Home accessories you’ve been styling all wrong

Style your way to a magazine-worthy living space with these easy and inexpensive tips and tweaks.

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If you’ve been relying on the boring old throw pillows that came with your sofa set, you should know your couch could be making much more of a fashion statement. Using throw pillows as accents is a quick, inexpensive way to pep up your space, and you can easily change them out with the seasons. Look for designs that help pick up other accent colors in your room without being too matchy-matchy, and don’t be afraid to layer. Two on each end (plus another in the bend of an L-shaped sectional) will brighten up your living space in an instant.

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Setting up a bookcase seems like a simple enough endeavor: Slide books in and forget about it. But if that’s all you’re doing, you’re missing an easy opportunity to make a big design statement. You can go as far as to arrange your spines by color for a rainbow effect, or you can go as simple as stacking books on their side to use as a base for framed photos or knickknacks. Adding a basket or two is a great way to catch all those small odds and ends that always seem to pile up.

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Hanging your curtains just at the tops of your windows is OK, but to really maximize the height of your room, try hanging them several inches to a full foot above the window molding and a few inches off to each side. This will make your windows — and your room — look larger and taller than they actually are.

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Blue may be your favorite color, but a blue couch on a blue rug in a room with blue paint and blue curtains is a little yawn-inducing, even for a Smurf. Use one color as your anchor and then accent it with two or more complementary colors. Brighten up with pretty printed curtains, plus throw pillows, artwork and other accessories that coordinate but don’t fade into the background. A new coat of paint — like one of the many colors offered by Valspar Reserve (Lowe’s, $45) with HydroChroma technology — in a neutral color can really make your furniture and artwork pop.

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Too many beautiful pieces of art are losing their potential in homes across the country because they are hung all wrong. Many know the adage that artwork should be hung at eye level, but if you are taller or shorter than average, your perspective will be at an awkward height for everyone else viewing the piece. Instead, go with the standard gallery measurement: The center of the artwork should be 57 inches off the ground. Another great way to add interest to a collection of art or family photos is to create a gallery wall. Check out Pinterest for tons of great arrangement ideas.

This post was sponsored by Lowe’s.

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