Next-level decor: Up your home’s style game with expert strategies and vibrant pieces

By Elly Brown, Special to The Sunday

Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 | 2 a.m.

You may think you’re ready to grab a tape measure and redecorate after a few minutes on Pinterest, but the cozy nooks in those perfect photos often belie the difficulty of interior design. Whether it’s a small apartment or a million-dollar mansion, every home comes with its own specific challenges.

The new Living Spaces in Summerlin’s Boca Park gives us a platform to start stylishly tackling them. All 140,000 square feet of the showroom is categorized by lifestyle — meaning you can walk from vignette to vignette, trying out different “rooms” and aesthetics.

“When somebody comes in for a design consultation, I automatically open up a conversation. What’s your life like? Are you looking for casual living, something sophisticated, modern or traditional?” visual designer Sarah Staley says. “If there is a certain look they’re going for, we can walk around and find that section.”

There also is an 80-inch screen in the design studio hooked to online tools families can play with to design a room. “You put in the dimensions of a room and click and drag our furniture, wall art, sconces, anything … and it makes a 3-D rendering so you can see what works,” Staley says.

That includes recliners with drink compartments and beautiful lines, collections such as Studio 7 — simple silhouettes and low price points — and Westside Loft — clean, urban style with mid-century modern echoes — and limited-edition finds. Staley’s advice is to get immersed in the showroom. “When you’re sitting here having a conversation, you feel like you’re in someone’s living room. It’s much less intimidating and overwhelming,” she says. “We just want to make it feel like home to you.”

Challenge: Open up small spaces

• Use color and proportion. “For smaller spaces, you’ll want to stick with a neutral palette for furniture and bring in color with accessories or even a rug.” The main thing to remember: Don’t buy anything too big. Create a cozy conversation area with a sofa and a loveseat, as opposed to trying to stuff in an oversized sectional.

• Do double-duty in the kitchen. Multitask with a sidebar or buffet table that can serve as a storage space outside of mealtimes. A kitchen island also gives you instant counter space, plus ample storage for wine, tools and more.

• Give the kids a multipurpose room. With a clever, multipurpose bunk-bed set, who would want to eat, play or do homework anywhere else? Consider a fun desk/bunk/storage unit that is totally customizable — you can add a pullout mattress underneath or climbing storage stairs for extra space.

• Get organized in the office. Choose a cabinet that works overtime as a fold-out desk, filing system and storage area. “When these are closed up, you wouldn’t even notice it’s a workspace.”

Challenge: Maximize light

• Hang a few mirrors. Take advantage of natural light by capturing and reflecting as many rays as possible. “A lot of times, we use mirrors to brighten up a room. We have a lot of decorative pieces that are artistic as well as functional.”

• Play with different sources. Instantly illuminate with pendant lighting, floor lamps and table lamps. “Pendant lights are going to bring more ambient light and fill up bigger spaces. But not everyone can do pendant lighting — if you’re renting, for example, and can’t do any rewiring.” In that case, floor and table lamps are a great way to amp up the energy.

• Enjoy the outdoors. Want even more light? If you feel like you live in a cave, take advantage of that nook in the yard or balcony by trying a bench or a sun lounger.

Challenge: Make it your own

• Accent with wall art and textured rugs. Just because your space is filled with reclaimed wood doesn’t mean you have to hang a picture of a horse. Transform the room with art that has bold, modern lines to contrast the farmhouse feel. Then throw a few textured rugs into the mix for maximum impact.

• Try a conversation piece. These drawers, shelves and cabinet doors put some space between open common areas. Adorn with books, pillows and collectibles that reflect your lifestyle. “It’s super-functional, as well as being beautiful and cool.”

• Customize your upholstery. As you test the showroom’s shapes and feels, don’t miss the heavy books of sample fabrics that allow for almost any taste to be applied to one frame. With Living Spaces’ zippy turnaround time, you can be sitting pretty in just a few days.

• Add depth with details. “You don’t have to spend a ton. Put a candle in a fun little rose-gold candle holder.” A few statement objects here and there and a scattering of patterned pillows add dimension to a room without draining your piggy bank.