How to Pull a Room Together Using Your Own Style

Pick a Theme, Any Theme

• Before arranging and rearranging items in the room, have a basic plan, theme or motif in mind; the arrangement is part of what ties the room together visually, making it make sense. If you aren't sure about the theme, look through your furnishings and accent pieces for a common thread or vibe, such as seaside colors, an eclectic mix of pieces more fitting at the turn of the last century, or some combination of each. For a combined theme, add a few photocopied framed images that help tie the look together, for instance, a group of people enjoying a beach in 1910 for a room featuring driftwood, sea glass and apothecary cabinets.

Cohesive Colors

• Colors and patterns, regardless of how thematic or mismatched the room's furniture, are the ultimate means of tying a room's look together. For instance, if you want to use both florals and striped fabrics in the room, place a striped pillow on a floral-printed chair, or a floral pillow on a striped sofa, for instance. Choose throw pillow colors that work well with both pieces of mismatched seating, repeating colors found either on the furniture or in decor around the room, such as a light blue stripe on a tan pillow, repeating the blue from a photo of a hydrangea and the tan from an area rug.

Start the Conversation...

• ... the conversation group, that is. Arrange furniture in a living room or relaxation area in groupings: a sofa with a table in front, with chairs flanking either side, facing the middle, for a basic conversational grouping. This type of arrangement adds a sense of comfort to a room, as it inspires guests to interact, and it looks purposeful, rather than furniture arranged in clumsy areas, causing guests to walk around pieces to get to their destination. In a bedroom or even the dining room, the same process applies: Group pieces together that seem like they belong together, such as a nightstand or table with a lamp on it within reach of a bed, and a desk on another end of the room, out of the way of the path to nearby doors.

The Shape of Things

• Shape is another visual element that ties a room together, regardless of theme. For instance, if your prized piece is a retro egg-shaped chair, play off the egg theme with a faux nest or bowl with faux eggs in it, colored to match another existing shade in the room. If the Atomic Age inspires your decor, a boomerang-shaped table fits right in with a boomerang on the wall, even though the two might not seem related otherwise.