With fewer people able to afford hotel rooms this year, the “vacation” is turning into the “stay-cation.” Spending time together this year may mean having more guests at your house. I recently read a story written by a “guest” who visited her friend’s home. She wasn’t expecting her stay to compare to a 5 Star Hotel but trying to sleep with her head crushed against an old stroller was an all-time low.

Having a separate guestroom might seem like a luxury many of us can’t afford but there are many ways to find space that will make your overnight guests comfortable and still another way for you to reclaim lost space.

Whether you give up your own bedroom while your parents or in-laws come to visit or ask your children to double up to give your guests a room of their own or even rearrange furniture in your family or living room by putting up a temporary divider, (think “It Happened One Night”), with a little thought I can help you make this work.

If you are lucky enough to have a spare room, it probably has extra stuff you’ve been throwing in there because you don’t know where else to put it. So you’re asking yourself, what am I going to do with the stuff?

You may be thinking you should buy a new bed ensemble for the guests or one of those inflatable mattresses? If you’ve mixed the guest room linens in with everything else, now to have to remember where you put those extra sheets? You’re horror stricken because the towels in the adjoining bathroom have holes in them. Oh dear god, Oh dear god.

Number one rule, have the linens, towels, fresh soap put away in a closet, trunk or box where you can easily find them and be ready to pull them out when guests arrive. These things will be only for your guests!

It’s stressful enough to have people staying at your house. Wouldn’t it be nice when that someone comes, you’re totally ready. You can enjoy and them and not be apologetic while you get set up. I think the big mistake people make is that they don’t multi task the guestroom. Meaning it’s not just a guest room. When you think about it, it could have many more functions. A room you can use all year long.

How often do you have people stay overnight? Most of the time, it’s just for you or your family. This is what I do.

I turn a second, third or fourth bedroom into what I call a “study.” That means, if I have a bed in there, I dress the bed almost like a couch that’s also inviting to sit on.

I push it to one side and I don’t favor it in the middle of the room. I put a desk (or a table that can work as a desk) in the room, I make sure the room has lots of shelves for books, a TV and/ or radio. Remember, if you use the room as a study or when the room is used for guests, it should have reading material, a comfortable chair, and some reading light.

These days you can find pull out sofas that are much more comfortable then they used to be. Having something like that makes the room a guest room, office or a TV/ Study. Nothing is lovelier than for you or your husband to have a private space where he can watch sports, use the computer or read in peace. Or this room might be a place for you that are quiet and serene. Just yours…until the guests arrive. Most people who have families would adore having a space where they can retreat and recharge.

Freshen up the room with color. Add fabrics that you love that bring in a sense of serenity. Use older pieces of furniture from another room that you sort of don’t know what to do with. If you update it with new fabric, you might love it again. Remember what I’ve told you before, pick that fabric, and then pick the paint.

Try very hard not to make that room a catch all. When your guests arrive, nothing is nicer than to open the closet in your “guestroom” and find two matching robes that hang there for your guests to use. As a way of saying “welcome,” you can put fresh towels and soap on that shelf. In my opinion, nothing is more of a turn-off that having a used bar of soap for your guests to use.

You can also put a scented sachet in the closet and well as diffusers in the room itself and whichever bathroom they will be using. You can find at QVC (especially my line – shameless PLUG) organizer accessories that look as good as they are practical. Perfect place for those fresh linens / reading material and some small toiletries – things they can really use.

Take a look at the faux suede stool from my last show (H09646). It would look beautiful at the foot of the bed, a place where they can put their luggage or extra seating.

If the room is small and you don’t have room for a dresser, buy baskets and put them on shelves, they’ll be perfect as a temporary chest of drawers.

Also, every room in your home should have storage pieces that make your home look neat and clean and welcoming. Whenever you have clutter, replace it with a multi functional storage piece that looks good and helps de-clutter the space. It should look good and give you additional hiding places. God knows we have way too much stuff.

Now we’ve made a space for the “stay-cation” guests. What you’re going to cook is for another time. Enjoy yourself and have a safe and happy visit.

On the morning before I drive down to the “Q,” to get ready for my next Linda Dano Home Collection Show, Friday (June 6 – 9 AM EST), I’ve been thinking about all the comments, questions and emails I get from people who read these blogs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re one of my high profile celebrity clients, a new home owner, the people down sizing or those preparing to sell their home; everyone is struggling with how to get great design solutions for their homes.

I’m going to have some fun with this blog…let’s hope you’ll be impressed with a little trick I’ve come up with to illustrate the different decorating mindsets. Just this once, I’m going to switch around what QVC stands for…for this blog I’m going to define the initials in terms of different decorating personalities.

Q let’s say it stands for Quick, V is versatile and C is confident. How do these three initials describe your personal decorating style?

QUICK – This person throws anything together, they buy whatever rings their bell in the store. Nothing really goes together but somehow they like it all. As long as there’s no work or anxiety involved, they’re fine with it. Not exactly the way to style anything and I’m obviously not a fan of this kind of decorating BUT we can make it work!

