Money-Saving Secrets From Showhouse Designers

Designer Brian Watford's lounge for the Southeastern Designer Showhouse and Gardens showed the beauty of a well-edited console with just a few striking objects featured. Geometric objects in metal and other materials are a recurring theme in many designers' rooms. Shop your own house to find clever objects to create a striking console or coffee table tableau.

Designer Barbara Westbrook incorporated these quirky, one-of-a-kind clay birds into her Great Room design for a wonderful touch of personality. "I would rather have a flea market find than everything new" says Westbrook of her mix of objects like these unique artist-made birds that look wonderful when grouped together.

Designer Barbara Westbrook stuck with a clean and simple color palette in her Great Room design. Westbrook advises keeping your coffee table pared back "but make sure everything on it is special." Shop your own home for unique objects to group together. Westbrook painted this simple oak tray black for drama and to better highlight the white objects featured. If a favorite object is past its prime or just needs a refresh, spray paint is a great, cheap tool. It can also bring continuity to a room design, as with this black and white room.

Designer Jonathan Savage incorporated no-maintenance preserved boxwood on striking pedestals to add elegance—and a low-cost touch of greenery—to his bedroom design.