Today I'm sharing with you my four go-to items in every space I design. They work well in almost any decor situation, so any time someone asks me for advice, these are my favorite tips to give...
1) Lighting: Lighting in a space is so important, yet so many people don't use it correctly. I find that a lot of people have lamps that are way out of proportion to their space. Make sure to have a good, tall lamp that hits right about eye level to where you will be seated. For years, my go-to lamp has been the Robert Abbey Delta Lamp. They come in pretty much any color you could ever want and are perfectly sized. Not too high or low, and I like the width on the base and shade.
2) Plants: I've said it before and I'll say it again... plants make any space look better. If you're worried about kids or animals coming into contact with them, try hanging them from the wall where they are out of reach like I did here. What you put your plant in is just as important to the decor as the plant itself. You can't go wrong with these white plant pots from Ikea. They come in four designs and a ton of sizes ranging from $1.49 to $14.99 making them super affordable. I have almost every plant in my home in these!
3) Rugs: Please, I'm begging you to buy the right-sized rug for your space! I'm guilty of buying a size smaller in the past to save money, but it just doesn't work. Ever. This video by Emily Henderson explains it better than I ever could. So watch and learn, friends. If you really love a rug that is too expensive in the larger size, I suggest buying an affordable seagrass or jute rug that is large enough for the room, and then layer the smaller rug over it. I've done this in my own living room and you can see it done well here. Also, seagrass rugs are lovely by themselves...
4) Faux Sheepskin: Last but not least, my favorite decorating trick is to throw a (faux) sheepskin on it. These work everywhere: draped over chairs in the dining room, on either side of the bed, thrown onto the sofa or draped over a pouf... They instantly make a space look cozier and more put-together.
What do you think? Do you have any favorites to add?