1. Look at the Room "With an Outside eye"

Living with the same look year in and year out jades the eye. Strip the room of its existing look to make it easier for you to imagine new possibilities This can be done by either literally taking all the furniture and accessories out of that room, or, if this is impractical, covering as much as you can with white paint sheets to virtually revert the room to its neutral state.

2. Introduce New Colors

Get inspired by clipping magazine photos, and collecting paint chips. Once you're picked 2 or 3 different color combinations, introduce each color scheme into the room. You can easily try color experiments by scattering assorted pieces that carry your color schemes randomly: throw pillows, scarves, anything you have around the house that have the colors you are considering, just to give yourself a preview. This is an excellent way to find the color scheme that works best for you without actually investing in furniture and accessories until you are absolutely sure of which color combination works best.

3. Add Interesting Architectural Details

Consider adding moldings, chair rails, and other trimming to add character to the walls and ceiling. This gives your room instant personality and a sense of history, especially if you are working with a new "builder's standard" home.

4. Master the Subtle Art of Disguise

Use screens to cover imperfections on the wall, hide clutter, or to create a subtle transition from one living area to the next. If the room is one large open area, for instance, you can use a beautiful filigree screen between the living and the dining sections, creating an instant demarcation between those two functionally-distinct areas.

5. Change the Lighting

Adding a pair of lamps in keeping with the style you have chosen will not only increase the amount of light available within the room, but is also a good way to use accessories to reinforce the room's style and theme. For added drama, try uplighting.

6. Refresh the Window Treatments

Smart side panels may be a refreshing change from yesterday's balloon drapes. Consider the role the windows play in this particular room. Is there a beautiful view outside? If so, you may want to use that to best advantage by minimizing the window treatment that frames the view. If, on the other hand, the window looks out to a brick wall, you might opt for a full-cover drapery system that will be an art statement in its own right.

7. Rearrange the Furniture

Most times, a small change in furniture arrangement can visually open up a room and create an energizing effect. If you have a standard rectangular room and your furniture is arranged so that the sofa and chairs are hugging the walls, how about angling the sofa and chairs so that they are diagonal to the walls?

8. Create One Focal Point

There's a spot in every room that can be turned into an eye-catching focal point. Imagine yourself coming through the entryway into the room. Where should your eye naturally land? Figure out where that spot is, and create a collection of furniture or accessories right in that spot that is in keeping with the style, theme and colors you have selected for that room.

9. Develop a Theme

Select accessories in keeping with your favorite theme: Could this be a relaxed "By the Seaside" (think seafoam colors and a plate-sized coral frond on a stand) theme or a vibrant "Tropical Get-away" (fruit punch colors in orange and hot pink with palm foliage) flavor. The possibilities are endless!

10. Introduce Audio Elements

Just add sounds, stir and enjoy! Waves lapping on the shore, crickets chirping in the background could be just the final touch to turn your decorating theme into a virtual reality right inside your own home.

And why stop there? These are just a few of the many decorating ideas compiled for your next interior makeover project.

Copyright 2006 Raquel Manuel