How do I get that designer look?

In a word? Confidence. 

I had a client who brought me a few magazine pictures of what they thought they might want in their color design.  The space consisted of a kitchen, dining room and a den. "These look great!" I said, but as we started putting color samples up the client said, "Wow!  I'm not sure I can do this."  I asked her to go get the pictures that were her original inspiration.  I explained that the colors I put up as a sample were not as bold as the colors used in the magazine.  I went further and offered to apply not just a 2 foot sample of the color on the wall but to have the entire wall painted.  I was so confident that she would love the color and that it was what she really wanted.  I was right.  She loved it! And so did her husband.  It truly had a designer look right out of the pages of a magazine.  Color is so powerful!  Subtle color, bold color,  just have fun and be confident.