Choice of roller shades may save fabrics and upholstery from sun damage

Blocking light that can damage custom drapery or upholstered furniture situated near a window can be achieved by choosing the right fabric for roller shades.

Room darkening shades can help protect delicate fabrics by controlling the light that comes into a living room that may not be used as much as other rooms in a home. Since drapes and more formal furniture are frequently found in such spaces, roller shades that fit a variety of decors can be chosen in blackout fabrics that provide the light control needed.

One way to determine whether older furniture is ready for an update is to follow a rule of thumb used by HGTV interior designer Emily Henderson. If furnishings are more than 50 years old, they shouldn't be painted or refinished, she advises. The charm and age of a piece is what gives it beauty as well as value and refinishing may rob it of the patina built up over time.

Henderson, who hosts HGTV's Secrets from a Stylist, also suggests creating updated vignettes in a room by taking furnishings from other parts of the home to recycle them into a fresh look in a new location.