Rooms Renewed

Finish With a Flourish

You've probably felt the frustration before. Blank walls stand before you, undecorated. Where do you start? When it's time to arrange books, art, and accessories, follow the same process you used in decorating the room. Consider scale, contrasts in pattern and texture, and a balance of horizontal and vertical lines.

It's a good idea to think in terms of groups or blocks. Be creative. Mix prints, paintings, and drawings with plates or brackets or photographs. "We line up the centers of all the pictures in a room. Then we work out arrangements on the floor, starting from the center of the grouping and working outward," says Dallas designer Josie McCarthy.