7 Easy Romantic Decorating Ideas
Romance doesn't have to be saved for February 14. Here, four interior designers show you how to do romantic decor in every room of your house.
1. Arrange Just a Single Bloom
A large flower, like a magnolia, doesn't need any other adornments. It looks stunning all on its own, floating in a low Limoges bowl. (Tip: It's also less expensive to buy one statement-making flower than an entire bouquet.) Interior designer Hal Williamson chose the fragrant flower for his clients who live in New Orleans.
See More: 20 Decorating Secrets Revealed
2. Try a Little Toile
In the home's dining room, Louis XV chairs are upholstered in a toile called Louisiana Purchase. "Each chair depicts different iconic imagery," Hal Williamson says, including St. Louis Cathedral, plantations, and flatboats on the river. The upholstery doesn't match perfectly, but the chairs all still work together.
See More: Tour a Daring, Dramatic, and Colorful Family Home
3. Know that Blue can Be Romantic Too
There's no need to bring on ruffles and lots of pink to get a romantic bedroom look. "When I pulled out the cream, purple, lavender, blue, and aqua embroidered silk for the duvet, my client was catching her breath, she was so excited. It was one of those rare, beautiful finds," Hal Williamson says.
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4. Embellish a Mirror
In a gorgeous guest bedroom, Gary McBournie found a romantic solution for a too-small 1920s Italian mirror. "We added that sash to help the scale," he says. Rather than purchase a brand-new mirror, the fabric helps fill up a big, empty wall -while also softening the space.
Related: 12 Romantic Bedrooms
5. Bring the Outdoors In
For a cozy garden feel, Williamson hung life-size banana leaves - the Beverly Hills Hotel signature wallpaper -in the kitchen, to give it not only drama of scale, but a continuity with the courtyard and the real banana leaves just outside the French doors.
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6. Add a Sensuous Throw
In the master bedroom of a Connecticut home decorated by Sally Markham, a Ralph Lauren mink throw is draped over the silk-upholstered bed, also designed by her.
Related: Beautiful Designer Bedrooms
7. Don't Forget the Closet
Sure, you can just close the doors, but the closet is often a missed opportunity. Of her ranch-style home, designer Erinn Valencich says, "I hung a graphic black and white Cole & Son wallpaper on the back wall. The rest of the walls, which are mostly hidden by my clothes, are ice blue. Because closet walls are usually covered, the ceiling is a spot to make a statement. I added decorative moldings and hung the black glass chandelier. I bought it at Ballard Designs, a great source for decorative objects, but removed some crystals to tone it down a bit."
What makes your home romantic?
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