Consider how you use the room. “People don’t focus enough on which elements in a room they really need to suit their lifestyle,” says Tommy Smythe, an interior designer who appears regularly on Sarah Richardson’s HGTV Canada’s shows, Design Inc. and Sarah’s House. “You need books in every room, because they’re inspiring,” he adds. “Or, put in something useful, like a little desk or a bar on the surface on an armoire. When you’re entertaining you can pour your guests a drink.”