Ten Things to Make a Room Feel Romantic

Fresh Flowers

• For an instant romantic feel and a pop of color, place a vase made of silver or vintage porcelain in the room. Fill it with scented flowers in full bloom such as peonies, roses or hydrangeas. These flowers not only add color but provide a bit of texture to a room. Flowers are a classic symbol of romance, and the scent of the flowers are a gentle reminder of it.

Paint

• Change the paint color in a room, or add an accent wall. A range of purple tones or pinks add a soft touch and contrast to statement pieces of furniture. Other romantic color schemes suggested by House Beautiful include light blues and greens contrasted with cream or pink trim and accents.

Chandeliers

• Place a chandelier over a seating area, dining area, bed or in the middle of the room to add lighting and a focal point. Restore a salvaged chandelier from a flea market with a coat of spray paint, or opt for a newer chandelier dripping with crystals. Chandeliers come wired for lighting or without. If you install a wired version, install a dimmer switch so you can control the level of overhead lighting.

Fireplace

• If your home has a fireplace already installed, light a fire for instant romance. If not, purchase an electric fireplace you can place against a flat wall. It will encourage cozy snuggling and allow you to dim the lights or leave them off.

Ruffles

• Ruffles add softness and romance to a room. Select curtains, pillows or tablecloths with large and small ruffles on the edges and adorning the item itself. Accessories, such as picture frames, with a ruffled edges achieve this effect as well.

White Furniture

• Large furniture pieces take on a vintage, dreamy feel when given a fresh coat of white paint. Make the piece look worn and shabby by sanding the paint down a bit so the underlying wood shows through. The antique look gives an air of romance of a bygone time.

Vintage Linens

• Soft linens with ribbon edging and crocheted insets lend a gentle romantic look to a bed, dining table or windows. Textiles that are already worn in have fibers that are pliable and fall easily, creating a soft romantic drape over hard edges.

Lush Fabrics

• Romantic homes are full of delicate fabrics; offset those with a few lush, heavy fabrics such as a velvet throw or a suede-topped table. The lushness of the fabric contrasts the light, airy decorative elements of the romantic home.

Lace

• Lace edging, tablecloths, curtains and fabrics add sheer romance and texture to any room. Consider laces for use in a bathroom, kitchen and bedroom in soft whites and creams to complement other romantic details without adding new colors.

Vintage Furnishings

• Select a few vintage furnishings, such as an ornate iron bed or a velvet chaise lounge, that you can build a romantic room around. Once you have a main piece of vintage furniture, adding other details to give the room a romantic feel.