WWW.SElifestyle.COM · OCTOBER 2010 · SOUTHEAST Lifestyle 3 by Denise H. Osborne f you are standing in a room of your home and don't know what to do, you are not alone. While you may live there every day, you may be at a standstill about how to make your home work for you. Here are some great tips to help you get started. I Dare to Dream Fall is here and NOW is a great time to get started on some interior projects. The holidays are coming and if you start now, you will be ready for some kicked-back time with your friends and family. Happy Decorating! Denise H. Osborne, owner of Accessory Design Services, provides consultation, products and services as needed. www.AccessoryDesignServices.com, 4738 Pleasant Garden Road, Pleasant Garden, N.C. 27313, (336) 674-2150. Next month: October Furniture Market Overview 1. Inspiration. Don't look at what is, dream what is possible! Look around you and determine what gets you going. Start thinking about what you love. Surround yourself with what feels good and makes you smile. 2. Styles. While it is important to know about furniture and components that make up a room, it is far more important that the room reflects your personality. If you love a modern piece of art and you have a traditional room, it is considered more unique if you mix and match. 3. Color. Unless vanilla expresses your taste, there are so many other colors that you can fall in love with. So express yourself! Just one word of advice... be careful with really dark saturated colors as they tend to close down a room. 4. Lighting. Most houses are insufficiently lit. Lighting is so important especially for the elderly. Take an inventory and make sure your space has multiple sources of light. I love, love, love dimmers. All remodels and new construction should have them. 5. Accessories. What is a room without them? They are the pinnacle of the home. Use anything that can reflect your style or personality. These additions to the room can be the highlight and topic of many a conversation. 6. Re-purpose. If you never step foot into your living room, rethink how you could better use this room. Do you need an office instead of a bedroom? Take inventory of your needs and make it work for you. 7. De-clutter. This is the hardest part, but lighten up. It is recommended that you box up and label items. Store them away and if it has not been used in six months to a year; then since they are already packed up it will be much easier to let them go. The invariable mark of a dream is to see it come true. -Ralph Waldo Emerson