I know several people like this…it might well describe a man who has decided to take on a decorating project. They are the “hunters, not the gatherers.” Okay, I understand, they just want to get it over with but I would say one thing to the Quick Decorator, stick to one major rule.

You can put almost anything together if you stay disciplined by using only four colors. Even if you did it quickly it will still look put-together.

I’d direct this person to let professionals help you. Shop by catalog and buy everything from the one page that speaks to you. In a store, buy everything from their model room. Just don’t forget that what you’re responding to includes the accessories in the room or on the page. Watch my show on Friday and I’ll show you how to get good design with affordable pieces that will be delivered right to your door, couldn’t be faster or easier!

VERSATILE is a very interesting personality because they know instinctively that the rooms in their home need to flow together. They can intermix everything they own and put it in any room…. at any time. In other words, everything they have in the LR would also work in their bedroom and visa versa. Of course I’m not talking about a furniture piece but about their accessories: pillows, throws, wall arrangements, mirrors, chairs, benches, trays, vases, candles, rugs.

This person has doubled the look of what they have and I’d guess they probably never get bored with their home because they can easily change it around. In fact this versatile person has the traits of a real designer.

The new pieces in Friday’s show work with the pieces from my past two shows but they also reflect the feedback from the QVC customers – we’ve added blue to the color palate and made more multi functional pieces to eliminate clutter and add focal points to any room.

CONFIDENT - Confidence comes from a person who really has done their homework. When they shop using electronic retailing, traditional home design stores, shop through catalogs, on-line, at a flea markets or auction houses, they know exactly the look they want...

They can seek out that one thing that will work in their home and they’re disciplined to never buy anything that doesn’t have a very specific place in their house. The confident person always carries around in their purse (a girl-purse or a man-purse) fabric swatches and paint samples.

They’ve worked out a plan for the rooms in their home and they never deviate. Usually a confident person strongly reflects confidence with a cutting-edge dramatic look in any room they’ve tackled.

They also have a little bit of versatility so that they can move things around. The confident person is that friend you have that when you walk into their house, it looks so good; you want to go home and burn down your home.

Now that we’re finished, I agree, this was a silly little exercise however there are real truths in those 3 initials. Can you move from being a “Q” to a “C,” absolutely! You just have to do your homework and follow the basic rules of good design. Once you do that, the world of smart decorating will open up. Once you’ve overcome your fears, you can get creative. Here are the basics that I follow religiously:

1. Choose only four colors
2. Paint is your friend
3. Line and proportion are the key

You’d think that when I talk about “staging,” I’m referring to some performance I’m doing as an actor…not today!

I want to talk to you about “staging your home.” Realtors talk about “staging a home” when homeowners are getting ready to put it on the market. We’re not talking about totally redecorating, we talking about “staging” or sprucing up your home to put it on the market OR putting the work in because you’ve decided to stay put in this tight real estate market.

Staging your home can do several things. Many of the cable TV home makeover shows bring in a team of experts who move furniture, paint walls, change the window treatments and clean up floors and doorways. When I watch those shows, I wonder why the homeowners only go to the trouble of fixing up their home when they’re getting ready to leave????

If you do some or all of the things I’m going to “blog” about, you might very well fall in love with your house again will be glad you stayed.

Let’s get started by sprucing (staging) up the Living Room and Dining Room, maybe even the kitchen, with a new paint job. Depending on how much money you can spend, you’ll either pick a whole new color or freshen up what’s already there. You won’t need a team of experts, between what I’m telling you and a little time and effort on your part, we’ll get it done.

Think in terms of the big pieces you already own…the couch, chair, the rug. If I could make only a few changes, I’d make them with new paint and accessories that give the room a “pop.” Accessories are: pillows, vases, lampshades, a throw, drapes, shutters, throw rugs…. you get the idea.

Paint color should compliment what you already have. The accessories you get should tie in what you already own with the new or fresh wall color.

Let’s say you have white walls and a medium tan couch and chairs. Let’s say you really like French Blue (blue with gray in it). These are the two colors we’ll work with but add a little visual trick. Paint all four walls French blue (or if that’s too much, paint three walls French blue and one white).

If you’re at all handy and you like the look of molding, paint the walls (see above) French blue and the ceiling white but before you go all the way with the French blue, leave a 5” strip of the white coming down from the ceiling so it looks like you have molding.

You can do the same thing on a pretend baseboard, make that a little wider 6-7”. If you feel really adventurous, go to home improvement store, buy white molding, and maybe even consider a chair molding all around or at least on two walls. Sometimes you can even find pre-painted molding.

Before you make your final decision on which paint color, go to a discount fabric store and find fabric with the French blue color. Match the paint to the fabric and not the other way around.

I hope you know you don’t have to use French blue, it could be any color that you love.

