Devine Decorating Results for Your Interior

Three Tips for Adding a Professional Designer Touch to a Room

Posted by Ragan Corliss on May 26, 2010 · 6 Comments 

This blog covers three interior decorator tips that will help work wonders in almost any room and help give a professional touch… turning a room that appears blasé into a room that makes people say “wow” when they walk in.            

Tip 1:  Area rugs            

Contrary to what you may have heard on HGTV, you can put an area rug on top of wall-to-wall carpeting.  An area rug is a great place to start with your room design because it can be very difficult and time consuming to find the right area rug after your other room design elements are in place.   Additionally, an area rug grounds your furniture and helps with grouping your furniture into an intimate seating arrangement necessary for conversations…            

Click on images for larger view            

© Decorating Den Interiors

© Decorating Den Interiors

© Decorating Den Interiors

Tip 2:  Custom Window Treatments           

You’re probably thinking that you can’t afford custom window treatments, however I recommend at least getting a quote for low vs. high options.  And please be sure to have your panels lined!  Lined window treatments make all the difference in world… They hang and filter the light so much better!   Additionally if you’re after a professional look lining is a requirement, unless they are sheer draperies.  You can actually purchase custom draperies for close to the same price as store bought curtain panels you’ll find in such stores as Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware.  If you find the window treatments are still over your budget, consider learning how to sew.   We frequently have to fix many window treatments where store bought window panels were too short for the wall height and/or lacked in pizzazz.            

© Decorating Den Interiors

Street of Dreams, Portland, OR

Street of Dreams, Portland, OR

© Decorating Den Interiors

© Decorating Den Interiors

Drapery panel height tip:  Tall drapery panels add drama to a room.  If you have a home with short ceiling height, you can actually give the appearance of a taller ceiling by hanging your curtain panels as high as possible.  I usually hang them 1″ below the ceiling, and you want them to at least reach the floor.   Whatever you do, don’t hang panels that are too short and don’t reach the floor.            

© Decorating Den Interiors

© Decorating Den Interiors

Ready made tab top curtains-- Not a professional decorating look.

Shirred top draperies-- This is not a professional custom drapery look

Tip 3:   Accessories       

Accessories are not an area to put off, as they are a key component to adding that “wow” factor to your room.  This can be one of the toughest areas for couples to reach an agreement on, but they are worth the effort.       

Here are some quick tips for accessorizing       

1.)  Take a picture of your room and view it on a computer, then clear out all the accessories and start with a fresh, clean slate.       

2.)  Consider the style you’re after, i.e. clean and modern, traditional and cozy, French country, Tuscan, eclectic, exotic and adventurous, lodge-style, etc.  Then stick with that style as you accessorize.       

 3.) Coordinate the colors of your throw pillows, candles, candle sticks, artwork, picture frames, glass, ceramics, books.           

Old World, Tuscan style

©Decorating Den Interiors Contemporary design style

Modern_and_Clean_Decorating_Style

Eclectic-Style-Living-Room_Reihl-David