for an organic presentation. Healing to the body. Pleasing to the eyes. Put down a stylish peel-and-stick linoleum floor in your kitchen. It’ll be like having a new kitchen. Create a different centerpiece for various occasions. For the summer try, seashells on a bed of sand. For autumn, place a mat of different colored leaves. Have a very small bathroom? Hang a clear shower curtain and the room will feel more expansive. Placing small plants in a row of terracotta pots make an immediate sculptural statement and brings the outdoors in. Give a sofa a quick face-lift by covering it with fanciful decorative fabrics with international flair (like Indian silk saris). A trickling rock fountain in your living room will do wonders for your mental health. Close your eyes and relax. Put up sleek. no-bracket shelves to proudly display photos, vases, or any other personal pleasures. The shelves are designs themselves. Buy scented candles in a variety of “flavors” and light them to fit your mood. Try hanging soft fabric on the ceiling over your bed. It creates an instant canopy and can “soften” a high ceiling. Instead of making your TV the sole focal point of your bedroom, keep it stored in an armoire, where it can be hidden to give eyes a “visual rest”. Bring the outside in by placing a large mirror – or series of mirrors – across from windows. Floating furniture away from the walls and atop a large area rug can make a room feel larger and more open. Consider matchstick, bamboo or rattan window shades that add a sense of nature to a room – and let you regulate light while still allowing air in. Recycle home-office-shredded materials! Save them in a leaf bag and use as packing material. Buy an extra cutlery tray for the home office to hold pens and markers – or for makeup on a vanity. Think of new uses for glassware. Compotes can become paperclip holders, and glasses can become vases Select handsomely designed salt and pepper grinders that go from kitchen to table with style. A big soup tureen can do double-duty as a centerpiece for flowers, seashells – even as a makeshift cookie or candy jar. Buy colorful kitchen towels by the dozen and use them as generous and plush napkins! Use decorative trays to organize remotes, pencils and pads in a family or game room. Towels can completely change the mood of a bathroom: icy white is so cool; hot tropical colors get their samba on, black and wine add drama. Coordinate all bathroom knobs, fixtures, frames, and accessories in similar finishes like ceramic, brushed stainless, polished chrome or brass. Use linens to change the mood of the bedroom instantly –florals are romantic while plaids are tailored much like men’s shirting. Use clear plastic boxes to store shoes, scarves, belts – it makes finding what you need a breeze. Store out-of-season clothes in bags and boxes made of a fabric that breathes; never in dry cleaning bags. Lampshades are often overlooked as a way to make a style statement. Change them seasonally and see your favorite lamp in a whole new light. Look for collapsible, stackable measuring cups, strainers, and storage containers to get the most out of limited kitchen space. When choosing a floor lamp, make sure it’s light enough to move around the room with ease – so you can always have Use a magnet strip to hang your knives instead of the traditional wooden “block.”  This will give you more counter space. Display fresh herbs in glass jars on a narrow kitchen shelf for an organic presentation. Healing to the body. Pleasing to the eyes. Put down a stylish peel-and-stick linoleum floor in your kitchen. It’ll be like having a new kitchen. Create a different centerpiece for various occasions. For the summer try, seashells on a bed of sand. For autumn, place a mat of different colored leaves. Have a very small bathroom? Hang a clear shower curtain and the room will feel more expansive. Placing small plants in a row of terracotta pots make an immediate sculptural statement and brings the outdoors in. Give a sofa a quick face-lift by covering it with fanciful decorative fabrics with international flair (like Indian silk saris). A trickling rock fountain in your living room will do wonders for your mental health. Close your eyes and relax. Put up sleek. no-bracket shelves to proudly display photos, vases, or any other personal pleasures. The shelves are designs themselves. Buy scented candles in a variety of “flavors” and light them to fit your mood. Try hanging soft fabric on the ceiling over your bed. It creates an instant canopy and can “soften” a high ceiling. Instead of making your TV the sole focal point of your bedroom, keep it stored in an armoire, where it can be hidden to give eyes a “visual rest”. by Artcube