You’re going to jazz up the room. If you’re lucky you can find pillows that coordinate. Now for a little commercial…. In my June 6th (9AM EST) Linda Dano Home Collection for QVC, I have beautiful Chocolate and Blue pillows (H11805) and a throw (H11798).

This shows features two piece paneled mirrors that, because they have mullions, have the look of four framed mirrors (H09527). You could take two, you’d have eight mullions and cover an entire wall – very little money and great drama. I wouldn’t necessarily buy only one set. I would buy 8 sets and create great drama and everyone will wonder who your decorator is.

The biggest thing I see repeatedly in homes and makeover shows. People think their couch has to be against the wall, a chair has to be on another wall. It doesn’t make it warm and cozy. Stage your furniture in groupings; bring in standing lamp or coffee table that isn’t typical. Now you’ve turned yourself into a decorator.

Think of putting that couch in the center of the room – it will draw your eye away from the walls and give the room more depth. Use accessory pieces that are also functional. For instance (commercial again) my two piece Campaign Table (H09528) doesn’t have to be against a wall. It can be used as a side table. It also doesn’t have to have wine/liquor bottles on it. It could have pictures, vases with real or silk flowers.

You can also use it behind a couch or as an end table. It becomes a focal point; put it with a lovely lamp (coming in September)

If I had a beige couch, I would do my walls that blue and then I would do white. I would use chocolate as my accent color. I’d find a lamp base that ties in all the colors, put up new chocolate drapes. If I was handy, or knew someone who was, I’d even pipe the drapes with the chocolate color.

It’s the same concept as dressing. If I have a beige suit, I would add a blue necklace, bag and shoes. Giving that room a face life is the same thing as adding drama to an outfit

Dress up the walls by using inexpensive dark wood frames, copy some pictures from a recent trip, blow them up as large as possible. Find a really dramatic part of the photo and frame it within a white mat. Now you have a unique piece of art that’s all yours.

Don’t be afraid of different things on the walls. Don’t only hang pictures; think about hanging a shelf or a nest of shelves with a piece of sculpture like the sphere in the show (H09647), a wall clock or a souvenir from a special trip. Don’t be afraid a small shelf with a vase of silk flowers or quince branches. Add new dimensions to the wall. It will give your room new personality and style.

This year that vacation away from home might not be impossible but with a little effort, some time and imagination, you can take that time off and make your home something very special. See you June 6th.

Where’s the first place in your home you go in the morning and the last place you go at night?

If you’re like many of us, it’s the bathroom. For many, it’s the smallest space in their home and, when treated with care, can make you feel like royalty and become the envy of the friends and family.

I’m not one of those people who needs to make my bathroom into a Spa but if I believe what I see on TV, the master bathroom now has to have a waterfall, organic salts, high pressure duel-head shower heads and a soaking tub.

I don’t need to turn my bathroom into a relaxing respite with high functioning toys but I do enjoy my bathrooms when they have the same attention to style as the rest of my house.

Think of the bathroom; yours, the guest bath or the children’s bath, as you would a Dining Room off the Living Room. When you think about decorating the bathroom, it should flow from the adjacent room. How do we do this and still have it function as a bathroom? It’s really not hard. Obviously they have to be in the same color palate. If the bedroom is yellow, the bathroom should be painted in a similar color.

If you have an existing bathroom and can’t afford to make major changes in tile, flooring or counter tops, look for products in the Home Improvement Centers that adhere to the existing material. They work well, aren’t expensive and will give the room an instant update. Because bathrooms are often small space, this isn’t a project you’ll tackle but can’t finish!

Now let’s move to how we use accessories in the bathroom. With a little thought and imagination, accessories give the space instant style and personality. Inexpensive accessories used correctly give a bathroom an instant transformation. First, let’s get all those shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothbrushes and towels cleared off the counters and the floor.

I think it’s looks awful to have all those shampoos, conditioners and scrubs cluttering up the room in mismatched bottles. It’s so simple to pour them into matching containers – if you’re a klutz like me, I buy plastic, not glass containers - really attractive ones that match the rest of the room.

If you have other things in your bathroom that are just sitting around and you can’t throw them away, put them into a covered basket or box. Now let’s get the towels organized. I can even help you save linen closet space. Fold the towels neatly and stack them on a brass or chrome luggage rack that hangs on the wall. Make sure the metals match. If the faucets are chrome, choose chrome for the accessories. If you have brass, keep the accessories in the same color.

From a flea market, antique store or a discount store, get baskets with lids and put the soaps, cotton balls and Q tips inside. Get rid of clutter. And please don’t’ keep your toothbrush out where everyone can see it.

I hope it goes without saying that bathrooms MUST be spotless. Nothing is worse than walking into a bathroom that isn’t clean.

When company is coming, please remember to put out a fresh bar of soap. Nothing is more scanky then having a beautiful bathroom with used soap; not only on the sink, but also in the shower. Wash the soap scum out of the dish they sit in. Have you ever noticed that hotels always give your freshly wrapped soap; it’s because it shows that they care about what the guests think about the establishment.

