Real Simple Decorating Basics magazine breaks the process of creating a beautiful, personal home into a series of easy, do-able steps, decisions, and mini projects. Whether you’re doing it yourself or working with an interior designer, freshening up a few throw pillows or remodeling your kitchen, you’ll find the smartest tips and no-regret recommendations for every room and project in your home. Get ready to conquer your design fears by setting goals (style, financial, functional) and then following through with confident choices in color, pattern, fabric, furniture, and finishing touches.
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Opener • Every style journey starts somewhere, so take time to assess your current space, think about your overall decorating goals, and consider the mood you want to set in each room.
Ready…Set…Decorate • Looking to rework your home’s interior? The Real Simple Method helps you start on the right foot and navigate the process smoothly.
7 Elements That Make a Home Charming • What creates an inviting space? Kristen Peña, interior designer and owner of K Interiors, has pinpointed the essential design choices that add charm and coziness. She walks us through one of her projects in San Francisco to show how easily it can be done.
A Home That Makes You Smile • Ingrid Fetell Lee literally wrote the book on joy. Here’s what her research taught her about decorating for delight.
Opener • Selecting materials—paint, wallpaper, and architectural features—is part of the fun of decorating, but too many choices can give you pause. Find expert tips to make the decisions easier.
If Your Walls Could Talk • Paint has the potential to help you chill out, cheer up, or get down to business—here’s how.
Add a Little Color • Tired of neutral everything but don’t want to go too wild? We share a few surprise spots to put a splash of paint.
Plan Your Space Like a Designer • The pros have a knack for picturing how a room will come together. Try some of their best space-envisioning tips to avoid a jumbled finished product.
Wide-open Welcome • This revamped California vacation home demonstrates how to seamlessly connect rooms with paint, pattern, and texture.
Wallpaper 101 • Somewhere along the line, wallpaper got cool again. And—thank goodness—it’s become easier to use too. Time to experiment.
Opener • Each room in your home has its own challenges—and potential. We get into the nitty-gritty of planning these spaces and offer tips and tricks to help you make the most of each zone.
Showhouse Secrets • After we spent so much time sheltering in place, many of us discovered just how important our spaces can be. To help you make every room in your home inviting, calming, and ultra-functional, we’re sharing insider tips from recent Real Simple showhouses.
Opener • You’ve done so much hard work—now it’s time for the fun stuff. We offer advice on choosing (or refreshing) furniture, hanging art, and painting just about anything.
Instant Design Interventions • Struggling with a room that doesn’t look quite right? Top pros offer easy-to-follow fixes for 10 decorating offenses.
How to Paint Anything • It’s the easiest-ever way to make a splash—cover it with color!—but it helps to know the pros’ tips and tricks. This story gives you all the gear and guidance you need.
Furniture Buying Guide • Learn how to buy the perfect piece of furniture at the perfect price.
Simple Ways to Spruce Up Your Sofa • Before you kick that well-worn couch to the curb, try these wallet-friendly updates to add comfort, color, and style.
It’s No Small Thing • … to live large in 900 square feet. But professional organizer Beth Penn has pulled it off in a major way. Here are 17 of her best tips to...