Make This Season’s Decorating Trends Your Own

The key is to incorporate only decorating styles that you really like. That way, as trends come and go, you can add touches of, say, country charm or sleek urban design while keeping the basic “background” of your rooms the same. If you don’t like shabby chic, don’t buy it for your home, even if you feel like you’re the last person on earth whose living room doesn’t have distressed furniture.

Above all, your home should be a place where you enjoy spending time. You should fill it with colors, furniture and accessories that you love. Use magazines for ideas and inspiration, but instead of copying, adapt the trends to your own personal style.

Here are a few fall trends that might find their way into your home:

Bold color -- Wall colors have become more vibrant over the past few years. For fall, the look ranges from deep, rich hues like chocolate brown to brights like lime green and ocean blue. Painting a room is a quick, easy and relatively inexpensive way to change the look and feel of a room.

Custom murals -- Faux finishing has given way to hand-painted murals depicting everything from angels on the ceiling to English gardens on the walls. This typically isn’t a do-it-yourself project (unless you’re a budding artist), and paying a professional can be expensive. A good option is a custom wall mural that you hang like wallpaper. Murals Your Way, based in Minnesota, can print a mural in just about any size and design you like. You can choose from the company’s custom catalog or provide your own artwork, such as a favorite photo.

Mix and match -- We’ve already talked about mixing and matching trends to develop a style that’s all yours. You can also mix expensive furnishings and accessories with items that are not so pricey. Stores like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel offer current styles at more affordable prices. You can update your room with additions from these retailers without breaking the bank.

Go global -- Asian influences are showing up in many fashionable furniture stores. While a whole room of Asian furniture would be a bit much in most homes, consider adding a beautiful Asian-inspired chest or maybe something as simple as a cloisonne vase or lamp to update your décor.

Material matters -- Along with new, bolder colors, combining different patterns is another way to add interest to a room. While you probably want to keep your large pieces of furniture in a neutral color, consider adding throw pillows in contrasting patterns.

Texture -- is another important component of an interesting room. Why not mix a rattan chair in with your upholstered pieces? Or toss an inviting chenille throw on the back of the sofa, or cuddle up with a shearling coverlet on your bed.