Decorate the walls of your bathrooms with framed art, prints, paintings, photos, your kids’ art work etc. Put please put them in frames to make them look important. Framing doesn’t mean taking it an expensive framing store. Just buy inexpensive frames at an art store and put your special collections up for everyone to see.

Have you ever thought about a chandelier or sconces for the bathroom? It would be a very special touch. If you can’t use electric ones, consider using real or faux candles. Put diffusers in the bathroom to make the room smell beautiful.

Decorate your bathroom as though it’s your bedroom. It will say something about you.

If you have a powder room, you really have to take special care. It reflects who you are as a host and says a lot about you. Remember what they say, people always open your medicine cabinet to see what you’ve got in there. I know, I’ve done it myself.

Once you’ve done these small but important changes, you’ll change the way you start and end the day…with a smile on your face.

In an economic climate that looks glum and glummer, I’m guessing we’ll probably be spending more and more time in our homes. With gas prices up, gone are the long road trips. When we look at where we can cut back on spending, those lavish dinners out and vacations far from home are probably on hold! If this isn’t you, then congratulations but you might want to check out what the rest of us will be doing.

In a time of great insecurity, it’s time to look more closely at the way we live in our homes. They are often our biggest investment and how we make the most of living there is something I’d like to talk to you about. In recent economic good times, I think we went a little overboard by super sizing everything. Let’s get back to the basics.

We have only to look back on how our ancestors lived and how they respected the earth. One of the biggest trends I read about everywhere is the concept of “making our homes green.” Since I live in an 18th Century Farmhouse that Frank and I restored, I am more aware then most how the lifestyle our ancestors had in 1708 applies to the way we can live in 2008.

Strangely enough, we have similar goals. Without knowing it we seem to be drifting back to another time, simpler way to live our lives. Oprah recently did a show on people who live well on things they find in a dumpster. She wasn’t trying to suggest we start living out of a dumpster but I think she was pointing out that we have way too much excess in our lives. We really do have to figure out how to have a full abundant life without ruining it for everyone else.

I’m sure you’re asking how hard it will be. Think about how our ancestors did it. Think about how you live today and how they did back then. For instance, how many rooms in your house do you really use? If you’re fortunate to be able to buy a new home or plan on moving, how much space do you really need? How much STUFF do you use on a daily basis as opposed to the how much stuff you have cluttering up your home?

Back In 1708 they had fewer, smaller rooms and more children than the average family has today. The only way to heat the rooms was with the fireplace. Heat (or energy) then, as now, was (and is) a precious commodity.

My guess is that your average family consists of four, 2 adults / 2 children. You probably spend most of the time in the kitchen, bedrooms but many of you have these B I G houses with a formal dining room, a sun room, game room, offices, huge master bedroom, maybe even a media room. If you have to heat, clean, light and maintain all that space, it’s probably killing you.

You’re going to free your life up by getting rid of things. You just don’t need all that extra space; you just need to learn how to use the space you have more efficiently.

Our ancestors lived from the food they grew naturally from the garden, from the animals they raised. They used what they needed and either sold or shared the rest. Since we finished the restoration of my home 20 years ago, I’ve always had a compost area where the excess fruit or vegetables have been turned into fertilizer.

Our ancestors made their own clothes from animal hides or natural fibers and die they made themselves. Water was precious and they used it sparingly. They got their water from wells and carried it to the house or garden by hand. I often wonder if we had to do that today, maybe we’d respect that precious resource better and conserve more of it.

One only has to think about the lessons we learned when the country was young. It’s what we now call recycling. In my home, as with those from the past, closets were almost unheard of. They had chests; antique chests, blanket chests, a High Boy Chest. They were all for storage. Think about adding these kinds of pieces of furniture that have function as well as beauty and history.

This summer, think about opening the windows and not using so much air-conditioning…you’ll be reclaiming energy. If you’re like me (I admit, a bit excessive) you re-use ribbons and wrapping paper by taking it off a package slowly and carefully.

You don’t have to go nuts. Take it slowly and learn from the way our ancestors did it. Please send me your ideas and how you’re learning to cope with this new economy. Feel free to jot me a note on this QVC blog or by sending an email to me @ LindaDano.com

Thanks. These tough times may help us all live better in the long run!

I haven’t been blogging for you because I’ve been working on a project. Now I’m done and wanted to tell you about it.

During these cold, dreary days in the Northeast I decided to change a few things about my house that had been bothering me. I also decided that I’d make these changes by myself and on my own schedule.

I guess I could have hired someone to work on the house, but I loved the idea of working the project from the ground-up (or in this case, the top down).

Whenever I’ve had time over the last three weeks, I’ve been painting some interior spaces in my house. First some background…when Frank and I were putting this 18th Century House together we were very conscientious to re-create (as closely as possible) how our ancestors would have lived.

