Nell Hill's Feather Your Nest: It's All in the Details

Mary Carol Garrity's Top Ten Tips for decorating with timeless, affordable style

Tip 1

Develop your own personal style of decorating that extends throughout your entire home—beginning with an impressive entrance at your home's front door and following up the staircase, into the bedrooms, and out the back door onto your patio.

 

Tip 2

Make an impression through the details by adding layers of interest such as window treatments, area rugs, lighting, and fabrics. Remember, impressive and thoughtful do not have to mean expensive.

Tip 3

Draw inspiration from what you love. Look in your closet to find colors that speak to your inner design-muse, or find inspiration for your design choices through a cherished art piece or special family heirloom.

Tip 4

Don't be oversold. If you buy less, you always have the luxury of adding more.

Tip 5

Use ordinary, everyday items in innovative ways that make them extraordinary. One of my favorite decorating tricks is to repurpose or group seemingly dissimilar objects into well-appointed, eye-catching vignettes. Consider my friend's way of incorporating a stuffed hunt mounting (complete with antlers!) by flanking it with a delicate grouping of china plates.

Tip 6

Disregard outdated taboos. That stilted dining room that seems overly formal may just be beckoning for a relaxing touch that only linen chaircovers or wicker chairs can provide. Or, that picture that gets totally overlooked because it's hung at eye-level may be eye-popping placed just beneath the window nook leading to your backyard.

Tip 7

Set the stage. The easiest and most affordable way to dramatically transform a room and create instant ambiance is with color and lighting. So, consider picking up a paintbrush, or borrow a lamp from the living room and transition it to the bathroom.

Tip 8

Decorate through details and accessories. Consider covering walls and main pieces of furniture in neutral colors so that you can instantly redecorate by simply changing out pillows, pictures, hand towels, and plantings.

Tip 9

Turn things inside out. Don't be afraid to bring the outside in, or take the inside out. I love using my best china, silver, and glassware in a casual, outdoor courtyard setting. I have even been known to bring one of my favorite lamps or pictures outside while entertaining. Equally, I love bringing traditionally outdoor items like gazing balls, urns, and wreaths inside.

Tip 10

And finally, don't fear change. Even if you like your furniture's current floor plan, consider placing long-standing pieces of furniture in different rooms to create a new flow of traffic throughout your space. Liven up your décor by swapping out your current lackluster sideboard with that antique showstopper gathering dust in the basement.

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Contact: Kathy Hilliard, Publicity Director, (800) 851-8923, ext. 7497, khilliard@amuniversal.com

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Nell Hill's Feather Your Nest: It's All in the Details

Author: Mary Carol Garrity
ISBN: 978-0-7407-6858-3
Format: Hardcover 8 3/4 x 10, 128 pages
Price: $29.95 ($37.50 Canada)