60 Easy Home Decor Ideas That Designers Depend On (2024)

Layer rugs to keep the texture and coziness going as Apartment Therapy founder Maxwell Ryan did in the bedroom of his Hamptons home. It'll feel lavish underfoot coming and going. A linen canopy also adds depth and warmth to the neutral color scheme.

"The room doesn't get a lot of light, so I decided to make it cozy and turned it into an English-style portrait room, which is ridiculous but fun," says celebrity chef Alex Hitz. What's cozier than a colorful floor-to-ceiling bookshelf surrounded by seating you can lounge on? Bookshelves that double as a gallery wall. Offsetting your books with artwork creates contrast and adds more personality.

If you have crisp white walls and neutral staples, like a sofa and coffee table, choose one statement item that brings in a punch of colorful energy. It can be anything from a vibrant piece of art on the walls to a bright carpet like the one in this living room designed by Leanne Ford Interiors.

Your green thumb deserves to be in the limelight. Designer Elizabeth Cooper placed a lush citrus tree in the corner of this living room for an extra pop of life and color, then staggered topiaries on the windowsill. It's the perfect way to invite nature into your living room with quirky indoor plants and trees.

Designer John Fondas turned a shallow closet into an out-of-the-way bar nook with tons of storage by removing the doors and building cabinets and shelves into the walls. The pineapple decor and aquatic touches are perfect for a Palm Beach party house.

If you keep a vase of flowers in your kitchen or living room, spread the love throughout the house. It's the perfect excuse to invest in a new vase for your bedroom or bathroom. In this New York apartment designed by Katie Ridder, a globe-shaped vase adds a nice bubble detail. If the upkeep is too much, go for a low-maintenance plant instead.

Whether you have a few tiny frames—like in this bedroom designed by Jae Joo—or medium-size ones on a gallery wall, you can easily swap them out with fresh finds. Tear out pages from a coffee table book or stop by a flea market for new works.

Place a large mirror above your mantel as HGTV star Alison Victoria did in her Atlanta loft, or dedicate another empty wall space to one—whether it's in your hallway, entryway, or bedroom. Not only will it look good, but it'll make the room feel bigger and brighter.

If you can't resist a good coffee table book, bring a new one into your collection. Or if you keep them in various parts of your home, simply rearrange your stacks for a new look. Here, in a living room designed by Barrie Benson, the four stacks could easily be given a new layout and order using only the books on the table.

No designated reading nook? No problem. If your home doesn't have any leftover real estate to convert into a reading nook, design your formal living room to serve double duty as a cozy lounge area. Here, Heidi Caillier strategically chose furniture in fabric and shapes that are sophisticated and homey, perfect for entertaining or unwinding alone.

The soft black paint color in this bedroom makes it feel special and intimate in ways you'd never be able to achieve with a lighter hue (this specific shade is Farrow & Ball Railings). The eclectic furniture lends itself nicely to the darkness too, adding a more lived-in vibe.

Rethink how you style an empty fireplace. In this texture-rich environment, interior designer Leanne Ford turned an empty fireplace into a little gallery to display pottery and artwork.

Adding the right window treatment can make all the difference. We're especially into Roman shades in a fun pattern. "It goes against decorating 101, but using small patterns together can be easier on the eye," says interior decorator Kristin Panitch, who designed this dreamy pink cloud of a bedroom.

Breakfast with a view? We're in. This one is country chic and just a touch rustic but still polished. It also proves you don't need to have an actual built-in nook to achieve the right vibe.

From the inky stained wood to the modern side chair and clean-lined ladder, this home library designed by Fiona Lynch is a gorgeous contemporary take on traditional design. You could fill it with books—or you could add in decor accents and accessories like vases and sculptures to break up the monotony of a wall of books. Or, color-coordinate your books. Not only will it feel more cohesive, but if you've got a lot of bright colors in your collection, they'll stand out even more.

If you don't have a grand foyer—or you do but it needs some love–introduce a small console table. For a formal yet modern aesthetic, opt for a traditional table and then hang modern abstract art above it. Then lean some portraits against the wall for a laid-back take on the gallery wall.

If any area in your home is feeling austere, sheepskin throws are the easiest solution. They bring in warmth, texture, and comfort while also being super affordable and easy to move throughout your space as your needs and moods shift.

Throw pillows are the easiest way to freshen up in the bedroom or living room. Introducing a new color, print, or shape with a throw pillow can make the whole space feel new again.

Slide a stool next to the bathtub. Not only will the extra surface space help with organization, but it's also a great way to make the whole space feel more luxe.

Don't have any more room on your walls for art? No problem. Hang anything from paintings and sconces to plants and bookmarks on a shelving unit. Here's a tutorial for how to hang art on bookshelves to guide you through the process—which includes tips from designer Marissa Bero, who has pulled this move in plenty of home libraries, including the one seen here.