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23 Ways To Trick People Into Thinking You Hired An Interior Decorator

Pro-level techniques that'll make people think you outsourced the work.

Posted on January 15, 2017, 15:01 GMT

Elizabeth Lilly

BuzzFeed Staff

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1. Liven up a neutral palette with throw pillows that boast lots of bells and whistles, like these pretty Nate Berkus ones.

Get them from Target for $7.48 and $12.48.

2. Embrace an atypical ceiling by painting it — and the walls — a bold hue.

See the full Hollywood Hills home tour on Homepolish here.

3. Incorporate a bright end table in turquoise or red for a memorable decor scheme.

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4. Make a mismatched sofa and chairs work by sticking to the same fabric and style. Go bold with the colors!

Check out Domino's guide on buying a couch here.Get a similar green-velvet sofa from West Elm for $699+ and a fuchsia velvet chair from World Market for $229.99.

5. Fall for a printed love seat or sofa and build off of it as a focal point.

Get it from Target for $599.99. / Available in six patterns and nine solid colors.

6. Put bathroom lighting on the sides of your mirror instead of above it for a significantly more flattering glow.

Get a sconce for $39.99 each. / Available in polished chrome (shown), brushed nickel, and bronze.

7. Think UP when it comes to mantel art for an interesting vignette and bigger-feeling space.

Learn how to make this vintage-style wall art on The Gathered Home here.Get a similar balloon patent print from art print beauty on Etsy for $5+. / Available in four sizes.

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8. Make an easy gallery wall look pulled together by putting all your random art into coordinating frames.

Get more deets on this National Geographic-inspired color scheme on Homepolish here and a guide on how to make the perfect gallery wall here.Get a set of 10 picture frames from Amazon for $35.04+. / Available in four colors.

9. Or, fill up a wall with a BIG piece of art that takes up two-thirds of your wall space.

Bringing new meaning to "wide-open spaces."Get it from Urban Outfitters for $19+. / Available in four sizes. (Largest size shown.)

10. Choose wisely when it comes to wood finishes on furniture. Teak, oak, walnut, rosewood, and natural cherry look pricey.

Avoid any stuff that looks too shiny or unnatural. This dining set hits the mark with a deep wood finish that doesn't look cheap. Check out the rest of Bri's home tour on Designlovefest here.

11. Find the right paint paint shade for your project with this tiny color-matching tool.

Scan a color and get exact matches on your device for leading paint brands like Benjamin Moore, Valspar, Sherwin-Williams, Kelly Moore, PPG, and more.Get it from Amazon for $49.

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12. Hang curtains at just the right height, aka somewhere around 6 to 12 inches above the window frame.

Check out MyDomaine's must-know decorating rules here.Get an adjustable 48- to 86-inch curtain rod from Amazon for $12.99 and a blue curtain panel from Bed, Bath & Beyond for $9.99.

13. Have at least three "layers" of lighting in every room, like overhead, task lighting, mood lighting, etc.

14. Leave at least 12 inches between furniture pieces for people to walk — which is doable in even this studio apartment.

Check out the full apartment tour on The Everygirl here.Get the same sofa from West Elm for $999+, a similar coffee table from Wayfair for $96.99, and a similar rug from Amazon for $59.80+ in many sizes.

15. Hang your wall art at eye level for some everyday appreciation.

Get it from AllModern for $16.99+. / Available in four sizes.

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16. Measure once, twice, even three times to make sure your area rug fits the room.

All the furniture legs should be OFF or ON the rug for a living room.Get it from Urban Outfitters for $89.

17. Let in lots of light without compromising your color scheme with sheer white and colorful curtain panels.

See the full home tour on Sincerely, Sara D. here.Get two 60x84-inch sheer white curtain panels for $4.30 and two 58x84-inch sheer pink curtain panels for $4.29 from Amazon.

18. Play with the same pattern in different colors to keep things interesting. Test the waters with polka dots.

If you're feeling fancy, get the pictured products from Kate Spade New York: table lamp for $570 and the desk for $3,095.If you're on a budget, get similar products: gold foil and glitter polka dot lamp from Zazzle for $49.95 and a mid-century two-tone writing desk from Target for $161.49.

19. Paint the interior side of your front door as a colorful touch to an oft-forgotten surface.

Get a quart of satin front-door paint from Amazon for $35. / Available in 24 colors.

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20. Style any open shelving for the perfect #shelfie and use it as an opp to display that diptyque candle you're scared to light.

Well all know those candles are potent enough that you can get away with not lighting them for a while anyway. See more shelfies on Le Zoe Musings here.Get Diptyque candles from Nordstrom for $32+.

21. Layer plants in pretty vases for a lush look that keeps the eye wandering.

Get them from Pottery Barn for $19.50+.

22. That goes for art, too. Stagger framed pieces against a wall to create the appearance of a robust art collection.

Get the smaller art print from Urban Outfitters for $19+.

23. And finally, add a faux-fur accent for a high-end look that says the person who signed off on it cared zilch about practicality.

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