What kind of mood does this office create? Not exactly a warm and welcoming environment, is it?

Every element in this office is designed to intimidate and make visitors uncomfortable. The black, white and silver color palette is cold, with no note of forgiving warmth to reduce the pressure. Art is abstract, and the silver shapes to the right look more than a bit dangerous.

The glass-topped desk with silver base has no forgiveness, and the desk accessories continue the slick, unfriendly look.

The woman behind the desk carries through this mood. Her black and white dress and white/gray hair, not-to-mention her blood-red nails, sends a cold message.

This room provides a really good example of how the choice of color, line and accessories can create a mood. It may not be the mood you want, but it is still effective.

Now let’s take a look at another office setting. Once again, most of the color is white with some black. The style is contemporary with clean lines. There is even a round piece of art in the background with a hole in it. However the mood created by the space is completely different.

One obvious reason is the much-friendlier person in the photo, but there’s more to it than that. The office has more stuff, which adds warmth. Notice the pencil holder on the desk, creating a feeling that a real person works in this office. There are also several spots of color – the pink and blue file boxes for example. The desk is a natural maple, and that touch of wood does a lot to warm up the space. Finally, the daffodils a kilter in the vase add a human and inviting touch.

How does your office project the image you want to present? Whether you feel you need more authority or want to make people more comfortable, think about what you can do with your surroundings to send the right message.

We all know that crown molding can add a finished touch to a room. The popularity of crown molding has only grown over the last decade as more and more new homes and remodels have used crown molding around the ceiling. Beyond crown molding there are other ways to use molding in a room to create interest.

This picture illustrates how picture molding can be used to add interest along with color and trim. Picture molding and chair rails can be added to existing walls and are simple DIY projects that most homeowners can tackle.  With a level and a saw you should be able to apply both picture molding and chair rails.  This type of molding is common in dining rooms and formal living rooms.  Molding can be an inexpensive way to add a big impact to your walls and rooms.

Unlike baseboard molding and door frames, picture molding and chair rails can be painted the same color as the walls or white. Typically baseboard and door moldings are painted white or sometimes left a natural wood that coordinates with wood floors.

The area inside the molding or above or below a chair rail can be painted a different color from the rest of the wall to draw attention to the molding. Adding trim along the inner edge, as seen here, can also add another layer of visual interest to the wall. The trim or paint color can be coordinated with the carpet or upholstery colors used in the room, or pick up another accent color.

This is a tough room to decorate. The long narrow space with one window at the end could easily feel more like a tunnel than a cozy bedroom. By adding the dramatic wallpaper to the right, the room feels as though it has more depth.

In the past five years, the combination of blue and brown has earned its stripes as a bedroom favorite. This room demonstrates why.

The cool wintery blue in the rest of the room reflects and captures the window’s light along the other wall and ceiling. The simple brown-framed mirror over the bed helps with the reflections.

It’s not immediately obvious, but the bed is actually a sofa sleeper, which means that this room can be turned into a sitting room when not in use as a bedroom. From the view out the window, this may be a small city apartment, with the space doing double-duty as bedroom and living room. The table and chair set in the background could be the dining space in a town where take-out is the norm rather than the exception.

When you have limited space, adding drama is one way to expand a room’s vista. The wood flooring has enough variation to keep the eye satisfied and the wallpaper provides a planned focal point.

This is a well-designed room. If you would like to create this feel in your own home, let us help you discover the look that will give your rooms the same level of drama and sophistication.

Have you ever thought about the first impression your house gives visitors? What do they see as they step inside your home?

This homeowner has pulled everything together to create a mood of old-fashioned romance with a touch of mystery.

The magic happens before a visitor even walks into the home thanks to the arched entryway framed with bricks and highlighted with curved wrought iron. It has echoes of a medieval castle in its design, and the diamond window panes also speak to that mood.

Step inside and the sense of style continues to grow.  Oriental rugs always make a statement of wealth and luxury. The red tones look striking against the dark wood flooring – another example of bringing another time into the space with a floor that could have been there for decades.

