A well-decorated home looks attractive to guests, but your well-decorated home is an extension of your personality. Some people wake up in the morning with an instant understanding of their style. They move into a new place and know exactly how they are going to arrange the rooms. They know what they love and how to effortlessly pull the pieces together. And then there are the rest of us. It's not that we lack options or taste, we just like lots of things - and we're not always sure how to combine them. We have a sense of how stuff should work but aren't confident enough to trust our instincts, or we lack the pieces needed to complete the looks. So the space just stays not quite rights.

1. Set a deadline and a budget. Why do home improvement projects seem to drag on endlessly? Unlike with a wedding, there's rarely a drop-dead date. So pick one, right away. Make it realistic (not next week-probably not next month, either), and stick to it. Write it on your calendar. Plan a huge housewarming party for that date and send out save-the-dates to all of your friends. It'll keep you on your toes! Even if you've lived in a place for three years, throw a celebration to say farewell to the same lackluster décor and welcome in your new living space. You also need a budget. Basic rearranging can be done without cash, but chances are you'll need to buy new bed linens or a chair or a couch. Decide right way how much you can devote to new purchases and set your sight accordingly. And keep in mind, no budget is ever big enough!

2. Pick a room. Prioritize your time and resources. This book starts with the most public areas of your home leading to the most private, but if you'd rather begin by creating a calming oats in the bedroom, go for it. Of course, some things will need to be done throughout your home, like cleaning up and appropriately categorizing everything, but working on one room at a time and following through until the last pillow is in place will help you avoid the feeling of having a hundred incomplete projects under way.

3. Find your style and make a statement. Unless you have a home with an open floor plan, each room can make a boldly different statement. Use your personality. If you live to cook and entertain, fill your kitchen with cheerful colors and artwork. More the tradition type? Start with a formal dining room conductive to serous conversation. And if you'd like them both, that's okay, too!

4. Get on the same page. The space you inhabit is not only yours, it's shared with cohabitants. What are your ideas? What are theirs? Put your inspiration on paper. Choose the colors and styles of specific items you want, and create a design inspiration sheet. You don't have to hammer out all the details right away. Focus on two things: color and spirit.

5. Get up to speed. Learn the basics when it comes to design. This book is all about understanding décor. You'll find secrets that stylists and designers use every day, and once you know hwy you like certain styles and ideas, you'll be able to project them onto your own stuff.

6. Throw it out. If you're moving into a new space, it's always easier if you start with nothing. This is especially important if you're combining two sets of stuff. If you can't bear to part with on item, label it and store it in the basement or in a closet. Compromise is important here, too. If you veto an item your cohabitant loves because it won't fit into the decorating scheme, use it in a different room.

7. Shop wisely. Don't buy anything until you really know what you want, and never feel pressure to fill a space. Sparse spaces can be lovely if done right. Know what to invest in. Think of the bed, the couch, and shelves as staples, and the rest of accents.

8. Enjoy the process. Even if you make a bad decision (those bloodred walls may have seemed like a good idea on paper ... ), know that all things design are reversible. Granted, if you're tearing down walls or retiling a kitchen, you should probably think it through, but that garish set of pillows that you swore matched something in your space can be covered in under ten minutes, it's not life or death - it's home décor.

© 2008 by Carley Roney

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About the Author

Carley Roney is at the helm of the world's favorite wedding brand as editor in chief of TheKnot.com and its sister site, TheNest.com. She is the author of seven wedding books from The Knot, and appears regularly on Oprah, Today and The View.