Tip one: Define purpose first. Your first goal of any room should be to make the purpose of the room evident and functional. So, do not look at the room and ask yourself how to fit all of your furniture in, etc. rather ask yourself how to make the room work for what it needs to be used for. If it is a craft room, you will need a work space, shelving, storage, lighting, etc. If it is a bedroom you will need a bed and somewhere to store clothing. If it is an office you need a desk and somewhere to store office supplies, books etc. So, start with the must have's and build around that!

Tip two: Find inspiration. Often we know when we like a room, but we do not know how to achieve the look and feel. So, the best thing you can do if your home decorating is lack luster is to invest in a couple of home decorating magazines or books and find rooms that speak to you. Find a look you love, and mimic the elements in it that you like the best. For example, you may love the loft look and feel, but can't seem to pull together the eclectic instead you just look messy. So, look at a picture of a room you love, and do what you can to copy the elements. Obviously you do not want to copy the room exactly, but you can mimic the ideas, such as the frameless art, or the bold printed throw over the solid couch. Choose your own prints, and own art work, but copy the idea.

Tip three: Take advantage of color and design. One of the best ways to get a home that looks put together is to use color schemes that tie all of the different elements of the room together. For example, you do not have to have all of the same wood tones in a room as long as you have one piece that has all of the different colors and tones in it. So, for example, if you find a table with dark, blonde, and red undertones in it, you can then have a blonde sideboard, and a red hued china cabinet, and no one is going to question your taste. You have to have something to pull all of the colors and elements together. So, use color to paint a wall, or use a rug with a bold print to add excitement to the room.