Both the flooring and rug may be brand new, but their style adds substance to the message this entryway gives – that you are entering another world and another time.

Finally, take a look at the window to the right as you step in. The curtain rod is also wrought iron, with a finial that suits a medieval approach. The curtain itself is translucent. It doesn’t need to be lined unless it has to screen out the sun, and the light coming through it matches the feel of the space.

One final touch – the curtain is cut to puddle on the floor. The soft light fabric benefits from the extra length, dropping against the flooring like a medieval gown. Everything about this entryway says romance, and invites visitors to continue the story inside.

If you are drawn to a modern look in neutral shades such as this room, be sure to bring in the best weapon at your design disposal – texture.

The space works despite its simple lines and limited furniture and accessories, thanks to an appealing variety of textures.

The coffee table is a simple slab of wood, but the piece is weathered and shows its age with the cracks and rounded edges. Imagine this room with a smooth lacquered table. It would just be a nonentity in the space. Instead, this table adds charm, interest and warmth.

The sofa is the most straightforward piece in the room, with its light tone and limited texture, but the three pillows add style and shape. The framed images over the fireplace provide two strong textural and style approaches. The weathered brown frame echoes the coffee table, and the more traditional roughly-painted frames to the left add the lines of an older style, softening the primarily modern look.

Another dramatic textural component is the sliding door. The horizontal boards add warmth, contrast and an attention-getting wood tone. The strong dark element helps balance the coffee table and fireplace.

Finally, the accessories on the table add more texture. Having candles that are already partially burned makes them much more intriguing than untouched ones. The table candles are in an old bowl, adding another textural element. Notice that the fireplace contains more candles, making an additional connection across the room. The small succulent plant sits in the beat-up pot, adding its own personality.

It only takes a few special elements to make a contemporary room feel like part of a home rather than a store display. It’s worth your time to hand-pick textures and special touches to add a special charm to your modern home.

Would you like to have a home that excites the eye, creating a look that no one else has? It’s possible but you have to be willing to take some risks.

This room shows what can happen when someone designs outside the box. It works because the room still follows basic design rules.

Every room does better with a focal point. The fireplace demands attention no matter where you are in this space. Exposing the flue is a risky move, but it opens up the two rooms much more than a solid floor-to-ceiling block of white would.

This space also demonstrates connections across the space, linking everything together. The stone flooring continues from one room to the next, with a few steps and the fireplace serving as separators. The cool-toned silver flue cover is carried through to the frames of the windows on the right. At the same time strong warm tones come in through the rich wood coffee table and accessories and the antique African masks on the far wall.

Pops of black always add drama. Here we have the fireplace opening, complemented by the throw pillows in the foreground and the large vases in the back toward the left. The base of the table behind the fireplace also shows black. Without using too much, these touches add sophistication and grounding for the entire space. This is doubly important because the floor is light.

The final clue to creating a space that is totally unique and interesting: take your time. While the basic sofa and chair could be purchased anywhere, the coffee table and accessories aren’t easily found. Take some design chances; look for your own version of the unusual and your home can stand out from the rest.

Global style evokes the adventures of a world traveler: a kimono from Japan; a table from China; a bench from Africa; a Thai silk wall hanging. These elements recall faraway lands and exotic cultures. Using them in décor imbues the room with a worldly style that is chic and eclectic.

This bedroom mixes objects from around the world yet doesn’t feel like a hodgepodge. Color plays a big part in making the different elements work as a whole in the room.  Creams, browns and other neutrals are the dominant colors. The various global objects and elements are united by the simple, neutral color palette.  Even the flooring is a light neutral color that offsets a patterned throw rug.

The framed kimono and Chinese altar table against the wall create an Asian inspired vignette. A zebra patterned duvet brings to mind Africa. Mixing elements from across continents gives the design an eclectic look that feels authentic; like each piece was bought and brought home by the owner.  Like the neutral color palette, clean lines on the shelves and bed keep the focus on the objects and artifacts in the room. Patterns and shapes add interest in the absence of bold colors.

