If you want to do a gallery wall the first step would be to lay all your pictures out on the floor to get an idea of how they fit together best.

Take note of the spaces between each picture - too much space and the collection feels disconnected, not enough space and it feels smooshed together. I find it's best to take a photo of the dry run on the floor once it's all done to use as a reference when hanging. It's easy to get carried away and forget how much space is needed or which picture should go where.

This week I would like to share some tips on what size of art to look for and where to hang it. This is something I get asked about quite often.

First and foremost you have to consider scale and proportion. If the art is too small it looks like an awkward little polka dot, if it's too big it will overwhelm your furniture and your space. A guideline to follow is to look for 1 piece or a combination of pieces that will be about 2/3 to 3/4 of the length of the furniture piece it will hang over and about 2/3 of the height of the space of where it will go.

I found this great tip for an easy way to de-cluttering your closet - turn all your hangers around on January 1st. Once you wear an item of clothing turn the hanger the other way. Every few months look at all the items you haven't worn & make the decision to either donate or recycle.  (This would exclude some seasonal items.) 

Source: Pinterest

Bonus tip: Using all of the same hangers in your closet helps to make the space look more organized and unified.  All your clothes will hang the same and having all the same color hangers reduces the visual clutter.

If you plan to have a formal dinner this Christmas, below is a graphic that shows where each piece of a place setting is to be placed. Of course if you are not serving one of the courses, seafood for example, then you could omit the pieces associated with it. 

Fancy folded napkins can be that little extra added touch to any place setting. I found thatMarthastewart.comhas many fabulous ways to fold a napkin. Below are a few ideas to get your creativity rolling. A pine sprig or poinsettia bloom in the pocket fold would look lovely on a Christmas dinner table.

A quick way to add some (more) sparkle to your holiday décor is to spray paint some pine cones. Natural pine cones are a fantastic add to any décor to bring in a touch of rustic and nature. If you would rather add some glam, then kick things up a notch with a can of spray paint!

 

I took these regular old pine cones that I collected in the fall and sprayed them with a metallic silver. Rustic to glam in under 5 minutes! Antique silver would also work very well on pine cones as it would add a shimmer without the harsh contrast of the silver.

The size and location of a rug can make or break your room; wrong size or placement and your room feels awkward or disconnected, correct size and placement and your room feels cozy and inviting.

Selecting a rug that is too small will look disproportionate in your room, creating what I call the "polka dot effect".  

Alternately, selecting a rug that is too large will dwarf your furniture.

Below are some examples of proper size and placement for area rugs in your dining room, bedroom and living room.

This is a tricky task as many people make the mistake of hanging their art too high because they are worried that it will be too low.  There are many scenarios but here are 3 main guidelines to follow when hanging art:

1. When hanging above a sofa: the bottom of the art shouldn't be more then 

6-8 inches from the top of the sofa.

2. When hanging above a console table: the bottom of the art shouldn't be more then 10-12 inches from the table.

3. When hanging in a hallway or where it will be mostly viewed standing up: the centre of the art should be eye level.

So now that you’ve purchased your new sofa, you want to get new art & accessories to coordinate with it. The question is, “where do you begin?”

 

The easiest place to start is by looking at your accent cushions.  The colors in these accent cushions were specifically chosen to compliment the color of your sofa so they are the perfect jumping-off point.  One thing that will make your shopping trip much more enjoyable (efficient?) is to take an accent cushion with you.  This way you aren’t left guessing if the red in the art you just fell in love with is the same red as in your cushion.

 Picking paint colors can be a very daunting task.  By following a few simple steps this task could be a little less stressful.

 

If you are starting with a clean slate – no existing furniture, art, accessories that will dictate a certain color palette:

 

1)      Know which colors you don’t like & eliminate them right away.  This will help to lessen the amount of colors you will be looking through.

2)      Decide whether you want a warm feeling or cool feeling in the room.