5 Home Decor Ideas I Love

I love our Brooklyn home (that’s the guest room, above), and now that we’ve been living here for almost eight years, I’m very familiar with all the nooks and crannies. This next sentence feels extremely forty-something but: over the fall, I’m excited to organize our closets, clear out the storage area, and add a few decor surprises and delights. Here are five ideas (and I’d love to hear what design details you’re into these days!)…

Photo by Read McKendree, styling by Mieke Ten Haave.

1. Hang art in unexpected places. How cool is that framed drawing beneath the window? I love seeing artwork placed high up, low down, around corners…

Photo by Wing Ho.

…and on the backs of doors, like in David and Wendy Coggins’s Minnesota house.

Photo by Owen Gale.

2. Paint our staircase. Right now, our stairs and the hallway are white, which is fine but meh. Even if we didn’t go all out, like the townhouse above, maybe we could paint the banister pale pink or dark blue.

Photo by Belle Morizio, styling by Julia Stevens.

3. Display book covers. I forgot how good it looks when a few books face out from a bookcase, and I’d especially love to do it with this John Currin cover.

Photo by Jessica Burke.

Side note: Our house doesn’t have a window that would work for this, but how beautiful is this bookcase?!

Photo by Alpha Smoot for Domino, design by Amanda Jane Jones.

4. Freshen up the artwork. Two years ago, I gave our living room a ‘fakeover’ by moving around two paintings, and I was amazed by how different the space looked. I’m also excited to bring in a couple pieces from emerging artists and small retailers, like this and this and this and this.

Photo by Chris Horwood.

5. Add some brown. My friend’s favorite color is brown, and she says she’s been teased for that her whole life. But it’s her moment to shine because, this fall, brown is huge in fashion and decor. I’m inspired to bring some brown into our home – maybe a blanket? Or pillow?

What about you? What design details are you into these days? I’d love to hear… Remember this reader’s introvert nook?

P.S. All the Cup of Jo house tours, including our Brooklyn home.

(Top photo of our guest room by Kate Jordan, styling by Oliver Cano for Cup of Jo.)