We toured a Period House in Massachusetts and Frank decided to stain our Bedroom Chamber the way they would have; with a faux sponge effect that simulates egg yolks…no joke, that’s what they used back then. Obviously they didn’t have Benjamin Moore Paints!

He only used this paint technique in the one room. No others rooms in the house were done like this. The only problem was I never liked the color. Out of respect for his hard work, I never told Frank. Around Christmas time this year, and now that I’m alone, I became fixated on painting the walls. Three weeks ago I finally decided to do it. The entire time I was painting, I was apologizing to Frank.

Now that I see the results, I believe Frank would like it better this way. It looks fabulous.

I used to be intimidated about layering paint (sponging or ragging – whatever you call it) but I’m here to tell you it isn’t hard! Any of you can do it! After you finish a small space, if you don’t like the way it came out, change it a little bit, keep working on it until it comes out the way you want it to.

I tried the technique in the bedroom four times. Like everything we women do, once we start a project, it becomes all consuming. So, of course, I left the bedroom and went into the dressing area and did that room. Then I left that room and went into the bathroom and did that room. If that wasn’t enough, I did the second bathroom and then like a crazy person, I went downstairs and did the laundry room and office area (THAT was a big job).

I guess it’s sort of like making a lovely meal and setting a beautiful table; painting gives you instant gratification! No one has seen my paintjob yet and that doesn’t matter because it gives me such pleasure every time I look at the walls.

All you need is your base paint in whatever color you choose. It has to be lighter than the sponging paint. When you buy your base paint, find the color that closest to it but slightly darker. Put the base coat on…if it’s going on a white wall, don’t even worry about the coverage, its fine if the white comes through because it gives you another dimension.

I did all the base color with a paint brush (not a roller). In fact I think if you’re going over a colored wall, you should consider putting a quick coat of white on the wall first and then put the color on with a brush (letting some of the white come through).

I tried many techniques. I tried a sponge, I tried an old washcloth and I tried using a brush and stippling it. What I liked best is the old wash cloth. Use whatever feels comfortable for you.

With a little water, I also diluted the paint I was sponging on…not a lot, just a little. This cuts the paint so it isn’t so thick. Be careful that the paint doesn’t run. It won’t look right.

I only used water based flat finish paint, not even an egg shell finish so that the end result looks like aged antique walls. It’s great. It gives the room depth.

If you’re a little hesitant, try it on one wall or a hallway until you know you’ll love it and then, like me, you can go berserk. You’ll wind up doing it on every wall in your house.

If you try this, let me know how it turns out then stand back and look at your good work. I can’t help but sit in the room and stare at how great it all looks.

You don’t have to be!

• Do you get into bed at night trying to remember what you did with the address you need to send a note to your child’s teacher or the thank you note from your mother’s good friend?
• If George Clooney called and said "fly with me to my home in Italy,” would you have to say no because you can’t find your passport?
• Does your child have a temper tantrum just because you can’t find his favorite toy?
• What did ever happened to that pretty blue shirt you bought two months ago, where is it?
• Do you beat yourself up because you know you bought new face towels? What the hell did you do with them?
• When it’s finally quiet in your house at night, are things like this making you crazy? If the answer is yes, it means you are overwhelmed and disorganized.

There is absolutely nothing better than to have control of every part of your life. As women, we have to keep so many balls in the air…besides taking care of ourselves, we have husbands, children, family, jobs outside the house or volunteer commitments, friendships, cooking, chauffeuring, getting our nails done, planning the dinner party for your husband’s boss, doctor appointments, school activities, paying bills, not to mention just figuring out how to get through a day.

How can we make our lives less chaotic? How can we organize those things that drive us the craziest? The first thing you need to do is make lists. I say this all the time.

I tell you to make a list of those things in your closet, what you need to do today, what you need to get, who you need to call. When you look around your home, what can you do to give it a more organized, more serene feeling and with a more beautiful visual impact. When you walk into your house what do you see? Do you see chaos, stuff everywhere, kid’s toys, clothes, shoes?

If that’s you, you can change it. You can find ways to organize all of it. It doesn’t have to control you. You can control it.

Buy some storage boxes, from the smallest to the largest, ones that fit into a drawer, under counters, in closets. Use storage baskets in your cupboards that can store herbs, oils…whatever it is that you can never find when you’re looking for them. Organize your shelves so you have more room and that when you open the door, you can actually find what you’re looking for.

Make a place just for clutter. Buy a trunk, buy something with drawers. Never buy a piece of furniture again that doesn’t have a second purpose. Create storage in the pieces of furniture you already own.

All over my house, I have chests and trunks and boxes all storing something. Once you get used to that, the feeling of control gives you a tremendous sense of accomplishments. I promise you will sleep better, breath better.

This kind of effort gives you a sense of order and makes you feel that the world isn’t spinning out of control. Remember, start with a list, what is it that you want to change? Go about the task of changing it. It is money so well spent, not to mention how you’ll up the value of your home quickly and easily.