Decorating your home with objects you’ve collected on your travels can make the space more personal. Create beautiful vignettes on bookshelves or tables of things you’ve bought at markets and bazaars. Incorporate exotic textiles and rugs into your décor. Mix things up and create the look of global chic.

When planning a dinner party, think beyond plates and silverware. Your décor and tablescape choices set the mood for the evening.

Start with lighting. If you have a chandelier over your dining table, make sure you also have a dimmer so that you can set the light level lower and more intimate. Think about creating a circle of light around the dining area, covering the table but leaving the rest of the room in semi-darkness.

With no chandelier, this room uses candles for light. The higher tapers on the table expand the light’s reach and a table this long benefits from all six candles. Don’t worry if your candlesticks don’t match. If you choose one type of metal such as brass or silver, or all crystal, using a variety of candlesticks adds charm.

Notice that there are some greens and flowers in the center. With a circular table, it’s important to keep any flower arrangements or other types of centerpieces low so people can talk across. However, with a rectangular table such as this, you can use higher arrangements as long as you set them in the areas between each set of place settings. For example, on this table, there are two arrangements, set between the first and second seats on the left and right, and then the second and third seats.

With an interesting table like this one, a tablecloth would be a crime. Instead, some simple placemats suit the settings. Cloth napkins are an appealing touch. They don’t have to match the placemats, but still should coordinate with the linens and dishware. Remember that good quality table linens do fine in the washer but will shrink and be damaged in the dryer. You should always line-dry linens.

Add your glassware and scatter some candles or other low lights around your home so that the ambience of the dining table is continued throughout your house. Then everything is ready but your menu and your guests.

Tangerine Tango is the Pantone color of 2012.

The Pantone Color Institute is a leader in color trends for fashion and home products. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, says that tangerine will provide a jolt of adrenaline to the marketplace.

When Pantone presents its color for the year, you can anticipate seeing it in furniture, accessories and clothes.

Some may choose to display this color in the form of a piece of furniture. But most people are not going to take this big a leap. Since color trends shift over time, it’s best to choose smaller and less expensive elements to bring a new color into your home.

Look for placemats and table runners in tangerine, or with a pattern containing the color. Because it is a strong color, vases and pillows will also shine as an accent without taking over a room.

Turquoise is showing up quite a bit as a contrast to tangerine. Because the two colors live at opposite ends of the color wheel, together they set up an attention-getting look.

If you’re not ready to invest in tangerine at this point, how about just testing the waters? Gerbera daisies are available in a luscious tone of light orange that can temporarily create a spot of tangerine, or you can try some pillows like the ones in the photo. If you like its impact in your home, you can then explore a larger commitment.

As you make design and décor decisions for your home, you can choose how complex you want to be. You may be satisfied with a simple look that has an understated appeal with a minimum of elements in a room. The next step is adding art and accessories to complement your furniture choices and make your home feel more finished. The final step involves adding a part of who you are to your home. This can happen with photos of family, inherited materials from various ancestors, or a vignette that tells a story without words.

This photo shows one example. The book becomes the primary focus, with its graceful and appealing hand-drawn images of flowers and leaves. By itself, it creates a mood. But add in the other elements: the old bottles, a mortar and pestle, some colored powders that match the colors of the ink on the page, and various natural specimens waiting to be drawn in their turn, and particularly the old wire spectacles, and you have the story of a turn-of-the century naturalist.

Was this a family member or family friend – just pausing in his or her work and never getting back to it? Do you find yourself wanting to turn the pages and see the rest of this appealing book? This vignette is visually powerful, and it also invites you to draw closer and touch, smell and gather in the impressions of this world.

Maybe this type of drawing is the dream of the homeowner, and this is one way she can be reminded of her long-term goals. Or maybe she just found the book in an antique store and collected the other materials to complement it.

No matter how it happened, the result is a little corner of magic and charm in a home. As you make your home your own, take the next step in decorating and tell a tale or two for your family and friends. You will all enjoy and appreciate it.