Doing more with less

Out with the old: Edit what you have before you buy something new. Pare down the stuff (paintings, accessories, furniture) in every room. Don’t be afraid to keep surfaces like tables, counters and mantels bare.

A fresh eye: Curate what you have in new ways. Hang photos by category (family, friends, black and white, kids, animals). Clump like things together, such as a collection of globes or clocks.

Color-code space: Create different zones in your house by painting the walls different colors. Don’t have a separate dining room? Wainscot the area by using a different color, or texture, of paint on the bottom half of the wall. Define the space by using a matte finish on the top half and semigloss on the bottom half, or a lighter tone on top and a darker on bottom.

Play with the unexpected: Put big items in small spaces or a small painting on a big wall. Mixing scale makes it more fun. Try not to put a painting over the fireplace.

Think big: Avoid small, dinky objects like lamps and frames from lower-end stores. Smaller things tend to look cheap.

Shop outside the box: Ethnic stores and shopping areas are great sources for unexpected touches. Indian saris can be turned into pillows and curtains. Or seek out such items as hand towels in Chinatown or Mexican candles and plastic stools at 99-cent stores.

-- Alexandria Abramian-Mott