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Navy and off-white is a classic and refined colour combination. Its neutrality means you're not likely to tire quickly... definitely a pairing for those with classical taste. This pairing, though, relies on some discipline. It works best when stuck to faithfully - yielding a crisp and elegant impression.

I was sitting at a party next to a friend when she glanced down and noticed that her husband's pants were from another suit and did not match. Though he had previously asked for her opinion, neither of them had perceived the faux pas.

The wall above a fireplace offers a real opportunity to create a focal point. Focal points are important in rooms because they give somewhere for the eye to rest, they can even define the function of the room. Think of the focal point as the "face" of the room. A room can be beautifully decorated, but without a focal point, it lacks purpose, personality and expression.

Summer style is not just for the cottage. I've been receiving lots of messages lately asking how to bring the easy and carefree look of summer homes to the city. When I was asked to host Summer Home on HGTV, I wondered if it would be a problem that I'm a city girl. My designs, however, were described to me as having a cottage vibe. I never really thought of my style as being summery or countrified, though I do recall my brother telling someone "Sam loves beat-up old country stuff from the garbage." OK, I do love a curbside find, but I always refurbish what I bring home. I have to admit though, looking around my living room now, if there were a tongueand-groove backdrop (whitewashed of course), all my furniture would work.

My heart always goes out to people when I see them standing paralyzed in front of that wall of tiny colour samples at paint stores. I can see a state of confusion overtaking them. They either don't know where to begin, or grab so many samples they're bound to be just as confused when they get home.

If we told you pink isn't just for little girls would you believe us? We think we might have a hard time convincing you. But really, it's time pink cast off all those excessively frou-frou connotations and became a colour we can wield just like blue, green or any other.

When we furnish a room, many of us carefully measure to be sure the couch isn't too wide or the dining room table too long. We draw a horizontal map, determined to fit everything in without crowding.

IKEA on a Saturday afternoon may be a form of hell on earth, but we'll warrant it's a rare home that doesn't have something from Kingdom of the Allen key. Indeed, Billy, Expedit and Poang may be our generation's Saarinen and Eames... classic designs manufactured on a large scale.

It may be that I've reached a certain age, or perhaps it's coincidence, but I suddenly find myself surrounded by people having babies.

The difference between this stock image and "home" is all the stuff that's added after those bigger decorating decisions have been made. And because these are smaller decisions, smaller objects, they're often overlooked. Let's focus on art - something this space is sorely missing