35 Small Ways To Make Your Home Look Way Better, According To Designers

Jennifer Guerin, interior designer and owner of JG Color Studios, recommends this minimalist throw pillow cover that adds a subtle touch of color to any room. The cotton cover features subtle woven embroidery in a tufted circle pattern — available in dusty pink or peach combined with a warm rust color. “Cute for any space!” she says.

• Available colors and styles: 4

No, it’s not a magic trick; these floating metal bookshelves can be mounted directly to the wall, thanks to their unique L-shaped design. Says Guerin: “Love these to hang books and it looks like they are floating in the middle of the wall.” They’re great for compact homes, since they utilize empty wall space, and they let you display your books as wall art — they’re the ultimate conversation starters.

• Available colors: Silver, White

These absorbent cotton hand towels are great to have on hand in your kitchen or bathroom. Available in a dozen colors and styles, the woven fabric is lightweight and soft, with a cool chevron pattern and elegant tassels on the edges. “Great quality and adds texture in kitchen or bath,” says Guerin.

• Available colors and styles: 12

Trimmed with oversized, handmade pom-poms, this soft blanket is the perfect thing to snuggle up with on a chilly evening. The chenille blanket features a diamond-shape knit design, adding a touch of texture to your space. Guerin describes this blanket as “cozy and fun for any room,” thanks to the thick, luxurious material and whimsical pom-poms.

• Available colors and styles: 4

Guerin also selected these handwoven throw pillow covers, which feature a raised geometric pattern. The cotton cases are adorned with wool accents, resulting in a rustic accent piece that complements your living room or bedroom. Just add pillow inserts and place them on your couch, bed, or chair for a farmhouse-chic look.

• Available colors and styles: 3

With genuine wax pillar bodies and realistic flickering “flames,” these LED candles give you the same ambient glow of traditional candles — without the fire hazard. Great for use outside and in warm weather, these battery-powered candles have multiple brightness levels and a timer function for added convenience. “When it’s warm outside we love placing these inside your fireplace,” says Guerin. “And during the summer, place in lanterns outside to add ambiance.”

• Available colors: Birch, Ivory

Eye-catching and elegant, these faux pampas grass plants can be placed in vases and added to faux floral arrangements. Each grass stem is crafted from 18 individual branches, resulting in a full, natural-looking plant. “Love these for commercial or residential projects and they don’t shed!” says Guerin. The distinct ivory cream color is perfect for livening up darker spaces.

Shaped like a miniature moon, this 3-D night light is — in Guerin’s opinion — the “greatest way to add a little light to any space.” It’s super realistic-looking, and even comes with a remote that turns the light 16 different colors. You can shift between a blue moon, an orange harvest moon, and a blood moon with a simple press of a button.

Quite simply, as Guerin puts it, “If you love the Beatles, you will love this.” Printed with The Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road silhouette and lyrics from their song “Hello, Goodbye”, this felt doormat is a cheeky way to invite — and bid farewell — to your houseguests. A nonslip rubber backing keeps the mat from slipping around your floor or front step.

• Available sizes: 2

Ali Levin, interior designer and co-founder of LABLstudio in Brooklyn, loves this paperweight because it’s practical and playful. “We like to be realistic about the fact that you'll always end up with some papers sitting on your desk, so it's best to keep them organized and stylish with a fun paperweight,” she recommends. This one comes in a quirky rainbow sprinkle print — perfect for those with a sweet tooth — and you can also choose from options like clouds and candy hearts.

• Available colors and styles: 4

According to Levin, “Accessories and details are just as important as the big pieces, so we always include coasters in our clients’ designs.” These geometric coasters are simple and versatile, so they look great in “ultra modern to more traditional spaces.” The wooden tiles can be used individually as coasters, or grouped together for use as a trivet.

• Available colors and styles: 7

Levin believes your art should make you happy, and this butterfly wall print does an excellent job of sparking joy. “Pair it with a simple wood frame (like the next pick) to finally fill that blank wall that you've been meaning to tackle for years,” she suggests. The paper print works nicely in any space, and you can even hang it up unframed with double-sided tape or putty.

