Make Over a Themed Living Room

By Nate Berkus

From theme room to dream room: Nate Berkus turns a gaudy Southwestern-themed living room into a gorgeous space.

Create Your Own Theme Room

If you're going to do a theme color, don't start with the wall color. Paint with a neutral color.
Research decorating traditions of your theme. In this instance, hanging rugs on the wall looks beautiful.
Don't be afraid of one bold object, like a cowhide chair or an antler chandelier. Just don't use too many!
Think of how window treatments will meld with the whole room. Paisley won't look right in an ultra-modern room, and aluminum blinds are out of place in a traditional space.
Look for antique furniture that can hold clutter.
Use appropriate frames for pictures; every detail can go with the theme!

Special Thanks to:

See a demonstration of this makeover.

Published 05/12/2003