One aspect of the Design Blogger’s Conference last week, was little about social media and everything about interior design.

We were near a state of nirvana, listening to design icons Jan Showers, Tracy Porter, Barclay Butera and Suzanne Rheinstein speak about their favorite looks as well as a few design tips.

Designer favorites include painted wood floors, old, refurbished lighting in new homes, wallpaper on the ceiling, blue and white porcelain and animal prints.

Decorating tips included buying furniture, whether new or antique, with quality and longevity in mind. The mantra is fewer is better, adding pieces over time. It does require patience though!

Have you ever bought a piece of furniture just because it was cheap? I think we’ve probably all been guilty of that, at one time or another.

Lighting was another big point of interest for these designers. Jan Showers pointed out that our clients want their home to look great and that good lighting can help make the homeowners look their best, too! Recessed florescent lighting doesn’t do much for our looks. Table lamps at face height, using the right bulb can help us look our best.

All of these four designers had great ideas to share. They all have designed furniture lines, written books and you can follow them on their blogs, Facebook and Twitter.