With a sleek, natural woodgrain finish, this frame is intentionally simple — so your artwork remain the center of attention. Levin recommends it because it’s versatile and complements any design style. Easy-to-open turn buttons and built-in sawtooth hangers make it super easy to add your print and hang it up on the wall.

If you haven’t heard about Swedish dishcloths yet, Levin is happy to make the introduction: “We love Swedish dishcloths because they're super eco-friendly and a great paper towel alternative,” she says. Specifically, she recommends this simple black and white design because it can “go modern or traditional, and adds some fun to cleanups.” Made from cotton and cellulose fibers, these reusable and washable dishcloths become compostable after six months.

• Available colors and styles: 27

John Maxim, hands-on expert house flipper, believes in making small, temporary changes to your home decor rather than big, irreversible ones. “Don’t move walls, you won’t get your money back,” Maxim says. That’s why these peel-and-stick tiles are such a fantastic idea — they allow you to update your kitchen backsplash, bathroom, or laundry room without any tools or grout.

• Available colors: 8

Your kitchen faucet, according to Maxim, “makes a huge impact on aesthetic.” That’s why you want to invest in one that complements the rest of your kitchen. This faucet has an industrial-style open spout and a pull-down spray nozzle, with a wraparound spring design. Plus, it boasts a high profile that makes it easy to wash blender jars, pots, and pans. It’s available in gold, stainless steel, nickel, and matte black finishes, so you can pick one that fits your home’s style best.

• Available colors: 4

Another one of Maxim’s picks is a self-adhesive wallpaper with a striking black and white floral design. Maxim says this wallpaper “can be a major upgrade and value add” for powder rooms and bedrooms, but it also looks stunning in your kitchen, along your stairs, or on the insides of your drawers. Just peel off the protective layer, and stick wherever you choose; if you ever want to remove it, just peel away (no sticky residue will be left behind).

These LED lights can be stuck directly into the ground or your plants with the heavy-duty stakes. Maxim recommends these “to light up your front yard, back yard, foliage and plants,” and perhaps the best part? They’re completely solar-powered. The weather-resistant ground lights have low and high modes, which you can toggle between by pressing a single button.

• Available colors: Cool White, Warm White

When it comes to living room decor, Catherine Davin and Alexandra Davin, mother-daughter decorator team and founders of Clairrow, suggest a bright, eye-catching coffee table book. “If you need an extra hint of color in your room, find a few books with beautiful covers that complement your palette,” they say. This aesthetically pleasing book on interior design will not only give you inspiration, it’ll make for a lovely accent piece in your space.

This goose feather pillow insert is Catherine and Alexandra Davin’s top choice for filling decorative pillow covers. “We like an insert made from 10% down, 90% feather fill, which gives a nice amount of softness but it doesn’t totally collapse when someone leans against it,” they recommend. They also suggest that the insert should always be 2 inches bigger than the pillow cover itself for maximum comfiness.

For those who are allergic to down or feathers, these fiber-filled pillow inserts offer a great alternative. Not to mention, they’re budget-friendly — you get four in a pack for a super reasonable price. They’re also great for when you have multiple matching pillow covers that need filling. Available in several sizes, these inserts are the perfect allergy-free solution that look just as good as down pillows.

• Available sizes: 7

When it comes to upgrading your home, Catherine and Alexandra Davin suggest Lutron’s smart dimmer switches. They allow you to adjust the brightness of your lights via switch, remote, mobile app, or Alexa device. “It not only helps to reduce your energy consumption, but allows you to have better control over your home’s lighting design and will modernize the look of your wall switches for an updated look.”

Although not specifically recommended by Catherine and Alexandra Davin, this smart dimmer switch by Kasa is a highly rated, affordable alternative.

Another cost-effective pick inspired by the Davins’ recommendations, this smart light bulb allows you to change the color of light in your room by using a mobile app — or even a voice command. The easy-to-install bulb has adjustable brightness levels and can create tons of different hues. Just pair it with your Amazon Alexa or Google Home device, and you’re all set.

