Ten Genius Decorating Ideas

We pored over nearly 400 jam-packed pages of advice in Design*Sponge at Home ($35; Artisan) to share some of our favorite tips with you.

Can’t get enough of Grace Bonney’s great Design*Sponge blog? Then check out her book, Design*Sponge at Home. It’s packed with nearly 400 pages of inspirational photos, decorating tips and tricks, and easy-to-follow craft instructions. (Plus, the adorable cover is sure to perk up any coffee table.) For a little preview, check out some of our favorite DIY takeaways from this influential tome.

Swap out new doorknobs for old ones boasting chic designs—like this beauty, salvaged from a Minnesota school.

Short on office space? Think outside the bulletin-board frame by simply taping photos, drawings, and other treasures directly onto the wall above a desk.

A mismatched pair of file drawers double up to make a hardworking, yet handsome bedside table.

Use cheeky wallpaper—like this black-and-white faux bookshelf design, paired with a wall of actual tomes—to transform a small space.

A collection of coral prints serves as a simply stunning headboard alternative.

Wallpaper’s not just for, well, walls. Check out this stately room, where patterned paper makes a gorgeous statement on the ceiling.

In this playful bedroom, a pair of old chair arms serve as “parentheses” around wooden letters that spell out the homeowners’ last name.

Upgrade the old track system by installing a beautiful cast-off barn door.

Upholster the back and seat of an old chair in two different, yet complementary fabrics. Here, a playful stripe sits pretty with vintage needlepoint.