5 Home Décor Tips from Jillian Harris

Hip Home Décor

Want to give your home a fresh and easy makeover this year? Vancouver-based Jillian Harris, interior designer, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer and former Canadian Bachelorette star,about the current trends in home decorating. Here’s what Jillian had to say about achieving a fabulous look for your place.

1. Incorporate sustainable materials

Burlap and unfinished metals and wood are in. Purchase a burlap pillow-or sew your own-and give it the look of a potato sack with stencilled letters. Or install a filament-bulb chandelier. “Purchase one, or if you have a chandelier with an exposed light bulb, put
in a filament bulb to give the light fixture a facelift,” Harris suggests.

2. Opt for patterns

Florals, appliqués, embroidery and cross-stitching are hot right now. Get a throw cushion or throw in a bold pattern and pair it with a neutral-coloured sofa. Or “go ahead and upholster an occasional chair.” Harris reupholstered her sidechair in a chartreuse geometrical pattern.

3. Create original artwork

Pick a favourite object you want to showcase and invest in framing it properly (use a shadow box for three-dimensional objects). “I picked up a one-of-a-kind postcard from a street artist in Spain and had it framed. I paid $3 for the postcard, spent $150 on framing and it looks like a $5,000 piece of art.”

4. Let your personality drive the design

Instead of trying to imitate a look from a catalogue, people are creating looks that make them feel good and reflect their personalities, Harris notes. Eclectic pairings are in: for example, matching an old garage-sale tulip table with refinished Louis chairs.

5. Look for items that can be salvaged or reclaimed

There’s a huge movement right now that involves finding old items and preserving their worn and classic finishes. Visit antique stores or rummage through your grandparents’ attic to find gems such as an old lamp or frame. “I think we’re craving that back-to-home feeling, which means incorporating items that have a story,” says Harris.

Catch Jillian on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, airing on Sunday, May 15th at 8pm EST/ 7pm CST on ABC. Check your local TV listings.

This article was originally titled “Jillian Harris’s Home Décor Tips,” in the May 2011 issue of Reader’s Digest. Subscribe today and never miss an issue!