Sneaky Little Secrets of Magazine-Worthy Spaces

— -- Have you ever looked at a beautiful interior in a design publication and thought: I could never possibly spend enough money to make my home look like that? The truth is, though, that having a beautiful, magazine-worthy space isn't all about spending tons of money. The trick is to think like a photographer.

1. Cut the clutter. The number one thing that sets blog-worthy interiors apartment from just plain old interiors is the lack of clutter. Over time, it's easy to let things accumulate in your home without thinking about it — and after a while, you can get to the point where you don't really "see" clutter. Taking a photo of your space is a good trick for helping you see a room with new eyes.

2. Leave a little space. It can be tempting, especially when you keep finding pieces you love on the Internet or at a flea market or in your neighbor's trash, to fill your space as full of furniture as possible. But often the secret to a more pleasing interior isn't more stuff, but less stuff. If you look at interiors in magazines, you'll notice that a lot of them have quite a bit of negative space. This lets each piece shine, and also makes the room feel more spacious. Try it out at home by removing one or two big pieces from a room — you may be surprised at how much it opens up the space.

3. Add a little texture. A space without a variety of textures can feel dull and lifeless. This is an easy one to correct — a fluffy throw, an interesting rug, or even an old antique piece can all add a little interest to a room.

4. Use color judiciously. Not every space needs to have a "color" (as in, "what color is your living room?") or have everything match to be lively or interesting. A lot of beautiful spaces get interest from a variety of proportions and textures, and have very little in the way of color at all. Others manage to feel very colorful with just a few colorful pieces. When adding color to your space, try adding one or two pieces at a time and then judging their impact before adding more to the mix. You may find that a little color goes a long way.

5. Pay attention to balance and proportion.The same things that make a lovely, interesting photo make a lovely, interesting home — a mix of pieces of different sizes and proportions. Balancing heavy pieces with more delicate ones makes a space dynamic. Too many small items, without any larges ones to break them up, can feel chaotic and cluttered. This is another area where taking pictures of your own home can help. Pay attention to how your furniture and accessories relate to your space, and how they relate to each other.