Join me this Friday for The Linda Dano Home Collection. 4AM EST and 3 PM EST.

We’ll spend some time going over more of these simple changes and you’ll see some of my favorite home accessories that are as functional as they are beautiful.

From as long as I can remember, every January 1st, like many of us, make these unrealistic New Year’s Resolutions. Mine is usually to lose weight, get in shape, get healthy etc. By Day 5 of the New Year, I’m back to my old ways…I do it every year.

Since these resolutions don’t work for me (or for 99% of the rest of us), I wonder why I even bother?

So what can we resolve that really works and will give us a sense of accomplishment and pride? ….. Get organized!

It will make you feel like a person of style and substance. By taking stock of what you have, deciding what you can get rid of and how you’ll keep yourself organized all year long, you’re going to feel like you’re back in control of your life…maybe that’s somewhat of an overstatement but think of it like this; it’s possible that because this activity involves some physical activity, you might even lose a pound or two! Two results with one problem solver.

Step 1 – Step outside of your front door. Go ahead, do it. Come back in and take a good hard look. What do you see? Is it cluttered, is it messy, are there things everywhere? Is your Living Room a warm and inviting place that you’d be proud of if you invited someone over? Look at the room even more carefully, does the room look like you had a plan in mind when you designed the space?

Did you use more than 3 or 4 colors? Big question….do you like it? Probably the answer for a good many of you is NO. Let’s get going…we’ll use a little effort, a lot of encouragement and a few dollars.

Take everything that doesn’t belong in the room OUT. Get it out of there (put it in another room, pack it up in boxes, get out those garbage bags, pair down to what really belongs in the room. Look at the room again (if you’re me, you go outside again and come in again through the front door…but I know that sound excessive.

It looks better, doesn’t it? Let’s go back to my earlier question, do things in the room go together and did you put it together with a plan in mind. If the answer is no, I recommend that you start by looking at the upholstered furniture and the hard surfaces. Did you use more than 2 or 3 prints or colors that don’t go together or is everything very bland?

Paint color could make a big difference to how you feel about this room (see my last Blog). It’s also possible that the wood colors don’t go together (easily solved with some inexpensive stain).

Now you can start bringing in some attractive, versatile, multi use accessories: a coffee table, book cases with doors, storage baskets and /or storage trunks.

Because I talk about getting organized so often, you’d think I’d very little stuff, wrong. I have more “stuff” and I’m always looking for places to keep it tidy and organized.

My solution is to look for things that help me hide them….. Example: I have several sets of pillows for my Living Room couch. I never have them out at the same time so what do I do with the ones that aren’t out? Solution – I put them in a chest in front of the couch. When I’m not using the throw I have in the Living Room, it’s in a drawer in the End Table next to the couch. Magazines are another problem because I hate to have them all over the room. I put them into an organizer box that looks good in the room and hides the clutter.

Since I needed them myself, many of these items I’m suggesting you use are part of The Linda Dano Home Collection, others will be coming soon.

H08647 New Storage Trunks
H06887 Set of Two Upright Trunks
H04785 Faux Book Tabletop Storage Box
H04807 Original Faux Organizational Shelf Cover
H08379 New Faux Organizational Shelf Cover

When you start making these changes and organize the rooms in your house, you really do get a great sense of accomplishments that often has a positive effect on how you approach the rest of your life.

Think back to when you organized your shoes (usually no more than every four years). They usually stay organized for the first 4 days but those are great days.

Just the other day I bought a covered basket for my cleaning stuff. After I put everything away in the baskets I kept looking at it for several days. I felt like Martha Stewart (with a personality). It’s such a great feeling.

Getting your stuff organized gives you great freedom. Giving some time to the details in your life helps you take charge of other parts of your life. Now…back to dropping those extra pounds.

I’ll see you on QVC January 25….4AM EST and 3 PM EST.

Congratulations and Happy New Year- Well, we did it! Congratulations. All through holidays that just ended we worked ourselves to death. If you’re like me, you put up the tress, wrapped the gifts, gave the parties, cooked and did the laundry for all your guests. Give yourself a pat on the back, we’re incredible. Did you get sick?..I did! I say this every year, we need to find balance in the holiday insanity (but saying it and doing it are two different things!)

That being said, it’s January – and like many of you, I find this month is very difficult and gloomy and a real let down. It gets dark so early, it’s usually cold and wet, the kids are always under foot and your home is looking dull and sad after all the guests have gone. Let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves. Put all your furniture back in it’s place, give yourself a hug and let’s get started on giving your rooms a quick and inexpensive face-lift.

Oh boy, what can we do to make the rooms reflect what this New Year will bring? I can just hear you whispering, what could I do to help you give the rooms a new direction that wouldn’t cost too much but will give my room a much needed POP? Trust me; January does not need to be sad, in fact, it should be the time of year when our homes should start reflecting what this New Year is all about.

