What's Your Design Sign?

Article by: Mary Cynthia Knowles

If you've been consistently bewildered about how to , Online Furniture Stores make your style happen in your home, , Mirrors relax, take a deep breath and forgive yourself. , Hanging Curtains? DonÂ’t Forget the Rods and Finials! We don't come into this world with knowledge, we learn as we go!

At first glance, interior design , Discount Bathroom Vanities appears to be about the latest trends, beautiful , A Great Way to Create a Safe and Easy to Clean Home Adding Shag Area Rugs fabrics, furniture , Discount Carpet: Find Out How To Get The Carpet You Want or rugs, , Cuckoo Clocks For Decorating The Walls and the hottest label.

First of all, let me tell you what I'm not going to talk about! I'm not going to talk here about current trends, what's in, what's out. I'm not going to show you homes , From Soiled to Stunning: How to Clean Leather and Fabric Upholstered Sofas of movie stars or business tycoons. I'm not going to show you rooms , Door Chime Upgrades: Constantly Developing Technology and rooms , Home Decor Color Trends for 2006 of expensive furniture , Feng Shui and the Color of Money that you might be able to afford-- or not.

So, you won't find the answer on any TV show, in any magazine or website.

The answer is in you!

After serving over one thousand clients in 25 years, the secret of creating a dream home , Unique Doorknockers: A Touch of Class is-- dreaming! So, the first step is knowing what you want.

Experts and authors who talk about goal setting, from Napoleon Hill to Anthony Robbins to Lynne Grabhorn, talk about a FEELING. Yes, written goals are essential, but where does the writing come from? A book? Someone else's goals? No! They come from YOU! Have you ever really explored what is important to YOU?

From trash to treasure

Here's an exercise for you to do. It will help you pick your home , Choosing Floor And Wall Covering Fabrics For All Your Decorating Needs accessories, but it will also help you find your individual style, your "Design Sign".

Go up into your attic, rummage through your closets, look under your beds , Say Goodbye to The Wooden Window Shutter and pull out the things you packed away. Pull them out and lay them on the floor. , A Great Way to Create a Safe and Easy to Clean Home Adding Shag Area Rugs What items make you feel good, bring you joy that you'd forgotten?

Look through any decorating , Home Interior magazines you have lying around (or any other magazines, for that matter). What images stir your heart, make you smile, and move you? Start clipping pictures and pasting"â€just a few if you don't have a lot of time.

As you go about your day, look for things that make you feel good. I'm not talking about expensive things or status items; I'm talking about the simple, subtle images and memories that bring you peace, joy and comfort. Only you know what they are. These are the things that bring Beauty into your life, not the latest trip to the shopping mall.

Echoes of Childhood Past

Think about the places , Turning Your Child's Room into a Mysterious Jungle you lived growing , TV Entertainment Centers up. If you have pleasant memories, recall them. What gives you a sense of safety, , Stylish Dining Room Furniture excitement, wonder?

Growing up, I loved to ride horses on our family farm. , Discount Bathroom Vanities I liked everything about it: the green , Folding Chairs Verses Standard Chairs - Make Your Choice fields, the sound of wind in the trees, , Bamboo Flooring and yes, even the smell of manure!

So it's not surprising I live in a bungalow in the middle of horse country. No, it's not a "McMansion" in a trendy zip code. I moved there because of the feeling of freedom I had when I was a kid.

Believe it or not, your conscious intention to find these things will influence your attention to noticing them! If this sounds strange, believe me when I tell you I've seen stranger things. I have my clients do just these things, and I've seen them come alive when they rediscover parts of themselves they had forgotten.

For me, this is the whole point of interior , Stylish Dining Room Furniture design: creating a home , A Great Way to Create a Safe and Easy to Clean Adding Shag Area Rugs that is warm, expressive, and personal. The first step on the path , Unique Doorknockers: A Touch of Class of self-discovery-- before buying anything, or reading anything-- is to spend a little time with yourself , How to Install Bamboo Flooring and those you love.

Good luck and happy decorating! , Trash or Treasure: Assessing Your Possessions

Mary Cynthia Knowles is an interior designer , Cottage Style Home Decorating: Everything's Coming Up Roses in Your Living Room with over 2,500 clients in her portfolio. She has been sharing her home , Modern Furniture decorating knowledge and teaching the joy of self-expression for over 25 years.

For an expanded version of this article, complete with a quiz and illustrations, please visit http://www.decoratebydesign.com/home-decorating-ideas.htm

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