Five Rules to Break

• “Don’t paint a small room a dark color.” A deep, rich color in a small room can be a great way to enhance and embrace a feeling of coziness.
• “Don’t mix your woods.” According to the old school of thought, every wood tone in a room should match with the same finish. A more casual and eclectic approach is to mix things up, even with two finishes, like black and antique oak, on the same piece.
• “Don’t leave your windows bare.” It’s okay to have naked windows, just so long as you don’t stand naked in front of them. You can keep an open airy feeling in your room and highlight the view by keeping your window dressings to a minimum, or by forgetting them altogether.
• “Match your nightstands.” Nightstands are not socks, and they don’t necessarily have to match each other. You can personalize your bedroom to match the personalities of you and your partner by using different nightstands on each side of the bed.
• “Don’t put a big piece of furniture in a small room.” Putting a large cabinet in a small room can create the illusion that it is a built-in part of the architecture.