You all know that I’m a big fan of paint. Let’s take a look at that Living Room and Hallway. With a simple coat of paint, I can help you give these spaces a fresh new look.

How to pick the color. Not that it really matters but I’m hearing that blue is a big color in home furnishings and accessories for 2008. If blue doesn’t work in your home, please don’t feel you have to choose blue because some manufacturers say it’s the “in” color. Blue doesn’t really work in my home.

The color you choose for your home isn’t like picking a jacket. The jacket might be in your closet for a year or two but the colors in your home tend to be around a lot longer.

When picking a color, find one that works well with what’s already in the room. Your walls could already be a color that blends with your furniture and needs to be refreshed or they could be plain white…what fun to now choose a COLOR for the walls that can instantly change the room.

Here’s your exercise for picking the best color. Stand in the middle of the room; look at the chair, the sofa, pillows, throws and the rug. Pick out the dominate color in all these pieces. It can be a matching or coordinating color. For instance, if your couch is green with accents of pink, white and yellow flowers, your chairs are green and your rug has brown and green in it (don’t count the pillows, they are the easiest to switch), what color do you think I’m going to suggest?

If you said green, you’d be wrong. Not necessarily anyway. If you said pink, I don’t think your husband would be very happy, I would say yellow, a soft very soothing color in the yellow family. Especially if you don’t want to shock the people in your family, don’t pick out any color that’s too bright. Go to the paint store and get lots of those paint chips. They’re free and bringing them home to sit against what’s already in the room will really help you decide. Paint manufacturers have even started making small sample cans of paint colors (for touch-ups or sampling).

If you can’t pick with the cardboard paint chips, consider narrowing down the choices to two or three and buying these small paint cans to paint stripes of color on the wall so you can get a real idea of what it might look like. Remember you don’t have to paint all the walls in the room the same color. You could paint just one wall an accent color making it the focal point in the room.

Paint will absolutely change the room. If after all the preliminaries, you do wind up hating the color you picked, remember its only paint. You can do it again with very little effort and another can of paint. It still is the cheapest way to get a great punch.

One of my favorite accent colors is red. If there is red in the Living Room and it opens on to the Dining Room, Family Room or Kitchen, give serious thought to painting one wall red…WOW

Painting isn’t possible, what now? If after all of this, you won’t (or can’t because you’re in a rental or temporary space) paint, what do you do? Let’s say you have a monochromatic room with white walls, tan carpet, dark brown leather sofa and a non descript chair. Very boring!! Do a couple of things. You can still make the room more interesting. Use dark wood frames on the white walls, use white mats and B&W photographs. Suddenly it looks as if you’re created a simple style on-purpose.

It’s probably okay if you hang something on the wall that will give your walls a punch. For my upcoming Jan. 25th shows I have a great BIG Botanical Wall Art piece that comes complete with all the hardware you need, the rod and the nails. It’s a complete kit to make a dramatic difference to a wall, going up a staircase or even for a vaulted ceiling. (QVC Item #H06892).

You can also make a big change to your room using accessories (no coincidence that my Linda Dano Home Collection features lots of beautiful accessories). No secret; for beauty, character and elegance, I love paisley – take a look at my 4-way paisley pillows (QVC Item #H04794).

It’s January, let’s give ourselves a project that will make the house better for everyone who lives there. It’s so rewarding. By the time your finish the room we’re talking about, you’ll be ready to tackle the whole house and (by-the-way), this project is something you can do by yourself.

New Show Dates for The Linda Dano Home Collection - I’ll blog again very soon but please mark January 25 on your calendar. If you’re up at 4 AM EST, I’ll be there to kick off the day. I’m then back at 3 PM EST with the Southern Bell, Lisa Mason. I can’t wait, she’s a real trip. Tune in, I’ll be there to be your Decorator for the Day and you can count on picking up more hints.

This is the start of a brand New Year. I’ll be there to help you stop being intimidated when you’re deciding how to decorate your home. In fact, it’s my New Year’s Resolution to make you your own best designer for your own space.

See you on January 25th or email me comments or more questions to Linda@LindaDano.com

Hints from a Confessed Detail Freak

Even those people who have been to my home at the holidays year after year don’t know a secret I’m ready to share with you. Holiday decorations do not (repeat DO NOT) have to break the bank. I guess to be totally honest with you, I’ve decided I am a closet recycler!

I am passionate about how my home looks at this time of the year. From my last blog entry you already know I give Thanksgiving a great deal of importance but when that’s over I immediately begin the fun, excitement and wonder that is Christmas.

I know there are companies you can hire to come in to decorate your home. I can’t imagine not doing it myself. It gives me such pleasure to take out each ornament, music box; all the ribbon and letting the flood of memories of years past confirm that life is good at this time of year.

