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Shiny Copper Vintage-Style Metal Table Fan - $64.99 I want to do everything I can to make sure my guests are comfortable! This fan could provide white noise or just enough of a breeze to help them fall asleep. Plus, I absolutely love the copper exterior.

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Create slim storage. Use a slender scrap of wall space to your advantage by hanging a vertical row of narrow floating shelves. Store stacks of books or corral messier items in lidded boxes.

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Round a corner. Continue those floating shelves right around a corner for a sleek, modern look. This treatment does require extra room — you wouldn’t want to bump into that sharp corner! Also be aware that any floating shelves that are especially heavy or uniquely shaped are best handled by pros.

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Supersize photo. Have a great formal wedding portrait of yourself or a family member? Have it blown up to nearly life-size proportions for a bold, personal piece that will fill a wall.

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Floor tiles as art. There are some amazing floor tiles out there. Why not hang a few as art? Check a tile store or stone quarry, or hunt down some vintage tin ceiling tiles (they come in the most beautiful patterns).

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Painted frames. If you want to fill up a wall on a tight budget and don’t mind a morning with a paint can, this could be right up your alley. Collect old frames at yard sales and paint them to match. Hung on the wall without glass here, they make a unique display for small 3D objects.

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. Art on bulldog clips. Who needs frames? For a quick and easy solution, head to the office supply store and pick up a box of bulldog clips. Once you attach them to the wall, you can simply clip in the art and swap it out on a whim.

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9. Use white towels and candles. The only time you’re likely to see a colored candle in a magazine spread is during the holidays. White candles create a feeling of serenity. The same goes for bathroom towels. Choose towels in interesting textures to add interest in an all-white or neutral space.

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CURE & PENABAD Architecture and Urban DesignSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Black and white. A black and white palette can be classic and traditional or quite avant-garde. Try a crisp white paint on siding and an inky black on trim, doors, railings and stairs for a chic, minimalist look. The details really make this work — seek out matte black hardware for your door as a finishing touch.

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Nest Architectural Design, Inc.Save to IdeabookEmail Photo 3. Hang artwork at the right height. Galleries and museums hang artwork so that the midline (center) of each piece is 57 inches to 60 inches from the floor. (The average human eye level is 57 inches.) And you should do the same. In a room like this, where the ceilings soar, there might be a tendency to hang the art higher. But remember: It needs to relate to human scale, not the structure’s scale. If you’re not sure, take a picture. It’s remarkable how much a photo can reveal. Print it out or use Photoshop or an app to draw on the photo. This can give you a sense of whether a larger or smaller piece of art is needed or a tall plant might be best to fill a vacant spot.

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The wow factor here is the spectacular wood counter, custom made by the architects at Krannitz Gehl. But as they helpfully point out, you can do this at home: “You just need to get a big timber, blacken and wax it, drill holes for the plumbing and mounting plates, and bolt it to the wall.” More drama comes from the dark stacked-pebble tile and custom bronze sink with a WaterBridge faucet by Sonoma Forge.

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Certain shades of off-black are luscious. This yummy grayish chocolatey black is Benjamin Moore’s Black Bean Soup.

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Sarah GreenmanSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Turn a gum ball machine into a lamp. Using a lamp wiring kit from the hardware store and a store-bought shade, you can transform a vintage gum ball machine into a unique lamp, perfect for a kids’ room or fun living room. If you are not comfortable working with wiring, ask your electrician or handyperson to put it together for you.

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Put an old door to work. On its own, a wooden door in a fun color works as unique wall art; add a row of hooks to the bottom to make it functional, too. You could even string a grid of ribbon between the openings where glass once was and use it as a message center.

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Walls upholstered with trellised ribbon are a romantic’s ultimate scrapbook.

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PullgaSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Holiday spirit. Decorative tape can be used to create a mod Christmas tree — one that doesn’t drop its needles.

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The ideal depth of a linen closet is 16 to 20 inches deep, like the one shown here. This will keep your linens easier to see. If your closet is deeper, simply make the shelves shallower.

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mounting old CD shelves on the wall, and now has fresh herbs steps from her home office.

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Authentic French advertising posters are practically guaranteed to break any but the flushest bank. Fortunately, many are readily available as reprints, at a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Few things match them for graphic impact and occasionally rowdy humor.

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Plan for moving day. Put together a moving-day box with essentials that you will keep in your car. Moving is kind of like camping, so pack accordingly. Include: Your moving file Supplies from packing central Toilet paper, soap, toiletries, medications, chargers and batteries for electronics (invest in chargers that plug into your car’s lighter), paper towels, bath towels and bedsheets, so you can settle in quickly Basic cleaning supplies A small tool kit Healthy snacks, paper plates, cups, utensils and a coffeemaker Pet food, bowls, leash, pet bed First aid kit

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Black. A surprisingly elegant choice for any room, black looks great against most colors. When using black, try contrasting it with crisp white trim and punchy colors in fabrics or rugs. I prefer to see an eggshell finish on walls, and black looks particularly sophisticated in eggshell. This regal bedroom boasts a beautiful shade of black called Beluga, by Behr.

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