Part guilty pleasure and part style inspiration, taking a peek inside celebrity homes is always fun. Design and decor blog the Lennoxx compiled several photos to offer a look at Gwyneth Paltrow’s home in the Hamptons. With a gorgeous pool outside and a lot of open, white airy-ness inside, it has quite a pleasant feel.

Despite the emphasis on keeping things light and white, she’s not shy about incorporating black for contrast. A black fireplace, handrail on the stairs, artwork and other accessories, and kitchen cabinetry (see image below) keep the home from getting that almost unlivable “too bright to touch” feel many ultra-light homes can have. She also uses great patterned wallpaper to add subtle bits of texture and style rather than keeping all the walls stark white.

The Lennoxx post is a great compilation of photos from and links to other posts about the house, including a behind-the-scenes look at the home’s photo shoot. If you’re interested in more about Gwyneth and her home, be sure to check out those other articles.

[photo 1 courtesy of Best Home News and photo 2 courtesy of the Style Files]

This video from Candice Olson’s “Divine Design” show on HGTV demonstrates the steps taken in turning a previously shabby attic space into a beautiful master bedroom. If you have four minutes to spare, you can probably pick up some interesting ideas for your next painting, redecorating or renovation project.

You can more great master bedroom design tips and ideas from Candice on her website.

Dig Digs recently featured two very cool home decor pieces that straddle the divide between functional and stylish. Let’s shine the spotlight, shall we?

This stool by Stefan Lindfors looks great when you need a little extra seating. And when you have to reach a serving platter stored in a high cabinet, this stool acts as a step stool — form and function! It also won the 2010 GOOD Design Award.

It’s a toy! It’s a bookcase! Actually, it’s both. Whether you want a quirky place to store your books, or want something for your budding architect’s bedroom, this Harry Allen for Skitsch bookcase could be just the thing.

Photos courtesy of Dig Digs

How many battles will be lost to Christmas trees this holiday season?

Between all the sap stains, fallen pine needles and horror stories about house fires that started with a dried-out Christmas tree, it’s a wonder we even bother.

But it’s a tradition, right? If not for the Christmas tree, where would the gifts go, along with the ornaments, lights and candy canes?

For those not up for the hassle of erecting a 12-foot Evergreen in their living room, here are some fresh takes more inspired than the traditional green plastic Christmas tree:

(from Shelterrific)

This fake bonsai tree is Christmas gone minimalist, but it works well in a smaller room or as a centerpiece. The sparsity of the tree creates a charm like something from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

(from DigsDigs)

BUILD, a Seattle-based architecture firm, came up with this plywood Christmas tree made of two leaves that notch together. There’s no trouble with establishing ornamental symmetry here and the lighter wood really makes the ornaments pop.

(from Remodelista)

This Christmas tree, made from recycled wood planks, gives Christmas a rustic feel perfect for a cabin on the lake. There’s very little of the traditional red-and-green seasonal colors, yet it still feels festive and lively.

Of course, no matter what you go with — real or alternative — it’s not about the Christmas tree, but rather the people gathered around it.

During December, the Christmas tree becomes the focal point of many people’s homes and seasonal decorations. Many people have their own eclectic tastes with traditional family ornaments. But for those who want to pull together a professional-looking or themed tree, it can be hard to know how to begin. Luckily there are numerous experts out there to help!

For a slideshow of some great trees, we recommend Country Living’s guide. Over 30 photos of various themes and colors should get your creative juices flowing!

Better Homes and Gardens offers a video tutorial on the best way to trim your tree with style and panache:

Do you have any favorite family tree decorating traditions? Let us know in the comments. Happy Holidays!

Image courtesy of maaco on Flickr.

Think for a moment about the lighting in your home. You probably have a floor lamp in the living room, a couple of table lamps, a few rooms with overhead lighting fixtures — maybe on a ceiling fan in the bedroom — and a desk lamp here and there. Very utilitarian sort of stuff. But consider the potential the lighting fixtures in your home have to make a statement.

With just a bit of planning and creativity, your lighting can add style and flair to any room in the house. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

You don’t need a palace or a ballroom to make a chandelier work for you. Hang one over your dining room table for an elegant, luxurious touch.

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Another concept is taking something traditional — a chandelier — and throwing a wrench into the mix. (Metaphorically speaking, of course.) Something as simple as using unique glass elements in place of traditional globes goes along way toward making your own personal statement.

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If you’re interested in something that does more to stand out, try incorporating bright, bold colors. Depending on how you approach it, you could create a very clean, modern feel…

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…or something a little more casual and almost “crafty.”

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Color isn’t the only way to be bold. Try experimenting with wildly different forms and shapes. The light fixture below (which was actually used as a Christmas “tree,” according to the photographer’s description) is nothing like most light fixtures – -and that’s the point!

