The best interior designers know: when you want to add stylish touches to your living room, it's not how much money you spend; it's how you spend it.

Most important? Remain true to what you love and the colors that energize you. You'll be more inclined to take chances, make unusual groupings and create a living room that carries your signature touch. And that's what real style is all about.

When you want to splurge but have to save, consider these seven ideas:

The next time someone asks you if you're “in the zone,” you may ask which zone they're referring to. If you're standing in the kitchen, the answer should be self-evident – at least if you're as organized as kitchen designers say you could be.

They recommend grouping your kitchen activities around three critical zones: the refrigerator, sink and range-oven. Since key functions take place in each of these zones, certain tools and accessories should be stored close-by to enhance efficiency.

While everyone can benefit from this “kitchen rethink” exercise, it may be particularly useful for people who hurriedly unpacked their kitchen when they first moved in. (And that's probably a lot of people.) Considering most Americans spend more than an hour a day in the kitchen, the “three-zone” notion should hold considerable appeal, no matter how much storage space a kitchen features.

A rug can help unify the décor and furniture in any room of your home. Whether you’re looking for a bright focal point or would like a more neutral-colored rug that puts emphasis on your furniture, a rug is a versatile way to enhance your home.

While choosing the texture, color, and pattern of your rug is important, so is its size. One too large or too small for the space will look out of place and discordant with the rest of the room.

The following tips will help you select the proper size rug for your home:

It's one of the most buoyant moments any nester can experience: walking into someone's kitchen with neutral expectations and feeling as if you were struck by a thunderbolt of inspiration.

It's not as though you're looking (and staring) at something you haven't seen before. It's just seeing this feature in a kitchen, with this particular presentation, has captured your imagination in such a gripping way you cannot wait to rush home to replicate the idea in your kitchen.

Run with these four ideas – and add your signature touch to make them distinctly your own:

It's a fact of residential life: most kitchens are located in the rear of a home. And the rear of a home features many walls that block light.

Walls contain windows, so the challenge is set right there: How do you optimize light in a kitchen, no matter what its size? Five ideas are worth considering – and all of them can be enhanced with the right interior shades:

1. Under-cabinet lighting

Which can counteract light-blocking cabinets from reaching the countertops, where you need light most. Optimize rope or puck lights by installing them close to the front edge of cabinets so they illuminate the countertop, not the wall. Install a thin, 1- to 2-inch valance along the lower edge of the cabinet to keep the bulbs from shining directly into your eyes.

Even the most skilled DIY-er can't do it all, and there is something to be said about learning from your mistakes. While some mistakes can be easily rectified, others can wind up costing you more than you bargained for—especially when it involves caring for, repairing, or maintaining your home. Avoid some of the most common home mistakes by doing a little more research before you begin your project, or eliminate them altogether by hiring a professional for jobs beyond your skill set. 

7 Home Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

Whether you’re upgrading your home to sell or for your own enjoyment, home renovations can help improve the value of your home. With a well-planned renovation project, you can expect to recoup about 75 cents of every dollar you spend on the upgrade. Not sure which renovation will give you the most bang for your buck? Here are a few of the best home improvement projects along with interior shades to increase your home’s value.

Kitchen Remodel

A modern, updated kitchen is at the top of almost every home buyer’s wish list. Even a small investment in this room can have a tremendous impact on your home’s value. A fresh coat of paint, new countertops, new appliances, and new flooring can breathe new life into this space. Stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops are currently the most sought after features. These updates can increase your home’s selling price anywhere from 3 to 7 percent.

Interior Shades

Your spring maintenance checklist should include five essential outdoor projects. Left unattended, they can end up costing you dearly in more serious repairs that could require remediation by professional contractors.

This scenario should add urgency to any list, but there can be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. After you're finished inspecting your windows, reward your efforts with new exterior solar shades from America's leading shade manufacturer – and save this list for easy reference next year.

Exterior projects can culminate in new exterior solar shades

If you're straining to see the exact color of your ready-to-roll summer outfits, your windows may be trying to “tell” you something: It's time to maximize the natural light in your home, just in time for summer, when the longer days will mean more hours of daylight.

Five ideas will help brighten the rooms in your home, no matter what their exposure to the sun:

1. Begin with a clean slate

Yes, your windows probably look clean from a distance (as most things do). If your home is like many others, it might be a toss-up between which side of the window is dirtier: the inside or outside. It's been nearly four years since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that levels of indoor pollutants are often two to five times higher than those of outdoor pollutants. You can count on a vinegar-water mix to cut through the grime on both sides of your windows, leaving a sparkling, streak-free shine.