Your couch is one of the most important pieces of furniture in your home. It provides a space to curl up and watch a movie, to catch up with a longtime friend, and even to share a meal during those weekend take-out nights. If you want to make your sofa more of a focal point, these smart tips will show you how.

1. Update your throw pillows. The easiest way to take your sofa from basic to stylish is by adding fun, vibrant throw pillows. Choose a few in complimentary colors, mix and match patterns or even go with a geometric, black and white scheme for a hip, retro, look.
2. Add a blanket. Take a tip from the pros and casually drape a throw across the ottoman or folded on the back of the sofa. Choose something that pairs well with the rest of the room’s color scheme, or go with a classic knit throw for a cozy feel.
3. Switch up your rug. Choose a vibrant area rug that extends a few inches wider than your sofa, and make sure that it’s large enough to tuck under the sofa’s front legs.
4. Add a gallery wall. Finally, create a designer-worthy gallery wall directly behind your sofa by framing your favorite family photos, wallpaper swatches, and art prints.

Before & After: How to Style Your Sofa [Elle Décor]
Style a Sofa 5 Different Ways [HGTV]
How To: Style A Sofa [Glitter Guide]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Sebastiaan ter Burg

As sweater weather approaches we hope you all stay warm and cozy this season! What are some of your favorite winter activities?

Macramé may have originally gained popularity back in the 1970s, but the kitschy weaving craft is coming back in a big way. If you love plants and you’re always looking for fun new ways to display them, you may even want to try making a macramé plant hanger of your own. Here are a few tutorials to help you get started!

Colorful Polyester Rope Hanger [hgtv.com]
With this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a macramé hanger using only a few colors of polyester rope, a carabiner, and a screw hook. The actual plant hanger itself is fairly simple, but wrapping the multicolored string around the top adds a fun pop of color.

Sturdy Macramé Plant Hanger [lowes.com]
If you’re looking for something that’s a bit sturdier to hang a particularly heavy plant, this is a great tutorial. It uses clothesline instead of the usual yarn or polyester rope, as well as 18-gauge steel wire and a chain ring for added reinforcement.

Mini String Planters [blog.freepeople.com]
For something quicker and easier, this cute tutorial from the Free People blog uses standard yarn that you might already have stashed away at home. This is a fun tutorial to do while you relax in front of the TV, and the finished product is a great way to hang small air plants or succulents in miniature pots.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Aubree Flink