1. Make a statement with flowering branches. If you usually choose flowers, try something different and reach for the most luscious-looking armful of flowering branches you can find — from a flower shop or, if you're really lucky, clipped from the yard. It will make a stunning display and last a long time.

2. Frame a meaningful photo. Dig out your own wedding photos or those from your parents' or grandparents' wedding, and have one framed. Or pick a favorite digital photo and convert it to black and white for artsy, vintage flair.

3. Make DIY art. Have lovely handwriting? Pick up a prepared canvas and supplies at your local art store, and get painting! A simple repeated phrase, like the "I love you" shown here, would work well as a DIY project. Be sure to write out the text in pencil first, then paint over it to avoid mistakes — or use letter stencils instead.

4. Bring home a classical bust. Search local shops or online resources like 1stdibs and the Houzz Products section for a piece of sculpture that steals your heart. While true antiques are quite expensive, you can find quality reproductions or midcentury vintage busts at lower prices.

5. Take up the lost art of correspondence. Create a writing haven for yourself, stocked with lovely papers and envelopes, your favorite pens, stamps and an address book. Write love notes, "bread and butter" thank-yous or longer letters to older relatives who may not be using email. I can't think of anyone who is not delighted to receive a handwritten note in the mail!

6. Romance your bath. Don't wait for guests to drop in to spruce up your bathroom. A pretty hand towel, a posy of flowers and a scented candle will please you every time you walk by.

7. Look for a fresh spin on heart art. Warm up a modern space with a nonfussy yet romantic print. A trend to watch for now is photography overlaid with semitransparent graphic art, like the artwork shown here.

8. Put flowers in unexpected places. Instead of the usual big vase of flowers on the dining table or in the living room, try creating a bunch of minibouquets to spread throughout your home. Place them beside your bed, on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom, tucked into a bookshelf or on a windowsill.

9. Hang up a sign. A petite chalkboard or zinc sign is the perfect place to write little notes that will cheer up all who pass by.

10. Have breakfast (or at least coffee) in bed. If breakfast in bed sounds unrealistic, set yourself up for success by planning to have coffee in bed instead. Set up a tray the night before with your favorite coffee cup, a napkin and a bud vase. In the morning, bring the tray and a carafe of coffee and hurry back to bed with the paper or a novel.

11. Make the breakfast table more special. If you don't usually bother to set the table at breakfast, try giving it a shot. A cheery set of quilted placemats, colorful bowls, a pot of jam and a jar of wildflowers would be heaven.

12. Go wild with wallpaper. Papering your bedroom with a lush print will instantly make the room feel cozier yet somehow more spacious. Toile, like the one shown here, or a scene with birds and branches will give the most depth to the room.

13. Set a table for two. Tuck a tiny table and two chairs into an empty spot somewhere less expected — an underused part of the garden, by the window in your bedroom or tucked near the fireplace in the living room.