Decorating Do's and Don'ts Designers Part Three

Don't: Make a Room Too Formulaic

"Start a room with a classic furniture layout that's functional, then add in funky pieces to loosen it up, relax it, and keep it from feeling too formulaic."

Do: Draw the Eye With an Interesting Piece

"A photographer I worked with taught me the importance of the axial view. When you're looking down a corridor, you want a wonderful object at the end of it to draw you forward - a sculpture, a chandelier, anything to define the space and pull you in."

Don't: Go Overboard

"One of my mentors always said, 'Just because you can doesn't mean you should.' Great projects are the ones that show a little restraint."

Do: Pay Attention to Doors and Entrances

"Spend the money to make openings between rooms as high as possible - anything to get away from the standard, squat 7-foot-tall door. It really creates a sense of openness, lightness, and grandeur in a space."