To make your home beautiful for Christmas, begin by looking more carefully at the things you already own. I’ll bet that if you look at them in the light of Christmas, you already have a head start. Since I’ve finally finished decorating my last tree…here we go, let me share my ideas with you so you can adapt them to fit into your idea of decorating for Christmas.

Your most important investment will be ribbon. I only buy real satin or velvet ribbon. I choose colors that go with the rooms in my home. I do not limit my choices to traditional red and green. In Connecticut I have a parlor that is salmon / blue. The Dining Room is deep red. The Back Room is in rust / blue. These rooms drive my ribbon colors. Depending on the width, the kind of quality ribbon I use can run $2-$6 a yard, but since you re-use it year after year, it’s a good investment.

I’ve got my friends and family trained to return any ribbon they get on a package from me. They may tease me about my obsession but they do give it back. The paper I use to wrap gifts is usually solid, I even use a lot of Kraft Paper. I love to glue-gun ornaments, pinecones, and wooden letters on the packages. I even use flowers, or even a small picture frame. I use my imagination to make every package very personal.

Each room in my house tells a story, gift wrapped boxes are everywhere, most are faux gifts wrapped in simple paper with special ribbon to compliment the colors in room. Putting these faux gifts around the rooms insures that the room will still look beautiful even after the real gifts have been opened. (the real gifts are often wrapped in a combination of expensive and less expensive ribbon).

Another way I stretch my decorating dollar is to buy inexpensive wreaths. I make them look one-of-a-kind expensive ones by getting stuff at the crafts stores; inexpensive faux berries, twigs and fruits (for those who bought my collection of faux fruit during the Linda Dano Home Collection Premiere Show, here’s another way to use it).

I bought these wreaths before Thanksgiving, loaded them up with harvest colors (oranges, yellows and greens) and used them as centerpieces for my tables. Now I’ve pulled that stuff off and added my Christmas colors. The easiest way to do this is with your trusted glue gun…for Christmas add red berries, pine cones, satin ribbon and twigs. Don’t be afraid; make it look wild and fun!

I also put stockings around the house. They’re not just hanging from the fireplace; I add little touches all over the house or even hanging them at the end of the bed. I fill them with some more faux wrapped gifts plus candy canes, whimsical Santa’s or other charming symbols of the holiday.

Candles are another wonderful way to make your home look festive. I’m a crazy person when it comes to candles. I mix hand dipped artisan candles with dime-store candles and battery operated candles and put them everywhere. The candlesticks are a mix of antique brass candle sticks, home-made candle holders, glass votives as well as ones I found at flea markets and online. What makes them all work together is the (say it together) R I B B O N!

This is where I should also tell you that I don’t have one big tree; I have trees all over the house. Since I live in a very old home, I have stopped using real trees and now have wonderful fake trees that can be used year after year. Some are small table-top trees; others are 4, 5 or 6 ft. Most of them are Bethlehem Lights trees I’ve gotten from QVC. I’ve got them in the bedroom, kitchen…sometimes 2 or 3 trees in various sizes grouped together.

I theme my trees. One that is particularly sweet is my Memory Tree. I am fortunate to still have my grandmother’s bible. It’s beaten up but I cherish it. Each year I carefully open it, put a ribbon down the middle and small picture frame with a photo of my grandmother and grandfather. You might have a special bible that would be perfect to take out and display at Christmas…maybe the bible you used for your Confirmation. Put it Center Stage at this time of the year and it becomes part of your history to share with others.

My Memory Tree ornaments are picture frames hanging from ribbon on the branches. They’re all my family /friends who have been so important in my life. These frames really don’t have to match. In fact I am hoping to have collection of these photo frames for you next Christmas on QVC.

You can theme an animal tree with ornaments that look like your pets, one with just berries and lights or miniature toys. The idea for a themed tree comes from your hobbies and your favorite things.

Another way I make Christmas less commercial is to get the kids to help with the projects. They love to make paper garlands by cutting out loops of construction paper and gluing them into rings (they also make sweet napkin rings). The also help me string cranberries or popcorn instead of using tinsel. All these activities are what Christmas memories are made of.

I could go on forever about decorating for Christmas but here’s the last one for right now. On the back of the arm chairs in my Dining Room, I hang stockings filled with gifts. The other chairs in the room look festive with small wreaths strung with ribbon (smaller wreaths can be attached to chairs with green wire).

Have fun decorating. Pull out what you already own and see how you can make it work for the holiday. It’s your family, your home and your memories and you can make it memorable for years to come. Some of you have already sent me pictures of the Linda Dano Three tier tray filled with holiday decorations. Please send me other pictures of your home…I’d love to see what you’ve done.

I look forward to the people who will be visiting me over the holiday and sharing my beautiful home with them. I hope you enjoy seeing the picture I’m including with this blog and more that are on my website www.lindadano.com



I’ll visit again with you soon but I hope you’ll mark your 2008 calendar with the date for my next Linda Dano Home Collection Shows. January 25 (4AM and 3PM EST)