Photo: Boris Breuer Be Strategic About Where to Stay Neutral Choose neutral tones for the big-ticket furnishings, including the sofa, chairs, and buffet. Splashes of daring color come from easy-to-change accessories like lampshades, pillows, and curtains.

Photo: Nate Rea Let Your Art Make the Color Decisions for You If you’re grasping for a color scheme, pick tones from a beloved work of art. You’ll already know that they look good with one another, and the painting will help tie the room together.

Photo: Thinkstock Steer Clear of the Clinical Look with Gray Conventional wisdom suggests that white rooms seem larger, but their starkness can feel institutional. A muted palette of grays achieves the former and avoids the latter.

Photo: Fernando Bengoechea Overhaul Your Furniture with Well-Chosen Accessories "Adding new pillows and a nice throw can make it look like you’ve got a brand-new couch or armchair," says stylist Lance Boyd.

Photo: Laura Moss How to Go Bold—Even If You’re Busy "A dramatic new color can make a room feel bigger,” Boyd says. If you’re short on time, then choose one wall as an accent and just paint that—it will completely change the room’s vibe.

Photo: William Waldron Arrange Seats to Create a Warm, Inviting Space Leather club chairs and ottomans by the fireplace and two sofas rearranged in an "L" shape invite lounging and conversation.

Photo: Thinkstock Use Shelves Strategically Tone down a bright wall by placing open shelving. The result: a room that’s playful but, not overpowering.

Photo: Jonn Coolidge Ditch the Heavy Curtains Don’t bother with fussy drapes. In fact, if privacy is not an issue at your home, you have permission to skip curtains altogether.

Photo: Fernando Bengoecha When Buying Souvenirs, Go with Your Gut "When you’re traveling, if something speaks to you, buy it,” Nate Berkus says. "You’ll figure out what to do with it later. A cast-iron crab might find its way onto your nightstand.”

Photo: Annie Schlechter Use Lamps as Unexpected Art A lamp can perform double duty as an ambient light and a piece of sculpture.