Secrets to Decorating in a Downturn

Dampen the Glam

It’s official: Ostentatious design is as passé as a Merrill Lynch spreadsheet. This is not the time for gold-leafed ceilings, hand painted wallpaper, or custom rugs. It is the time, however, for recovering your old furniture, recycling someone else’s castoffs, and shopping smarter.

The manageable proportions and humble materials of cottage style should be your guiding principles. There are many retailers who seem have their fingers on the pulse of design trends, offering low-cost versions of high-end furniture and accessories.