What the Most Stylish Living Rooms Have in Common

When you pin images and tear out magazine photos of rooms you love, says interior designer Michelle Workman, you need to ask yourself a few questions before trying to replicate the look: "What do you think of when you see this photo? How does it make you feel?" Then focus on the colors and the shape of the furniture separately. It may sound woo-woo at first, but this two-step process helps you separate the mood of the room from its design elements. People who don't do this, Workman says, often wind up with that "can't put my finger on it, but something's not right" feeling. For example, you may see a few glamorous gray rooms and think gray = glamorous, so you decide to paint the walls gray, when what you really wanted was an Old Hollywood look (which you could've gotten with a mirrored side table, Art Deco-inspired club chairs and a few velvet throw pillows).