90 Home Decor Ideas That Designers Swear By

In her Toronto home, designer Montana Labelle says, “We opted for asymmetrical artwork on top of the bed as well as in the hallway to create more visual interest and layers in the room.”

In this midcentury Los Angeles home, designer Garrett Hunter worked with the original floor plan and architectural details like the exposed brick and ceiling beams. “We didn’t move walls, so our focus was really to enhance the existing architecture.”

If you have lovely views, flaunt them! Designer Lori Deeds of Kemble Interiors created a custom banquette and seating area to take advantage of the garden views of this Palm Beach estate.

In the primary bedroom area designer Augusta Hoffman used a colorful ikat wallcovering to add some interest and fun to an otherwise serene New York apartment.

If you’re looking to create a wow-worthy moment above your headboard, think beyond outsize artworks. Here, in his New York apartment, designer Todd Raymond featured a large tapestry as the focal point of the bedroom.

What do you get when you combine old-world antiques and sleek, modern touches? Instant chic! Just peruse designer Michelle R. Smith’s elegant New Orleans abode for inspo. Here, she contrasted a vintage crystal chandelier with a classic Vitsoe shelving unit.

To avoid drawing attention to ceiling beams or other architectural oddities, designer William Cullum and his partner, Jeffery Rhodes, painted the walls, trim, and ceiling the same color blue in the hallway (seen at rear) of their New York City apartment.

Literary couple James Fenton and Darryl Pinckney opted for bright, jewel-toned walls in shades of green, blue, yellow—and even purple—throughout their Harlem townhouse.

At Jean-Louis Deniot’s family retreat on Île de Ré, France, the designer deployed nautical references to emphasize the seaside setting: Maritime rope frames all of the doorways; the steps are hand-painted with wave scenes; and the bedroom wall mural (seen through the doorway here) resembles a sandstorm.

In a Toronto home by Colette van den Thillart, the designer decided to replace the original mantel with a sculptural, eye-catching fireplace surround.

Don’t be afraid to mix patterns and prints. Designer Ramsey Lyons combined different patterns in shades of pink for the sofa and chair upholstery, and yet another one for the curtain fabric in the sunroom of her Pittsburgh home.

In the dining area of Gabriel Hendifar’s downtown Manhattan apartment, a mirrored wall helps to bounce natural light around the room, brightening it in the process.

In art historian Carolina Vincenti’s apartment in Rome, she painted the bookshelves in the hallway and living area a bright red as an homage to British telephone booths.

Designer Ryan Lawson reconstructed what was formerly a dining room and turned it into a study to better suit the client’s needs in this Connecticut home. To make it comfortable and practical, Lawson commissioned bookshelves that match the Shaker style of the house and layered the room with pieces from the homeowner’s travels.