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Design Ideas
How to Polish Up Any Space
Surprising tweaks can make a big difference.
Written by Jennifer Milas-Gaudet
Photography by Bret Gum
  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    1. Start with paint in any renovation or major update.

    Even if you keep the furniture the same, changing the color of the walls will give the space a completely different look.

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  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    2. Make sure window coverings are the proper height.

    They should fall nicely so that the end of the fabric just brushes the carpet, rather than creating a puddle of fabric on the floor. It will make the entire room look more finished.

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  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    3. Consider using an interesting rug as a design catalyst.

    A properly fitted rug doesn’t need to accommodate an entire seating arrangement, but it must be large enough to create a “room within the room.” 
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  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    4. Group things in collections to tell a story.

    It’s a good way to immediately dress up a room, and it makes your flea-market hunting much more purposeful.

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  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    5. Subtle, small touches can have a big impact.

    For example, take the time to add fresh flowers to brighten up your space or (a trick we always rely on at Domicile) remove the covers from hardbound books on display; the ribbed, simple texture underneath brings character and often a pop of color.

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  • Designer Jolene Huitt offers a few easy tips for taking your space from simple to fantastic. 

    6. Spatial distance and height are two commonly misjudged elements.

    For example, the distance of an ottoman from your sofa should be about 14 inches. With artwork, the center line of a piece should typically be at eye level—about 5 feet.

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