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The possibilities are endless. Think about ways you can use interesting placement — either within a room or on a wall — or an usual arrangement — rather than the traditional row of lights in a group, for examples — to create a different effect. Of course, if you’d rather start with small steps, simply choosing a stylish, attention-grabbing lampshade is a great start.

For more ideas, check out these photo collections: Lights and Lamps and Interior Design.

The blog Home Design Find brings up an interesting challenge: decorating a vacation home. Perhaps you hadn’t thought much about it, but the situation can provide some unique hurdles.

If you’re fortunate enough to own a vacation home, you may have already experienced the daunting question of how to decorate it. On one hand, you want your place to be comfortable and stylish. You also want furniture that is of high enough quality that it can withstand punishment from guests but not of so expensive that you’ll be worrying about stains and scratches every time someone sets a glass down. And if you rent out your vacation home, there’s another factor to consider: your decor has to appeal to people other than yourself.

HDF recommends hard-working, durable floors; adding a personal touch; and keeping things casual and simple. Another website, RoFx.net, offers some further tips on decorating a vacation home. Enough with the tips, though; how about some nice photos to ogle?

Sunset magazine offers some lovely photos (and some related decor tips, too) of a modern cabin in northern Washington. Along with the photos are some recommendations on where to find certain products and pieces of furniture that appear in the cabin. Carsmach.com shares some more nice photos from another gorgeous cabin in eastern Washington (what’s in the water out there?). Maybe you can find some design inspiration in these photos.

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Color: It’s one of our favorites ways to change up a room. It can make a dramatic difference, it’s fairly inexpensive, and with just a little elbow grease, you can get a whole new look.

But this made us think. When we choose to paint, is our color palette dictated by the season? In these warm, sunny months, perhaps people are choosing clean whites, sky blues and cool pale greens. In winter, perhaps there’s a rush towards cream, royal blue and mallard green.

Of course, this only takes into account people’s decision-making process at the time of painting. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands and truly love to paint your walls, that eggplant wall won’t suddenly turn into lavender every summer. The most important thing with choosing color is to make sure that you love it and that it fits the room–in whatever season.

Calfinder has some photos of bright, bold colors that manage to look season-less. Here’s one for your enjoyment and please check out their post for more paint inspiration!

Photo courtesy of Calfinder

We recently talked about some (supposedly) passé decorating trends. According to The Nest, there are seven big mistakes you can make when decorating–even if you avoid the aforementioned trends. In no order of importance, they are:

1. The unanchored rug–nothing on top of it? Then why is it there? We’ll make exceptions for small rugs used by doorways to avoid tracking dirt in.

2. Really big furniture. If it takes up most of the room, it will look ridiculous.

3. Bad paint. It can’t be said enough–test your paint in various lights and sleep on your decision. Maybe in the morning that tangerine accent wall in the living room will seem less kicky.

4. Too much of everything. The article evokes the old Coco Chanel adage that says that before a woman leaves the house, she should take one thing off (e.g. a piece of jewelry or a scarf). The same is true for homes. If course you want it to look lived in and not empty, but too much stuff=clutter. Fast.

5. Decorating from a single era. Yes, you want your furniture to fit your home. And you don’t have to go completely crazy, but don’t be afraid to put a piece of African art in your Cape Cod, a Ligne Roset chair in your Victorian or a piece of chintz in your modern house. After all, you don’t live in a museum.

6. A BIG TV. Look, we all like the idea of a home theater. but consider your room’s proportions. Also look at the pattern of use. For a basement rec room, a very large TV might be just the thing. For a living room used for multiple purposes, such as gathering after dinner and entertaining guests, don’t let your television become the focal point.

7. Bad lighting. It’s unflattering and causes eyestrain.

Of course, this is all opinion, and in the end you should do what you are comfortable with. But the thread that runs through all these “donts” is a lack of consideration for living and for human interaction. Clutter, TV, distracting walls and bad lighting will detract from the warm human element that home should bring to mind.

What are your decorating donts?

Image courtesy of Chris Campbell on Flickr.

Planning a color scheme for your home can be a daunting task. The cost of paint and supplies, not to mention furniture and maybe carpet. The time it takes to do it all right. The commitment — after all, this isn’t the kind of thing you want to do once each season.

Well, for starters, if you’re commitment-phobic, here are the tips you’ll need: At Houzz.com, the designers from Niche Interiors share their thoughts on “Color Without Commitment.” The primary focus: Use accessories, artwork or plants to add color instead of paint on the walls or new furniture. It’s easier and less expensive, and the addition of these household staples can liven up the room more than a fresh coat of paint.

The CalFinder blog shares some great tips on “remodeling in color,” sharing some of the basic concepts about complementary colors, which colors create certain moods, and more. With plenty of photos to illustrate, this should provide some helpful ideas.

This post introduces readers to the basics of using colors to create a specific mood, while this writer offers some ideas on choosing colors and color schemes.

And for advice on making a more subtle statement, check out our earlier post on using understated natural colors in interior design.

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