Feel free to mix three (or more) different patterns--just try to link them with common hues.

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Bathing an entire room in one color--from walls to sheets and pillows--can be more soothing than you think.

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Black-and-white photographs are a great option for a vibrant space, where a bright painting might overwhelm.

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To keep bright colors from overwhelming a room, make the bedding and two walls bright white.

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"If you choose a solid color for your bed," says design expert Nate Berkus, "keep things interesting by experimenting with textures. Try combining felted wool with cottons and knits."

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Establish a harmonious palette--then energize it with a single item in an opposing shade.

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Look inside the 250-square-foot kitchen that Country Living constructed with the help of architect Ruard Veltman and Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson. Here, 6 tips to take "cooking out" to exhilarating new heights.

1. Go with the grain. "I like a kitchen with personality," says Marcus Samuelsson, "rather than some sterile white box." Architect Ruard Veltman introduced character-not clutter-by cladding the walls in reclaimed barn wood from Tall Cotton Supply. A vintage sign from Repop contributes an extra dose of folksy charm.

Bright Idea: A trash chute cut into the island gets rid of food-prep trimmings fast.


Plus: We also built a 250-square-foot guest bedroom cottage. Take a tour! »



2. Forget the work triangle. In a space this tight, it's not like point A is ever that from point B. So Veltman moved the Whirlpool refrigerator and double overs off to one side, behind abbreviated walls that lend a sense of separation but refuse to chop up the room.

3. The open shelv

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Turn the house you have into the home of your dreams one easy upgrade at a time! With a little DIY, you can do a few micro-makeovers to boost architectural interest and character throughout your home. Let's get started with the stairs. (And you can look forward to posts on bath vanities, kitchen sinks, counters, and backsplashes, entryways, and much more-every Monday from This Old House!) -Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com

RELATED: Install a Basic Stair Runner (Carpet)

How to Add Shapely Stair Brackets

The newel post and balusters get all the attention, while the exposed side of most staircases is largely ignored. But with the addition of decorative stair brackets, a bland stringer can become an elegant eye-catcher. Get the look with just a few hours of DIY. See the full step-by-step instructions here.

Install Runner Rods

Before pneumatic carpet nailers, handsome metal rods secured stair runners. See where you can get rods like the ones shown here and see 11 other DIY Proj

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