Can we effect positive change in our lives by redecorating our home? My answer is yes, of course! In my article “Where Are You From?” I posed the question, should we decorate our home for our hopes and dreams? In other words, should we dress our home for success?

Most of us can answer the question, “Where are you from?” Not all can answer, “Where are you going?” Sometimes the future is uncertain and the path unclear. Stuck in a rut, we desire a change but don’t know how to make it happen. That’s when it’s time to give your home a make-over. Since everyone loves a new wardrobe, why not your home?

In order to “dress my home for success” I tailor an affordable design makeover “to do” list. I invest wisely to increase re-sale value, but never overdo. Deferred maintenance can derail dreams so I fix things that are bothering me or broken. I paint and update furnishings for a fresh feel. Sometimes it takes years to complete the alterations; other times it’s just a few days. But as soon as I finish my home’s ensemble, my life moves in a positive new direction down the catwalk of life.

Are you ready to fashion a “to do” list for your home design makeover? Pick a direction and just start moving. Breathe new life into your home and let the doors of opportunity open. Your home will love its new wardrobe and so will you! 

Read "Where Are You From" here.

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

No other color conveys regeneration more than green and this year PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald, a vivid, verdant green is the color of the year. To arrive at the Color of the Year selection, Pantone combs the world looking for color influences from the entertainment industry, art collections and popular travel destinations. Capturing worldwide attention the Color of the Year impacts product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries.

Here at home enhance your sense of well-being by adding Emerald paint, accents and accessories. The color of growth, renewal, prosperity, healing and unity, this jewel-like hue will rejuvenate any room and add verve to your life.

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

I love watching HGTV shows that help people decorate, renovate or completely redesign their homes. Having a COMFORTABLE new place is always at the forefront of the lucky homeowner’s mind. Their wish list for the project includes words like comfy, cozy, cushy, easy, soft and snug as if their home was a bathrobe. They want a stress fee environment that will give them contentment and security.

That's why in show after show we hear homeowners utter the same words, "We want it to be comfortable". And that's when I start yelling at the TV, “Do you really think the designer would purposely create an uncomfortable place? Duh, we all want our homes to wrap us up in comfort like it is a big bathrobe!” 

The problem is most people don’t know what will make them comfortable. And comfort is different for everyone. What makes one person at ease will cause another to go into anaphylactic shock. So before you say you want something comfortable, take some time to define what COMFORT means to YOU! Then when you start to decorate, purchase only what fits your definition. If this sounds too difficult, find a good designer who will listen to you and help you answer the question, “What makes you comfortable?”  

This is not your Grandmother’s Queen Anne coffee table! Bless her heart. Take a look at this cool one introduced by the Phillips Collection Showroom. Their “Split the Difference” coffee table caught my eye as “Best in Show” at the Fall 2012 High Point Furniture Market.

With its striking combination of unexpected materials this coffee table is a conversation piece. Looking like a still reflecting pool the flat top is crafted with hand-cut stainless steel in a chrome finish. It appears as a clean slice atop the dark lava-like base made of molded stone and resin. This juxtaposition of smooth steel and jagged rock creates an intriguing look that even Grandmother might like. While not for everyone this piece exemplifies cutting edge design and creative use of materials. I Love it!

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

(See part 1 of this 2-part series)

This Persian carpet sets the mood for this suburban New York living room. Its color palette brings balance to the mix of antiques and modern furniture. While the iron coffee table and the screen create fun and a certain edginess, the rug adds needed punch and warmth.

If you’re thinking of buying a carpet you might find helpful these words of wisdom I’ve accumulated over the years:

- If possible purchase your carpet first and let everything else magically fall into place. With carpet “foundation” set it’s much easier to build the room’s color palette, and choose fabrics and furnishings.
- Take your time and fall in love with your rug like it were a piece of art for the floor. Find a rug you can live with forever. It is always easier to find paint colors and fabrics to match your rug, compared to finding a rug to match existing colors and fabrics. 
- Choose a rug that suites your lifestyle. How do you plan on using the room? Solid color rugs show all spots and stains while ones with big, busy patterns can hide a multitude of sins. Be practical. 
- Select the right size. Perhaps pull the room together by placing a single, large rug under every major piece of furniture. Or create clean lines by positioning the rug nearly touching the pieces in the seating area. Usually it’s not a good idea to place some pieces on the rug while and others off. It’s normally best to be all on or all off.
- When placing a rug under a dining table, remember to leave enough room so the chair legs remain on the carpet when pulled out. About two and a half feet beyond each dimension of the table should leave enough room.
- Once you find a carpet you like ask where and how it was made if you can. Know what you’re purchasing.  
- Take a few rugs home on trial. The light of your home may affect the color. Walk around the rug and note if the tones change as you move from side to side. Some change very dramatically.

