• Paint
• Upholstered Furniture
• Accent Fabrics
• Non-Upholstered Furniture
• Accessories
• Plants & Lighting


Once you are ready to begin, pack all your items and move them into another room. With the distraction of your “stuff” gone, you can now look at your space from a new perspective. This brings us to our first layer: Choosing paint colors for your home can be one of if not the most daunting task you face. At the paint store, select a variety of swatches in the color range that you are interested in. Do not hesitate to bring color swatches home with you. Selecting a color for your walls should be a decision that is not rushed and one that is made in the space where the color will go, not in the paint department. Once in the space where the color will be applied, begin by putting together color combinations that are appealing to you. Let the process of elimination guide you in your choice of a shade or shades that are right for you.

This layer is still about building the foundation of your room. It is about items such as sofas, upholstered dining chairs, fully upholstered chairs and ottomans. Consider using fabrics that are versatile such as solids and textural prints. Keeping a solid foundation in your room will make it easier to change its look in the future. You can always use patterned fabrics on other items that will be less costly to redo when your tastes change.

Accent fabrics can be used in throw pillows, window treatments, table runners, the seats of dining chairs, small ottomans and area rugs. This is the layer where you can have fun using patterns and a variety of fabric colors. Selecting accent fabrics is similar to selecting paint colors. Take paint and upholstery swatches to fabric stores to create a color scheme that is appealing to you. Don’t be afraid to be bold in this layer. This is an easy and affordable layer to re-do when your style or trends change.

After establishing primary arrangements in layer two, the space that is left over should be dedicated to the non-upholstered furniture or the side pieces, for instance, bookcases, coffee tables, side tables, trunks, and armoires. These pieces will add surfaces and storage areas to a room. When selecting non-upholstered furniture, it is essential to maintain functionality; focus as much on storage and practicality, as you do on look, feel and design.

Aside from choosing paint colors, our greatest resistance is to parting with our stuff. Clutter can create visual confusion and cheat a room of its allure and size. Accessories are the jewelry of a room. In this layer we are ready to bring an element of drama into the space. Proper arrangement of streamlined items can bring the designer look to a room. In this layer you can also use color to tie a room together. Using accessories to spread color throughout a room will pepper a space with accents and make a solid background pop.

Our final layer comprises plants and lighting and how to use these two elements to complete your designer look. Adding foliage to a room adds life and fresh air. Plants and lighting work together; their shadow and texture combine to create ambiance, especially after dark. Lighting is not only used for function but also for drama and mood. Lighting a room should include fill light for overall lighting, spot light to focus attention on objects, task lighting, candlelight, and up light. Adding a few up lights behind plants or furniture can produce a fabulous effect. Without good lighting even the most complete room can seem dull and uninteresting. There you have it. With this simple recipe--using the layers of design--even the most intimidating decorating job can be made easy. It’s time to go and decorate!