Using an Interior Designer

Why such ado about interior design? Isn't it enough just to have a place to sit, a table to eat at and a bed to sleep in? There are those who think it is anti-intellectual to bother with color, form and coordination. Some believe that function is all that matters. Well, I disagree and I'll tell you why.

Art satisfies the soul. If you feel good inside, it will show outside, and your soul is as inside as you can get.

By art, I don't necessarily mean you must fill your home with expensive works by famous artists. Art in this context is the pleasant orchestration of form, function, color and texture that make up the completed interior of your house.

You've got to admit: Living in a pleasant environment makes you feel good. If the colors around you make you feel content, you function better. If the furnishings you sit, eat and sleep on make you feel nurtured, I believe you'll live longer.

When your spouse and children enjoy their environment, again, you benefit from their pleasure, and it is always nice to have neighbors and friends walk into your home and ooh and aah about how nicely you've decorated it.

Which brings me to another point. Don't be shy about using an interior designer. No interior designer can force his or her opinion on you. You are the one who is designing your home. The professional designer is there to help you find what you're looking for and to make sure it all fits and coordinates. In the final analysis, you should take the credit for the end product. After all, wasn't it you who approved the purchases?

Going back to the subject of art, there is an art to making your interiors beautiful and comfortable. It takes time, practice and advice.

• Time: Take the time to dream about what you want. Look through magazines and go through designed model homes. Write down your preferences and requirements.

• Practice: Here is where your interior designer will save you costly mistakes. S/he has been trained and practices every day.

• Advice: Don't decorate your home for your neighbor or friend. Remember, you are the one who has to live there, so it should be done to your taste and satisfaction. Take your own advice and that of a family member living in your home first, along with that of your professional designer.

Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you and those living in your home are comfortable and happy with the interior design, you have created a masterpiece.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of Mystery of Color.