Are you ready take a ride on a magic carpet and let the decorating begin? 

(See part 1 of this 2-part series)

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

Jean-Léon Gérôme, The Carpet Merchant, c.1887, oil on canvas, Minneapolis Institute of Arts

(See part 2 of this 2-part series)

I fell in love with this painting as a teenager. My curiosity was piqued by the beautiful carpets crumpled on the sidewalk waiting to be unfurled on the wall for auction. I imagined each one as a flower bud waiting to open in full bloom, a masterpiece of its own. 

Purchasing carpets is much easier today, nevertheless there are a few things you should know before you invest:

- Rugs are more affordable today than ever before. Beautiful selections are available at discount stores, retail outlets, and online.
- The words “rug” and “carpet” can be used interchangeably in most places, but dealers in estate and antique pieces most often use the word “carpet”.
- Carpets add an extra layer of beauty to any décor.  They’re also practical, by absorbing sound, protecting floors, and hiding flaws.
- The term “Oriental” refers to carpets coming from Asia. Iran, China, India, Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, Tibet and Nepal are some of the biggest exporters of Oriental carpets. The term “Persian” is reserved for those carpets made in Iran, formerly Persia. 
- Hand-knotted, one-of-a-kind carpets are like pieces of art and are priced accordingly. Skilled weavers create them by painstakingly tying each knot. Their patterns can be irregular. Size and quality may vary. 
- Machine-made rugs are usually less expensive because they are mass produced. They come in standard patterns that are usually available in several different sizes. Shedding can be a problem.
- Both hand-knotted and machine-made rugs are extremely durable. 

Are you ready to purchase a carpet?  Stay tuned for my next post (part 2) where I share some suggestions for decorating with carpets.

(See part 2 of this 2-part series)

The mix of styles, fabrics and flourishes flowing down the fashion runways are inspiring interior designs and home furnishings more than ever before. Watch the trends as they saunter straight down the catwalk and right into your home.

Photograph by: Handout photo, Canadian Press

Lately we've seen a resurgence of Art Deco-inspired patterns: one example is shown above in black, white and cream, both on the runway and in a residence. Geometric prints are popping up on bedding, wallpaper and even tile shown below. Metallic finishes are reflecting the 20’s-glam era styles. The colors seen in fashion are showing up in painted furniture and towels in department stores. 

Taking our cues from the catwalk, we are also learning a new approach to styling our abodes. As we see clothing designers and stylists layering looks, we realize we no longer need to pick a style and stick to it. We're free to mix things - just like changing jewelry - by purchasing a few new pieces like throw pillows, rugs and curtains. 

Next time you want inspiration to update your decorating it may be as simple as looking inside your closet!  Learn to express your personality in your home in the same ways as you do in your wardrobe.

Get motivated by reading last month’s article "Detecting Outdated Decorating."

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

Illustrations by Alla Dreyvitser – Washington Post

Keeping your home up-to-date in today’s fast paced world is a challenge. Your decorating might be outdated if you answer "yes" to one or more of these questions:

- Is your room painted a color that's no longer in the paint fan decks at the home improvement stores.
- Is your room overwhelmed with patterned fabrics?
- Is your room wallpapered with coordinating borders and matching curtains?
- Does your room have oversized, undersized or all matching furniture pieces? 
- Is your room full of small accessories and clutter?
- Does your room have track lighting?

I'm not suggesting if you say yes to any of the questions that your decorating is automatically outdated. These are just little prompts to help you think about your home in a new way.

Stay tuned for next month’s article "Fashion Forward Interiors" to learn a fun and really easy approach to keeping your decorating current and fresh!

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.