They may seem as different as night and day, but white or black paint -- applied to all of the furniture in one room -- can reinvent a space. The colors unite mismatched pieces that otherwise can't live together harmoniously. Both shades take the focus away from surface imperfections, making furnishings notable for their forms. Painting items white instantly cleans them up and lightens a room. Black lends a polished look.

Here's an illuminating idea: Transform a simple coffee table or end table by topping its surface with a piece of mirror glass. Not only will the silvery glass obscure any unsightly nicks scarring the table's surface, it will also create pretty reflections of light, instantly brightening a room.

If you lack museum-quality hanging skills, don't be distressed. Here's a way to plan a display of framed pictures without making a single needless nail hole.

Is your rug tripping you up? Keep cotton flat-weave and other lightweight rugs from slipping around and curling with this tried-and-true trick: Attach a pair of flat, cork-backed rulers along the edges of each corner.

Separate a large, undefined space into smaller areas with a sheer drape. Pale-blue sheerness creates a beautiful glowing color, almost like a painted wall. The transparency gives the room light and life, whereas an opaque curtain would close it off.

Few bathrooms have enough places to hang towels. Stacking towel bars behind closed doors is a great way to remedy the shortage and use space efficiently.

Don't have the width to fit a full-size table in a space? You may have the perfect piece right under your nose. After 40 years' hard service in various dining rooms, this table had lost a leg and acquired its share of scratches and nicks. But half of it had a second life ahead as this graceful console.

Next time you're staring at the wall, wondering how best to organize your things, avert your gaze 45 degrees and take a look at the corner. A single shelf or several that fit into the corner of a room can open up a world of possibilities.

Mask run-of-the-mill storage with a little trompe l'oeil magic. This boxy, unfinished dresser was transformed into a dressier rococo masterpiece by painting it and decoupaging the front with blown-up clip art.

Need to pull together your living room or dining room? Wrap a ribbon of pretty paper around it. A chair rail grounds your furniture so it's not floating in an empty expanse.