David Mason, interior designer and owner of The Knobs Company, approves of this five-tier shelf that fits discreetly in the corner of your room. Great for compact spaces, this shelf creates multiple platforms for picture frames, plants, knick-knacks, and more. “With a sturdy build and sleek design, it will be a great fit in the home,” says Mason. An added bonus? “It is easy to assemble, no tools are required.”

Piled high with luxuriously soft faux fur, this area rug adds a wonderful texture to your living room or bedroom. “The faux sheepskin rug has a high pile that is soft and fluffy on your feet and will keep your toes nice and warm,” says Mason. Not to mention, it’s an awesome pick for those who suffer from allergies, since it’s made from eco-friendly, natural materials.

• Available colors: 7

Amazon is full of affordable, unique home finds, and Cindy Ngo, design curator and founder of Ink + Porcelain, found a real gem. “My favorite Amazon ‘steal’ item is this pleated ceramic lamp. For $30 and a variety of options, it is the perfect little lamp for the office, bedroom, or nightstand,” she says. Available in more than a dozen colors, this versatile lamp has a sturdy, sleek base with a small footprint.

• Available colors: 14

When it comes to quirky, unconventional pieces of home decor, “I even love these interesting-shaped bubble candles!” Ngo exclaims. It’s true, these soy wax candles are interesting. Each cube is made out of individual spheres, with a wick in the middle for even burning. They’re so cute, you might even put off burning them for awhile.

• Available colors: White & Blue, White & Green

Ngo also loves this round ceramic bud vase that’s perfect for elegantly showing off a stem or two. With a unique matte textured surface and a narrow neck, the streamlined vase makes a great addition to any coffee table or nightstand. Add flowers, dried herbs, or faux plants for a lovely, sophisticated piece of decor.

Made of whitewashed pine wood, this oversized chain link decoration can be placed in a bowl or draped over a table for a striking, contemporary look. “I really love wooden links and I found a cheaper version here compared to West Elm ones,” says Ngo. This piece of chain link decor definitely makes a statement, adding a modern, abstract touch to your living space.

Coffee table books should be embraced when it comes to interior decoration. “I think that coffee table books can add to any part of the home,” says Ngo. Minimalista by Shira Gill is a step-by-step guide on how to incorporate minimalist elements into your life. The design of the book itself is simply beautiful, looking right at home on your coffee table or nightstand.

This donut-shaped porcelain vase is a light ivory color, with a cool frosted texture that adds a unique finishing touch. Whether you place any flowers or plants inside, or display it on its own, the unconventional piece speaks for itself. It’s no surprise Ngo was drawn to this piece — it’s interesting, refreshing, and different than most vases on the market.

• Available sizes: 2

Next on Ngo’s list of decor picks is this cloche match jar, which sits on your table upside down. The hand-blown glass jar is fitted with a removable cork stopper, so you can easily access the contents inside. Fill it with matches and place it by your fireplace, on your dining room table, or near your candle collection.

• Available sizes: 3

Marco Bizzley, interior design consultant at HouseGrail, recommends this cable management box to keep your pesky wires out of view — resulting in a decluttered, aesthetically pleasing living space. “Cables are unsightly, and with everything that needs to be plugged in, most people have a lot of them,” says Bizzley. “These cable boxes help hide them and instead look like a normal box.”

If you want to accent your kitchen or bedroom with sophisticated marble — but don’t feel like undergoing a home renovation — Bizzley suggests this self-adhesive paper with a realistic marble texture. “Marble adhesive paper is the perfect way to make your home look sleek and elegant. Unlike natural marble, this product won't break the bank and is installed within minutes,” says Bizzley.

Want a quick, affordable way to elevate your shower setup? “Dual showerheads are an inexpensive way to make your bathroom feel luxurious,” says Bizzley. This dual showerhead is super easy to install, and includes two individual showerheads: a 7-inch rainfall head and a 4-inch handheld head with multiple stream settings. Use them at the same time for the ultimate shower experience.