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[quote=Anonymous]Top tip: stay the hell away from retail "art". Those framed art deco advertisements are so, so tired. You should only put things on your walls that have personal meaning. Do you have an artist of photographer in the family? You can blow up a nice photo (I prefer landscapes and abstracts for this purpose) to 20x30 and make it a statement piece. You can also frame textiles or found objects in a way that is interesting and not cookie-cutter. There are some fun ideas around for using books as decor. I have too many books, and so need my wall of floor-to-ceiling shelving, but if I could bear to part with 75% of them, I might do some cool floating shelves or something.

In the same vein, if you've seen it for sale in more than one chain store, don't buy it. So many houses all look the same these days. This is your home. Personalize, don't copy.

Don't buy imitation materials. If you covet silver candlesticks, don't buy the fakes from HomeGoods. They do NOT look "just as good". Don't buy reproductions/ copies of recognizable designs: no Dali lips loveseats (well, that should go without saying), no fake Tiffany lamps, no knock-off Starck chairs, etc. You're better off with a plain functional thing of good quality than with a fancy fake thing of any quality.

Window treatments are probably the single biggest visual impact on a room. So take your time and consider spending some money. As a PP said, it's good to use one item to tie a room together color-wise. In my house, it's a Persian rug. Everything coordinates with that rug. But if there's a patterned fabric you love for window treatments, you could let the rest of the design flow from that.

Know your lifestyle. The "shelter mags" that people are recommending often skew to the minimalist. Don't attempt to draw inspiration from a design that demands you overhaul your whole life for the sake of the aesthetic. If you have a family and have lots of things, don't go with an Asian or a modern aesthetic. Your stack of mail and your kid's dolls and your other kid's shoes and your husband's extra computer cables will drive you insane inside of a week. [/quote]

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