Creating a beautiful and timeless look in a home shouldn’t require a herculean amount of effort if a few basic principles are followed. There are many ways to dress up a room, but none will be as aesthetically pleasing or serene as including a timeless design in a home. If you want to achieve an elegant look to your room or home, here are some tips to follow:

Minimize the Excess Clutter

If you have a small space, you may have rooms that do double duty, but keeping the room uncluttered and free of unnecessary objects is a way to ensure the space does not become overwhelming. If your office doubles as a spare guest room, then a good way to ensure elegance is to use an armoire or cabinet that doubles as your desk space to keep unwanted papers and clutter out of sight when a guest is using the room.

Choose a Focal Point

Whether it’s an original or vintage piece of art or a stunning mirror, each room in your home should have a focal point. A fireplace, fountain, or large portrait will set the tone of the room and give you the ability to decorate around your focal point.

Choose a Color Scheme

Your color scheme is a reflection of who you are as well as your tastes. If you’re attempting to create serenity and elegance, a muted or lighter shade may be the key to achieving this look. However, if you’re more interested in bolder colors with a slight flare for the dramatic, a darker color is the way to go. Additionally, once you’ve chosen a color scheme, all of the furnishings in the room should adhere to this scheme.

Keep It Neat and Tidy

Nothing can ruin an elegant home faster than uncleanliness and disarray. If you’re not the neatest person in the world, a slight investment in weekly housekeeping, or cajoling your children into helping you keep up with the clutter, may be necessary. Cleanliness is one of the main keys to giving off an air of sophistication in your home. Keeping your counter tops clear, your bookshelves dusted, and your windows sparkling shows that you have pride in your home and enjoy keeping it well maintained.

Keep Cords and Wires Out of Sight

Much like keeping your home neat and tidy, keeping unsightly cords out of the way is a must. There are many ways to do this and a visit to your local home-improvement store could easily elicit some ideas that are inexpensive and easy to do. You may want to invest in a power strip to concentrate all power cords in one area, and mask this with a potted plant or side table.

Consider Cohesiveness

If the inside of your home is a calm oasis, the outside of your home should reflect those same inviting qualities. Invest a weekend into trimming the hedges, cutting the grass, painting the siding, or planting shrubs and flowers. Creating a unique theme between the inside and outside of your house can be a great way to add balance to your home. The inside of your home is where you’re going to spend most of your time—but creating an overall picture of elegance starts from the curb.

This article was written by Kevin Law, a freelance blogger and retired home contractor. When Kevin doesn’t have his hands dirty in a home renovation project, he hopes to provide helpful insight into DIY home projects, and is currently looking into adding a fixture from Fathom Fountains.