Wishes do come true… if you wait five years. For some reason it seems to take that long when it comes to home furnishings.

Fifteen years ago I remember thinking, “Gee, why aren’t there more stylish and durable coffee tables on the market?” At the time, the choice was limited to delicate glass-topped and wooden rectangular tables with pointy corners that required drinks coasters to protect them. Most were impractical and unexciting.

Arhaus cylinder - Lots of space for serving and display, and good Feng Shui, too.

Macy's multi-functional cocktail table.

Then, ten years ago, leather ottomans that tripled as cocktail tables, storage pieces and footrests appeared, as well as distressed wood coffee tables with drawers; oval wooden tables with shelves in lots of finishes, round hammered metal tables, tables on casters, drum style tables – lots of options became available that were durable and really interesting.

Five years ago, I found myself wishing for more interesting table lamps. Most of the lamps were pretty boring. Flash to the present: I’m happy to say that today there are lots of really good-looking lamps on the market. This is exciting news because there’s nothing like a great pair of lamps to add balance and a bit of style to any room.

Finally. Anthropologie's stylish lamp collection with some edge.

Have you seen the fab new collection of lamps from Anthropologie? Check out this group. 

The Cleo Lamp from Crate & Barrel.

I like this one from Crate and Barrel, also. There are lots of stylish options everywhere, both online and in stores. Yay for more and better design alternatives!

Are you hoping for something to improve? If you could have more choices for a particular piece or design element, what would you wish for? Put it out here. Perhaps your dream will come true, too, and you won’t have to wait five years.

Arhaus cylinder cocktail table:http://www.arhaus.com/furniture/living-room-furniture/coffee-tables/35VALCOFGR/

Macy’s multi-functional cocktail table:
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=472705&CategoryID=35423#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D173

When I first arrived at my client’s house yesterday, to redecorate her living room, I found lovely furnishings and lots of architectural challenges: a slightly vaulted ceiling that was low, a wall made up mostly of sliding glass doors and an open plan that had faced several archways and door frames of varying heights. No wonder she needed professional design help!

If you have any of these features in your house you know decorating can be a formidable task. And, in my sweet client’s room, these issues were complicated by the fact that she did not have any pairs except for a pair of candlesticks – not one pair of tables, lamps or chairs.

Another client's living room after pairs were added

A dining room looks elegant with pairs

Once we rearranged her furnishings and corrected some of the other 10 Common Decorating Mistakes, and the room felt more tranquil, elegant and spacious, I gave her suggestions including information for purchasing a pair of club chairs and a pair of floor lamps. She told me she was so excited she was going to get everything she needed right away.

Here’s the bottom line: Like our bodies, all rooms need pairs (you may have heard me say this once or twice before…) and rooms that are architecturally off-balance are in desperate need of pairs.

So, if you have two of a kind but in different rooms, reunite them. If you have one of kind, try to get a mate. The more pairs the better.

Every room can benefit from pairs

In just a few minutes, a balanced, more restful bedroom

Add pairs to small spaces and large

I’ve designed rooms that have had a dozen pairs and they looked fabulous, not boring. Just remember this – Imelda’s Rule: “You can never have too many pairs.” Girl Scouts’ Honor.

Over the last decade deep wall units that once held boxy televisions have become passé as people have switched to flat panel screens and smaller media cabinets. Many older entertainment centers with pocket doors have been converted to provide closed storage or adjusted to accommodate flat panel televisions on pedestals or on wall-mounts.

Bookshelves made to accommodate an older television

This morning I read an article in TIME magazine about the latest victim of advanced technology – the bookcase. Apparently, a lot of people who have switched to electronic readers no longer need physical bookshelves so IKEA plans to release a new version of their classic bookshelf, the Billy. The newest Billy will be more shallow and have glass doors geared to storing accessories rather than books. (Note to IKEA: Please offer a practical frosted glass version of the Billy, too, for all the not-so-pretty things everyone seems to have.)

The original Billy bookcase

Will beloved hard covered books and lovely bookshelves become obsolete?

While I think it’s smart of IKEA to stay on trend, it’s probably safe to say we won’t be seeing people tossing out their beloved hardbacks and bookcases en masse just yet. Well, at least I’ll be keeping mine for a good while. What about you?

Isn’t there something about a beautifully made bed that looks so inviting you just want to climb in and get under the covers? Don’t you feel it’s worth the 3-4 minutes it takes in the morning to make a nice, fresh bed and have it waiting for you at night?

Simple, elegant, inviting

Over the years the majority of my clients have agreed with those sentiments yet surprisingly few have known how to make a pretty bed. So here are 10 professional decorating tips:

1. Buy the best linens you can afford, preferably on sale. Good bedding is an investment that can last for many years and provide greater comfort than cheaper sheets and pillowcases.
2. Have linens for both warm and cold weather and switch things every 6 months.

Note: Real linen feels cool and heavenly in the summer but it can be costly. If you can’t afford to get a whole set, simply purchase 100% linen pillowcases. They’ll actually get better with age. Flannel bedding is warm and cozy in the winter. Bamboo linens are affordable, soft and an eco-conscious option,

3. Change your bedding once a week, minimum.
4. When you make your bed each morning, lift one corner of the fitted sheet and fluff several times. Goodbye dust mites!
5. If you have difficulty putting the 4th corner of a fitted sheet on your mattress, here’s a trick: Hold the last corner in one hand and, with your other hand, reach in and grip the small seam of that corner. Then, with the same hand that is gripping the seam, grab onto the corner of your mattress and pull the fitted sheet over the hand holding the corner and then down over the mattress corner. (If you can’t understand this description, please comment below and I’ll make a video of the technique for you.)
6. If you use a quilt, shake it several times and tuck the ends under the mattress. The top of the blanket can lie flat or be turned back. If you use a covered duvet, the duvet can be fluffed and folded back at the top (with or without a flat sheet underneath) and left with the sides hanging down. Or, fold the duvet over several times and set it down across the bottom of the bed.
7. Fluff standard or king pillows – whichever you sleep with – and stand them up or lay them flat against the headboard in a row. Then, in front of the sleeping pillows (which tend to be creased), place a second row of pillows, either European squares (26″) or king sized pillows. The number and type of pillows that will fit will be based upon the size of your bed.
8. Finally, in the front row, place two small pillows: a pair of buckwheat neck rolls (great for reading in bed), a pair of small “breakfast” pillows or a pair of small (14″) accent pillows to finish the bed.
9. Now, here’s the biggest secret of how to make any bed look fabulous! Be sure everything is taut! Check that your sheets, pillowcases, blankets, duvets are all tucked in tightly and/or smoothed down. Then tuck and smooth some more.
10. If you want to make your bed smell good too, get a couple of lavender sachets and place them under the sleeping pillows during the day.

Watch a bedding video from Editor at Large.