Anything below eye level is OK because you don't want to obstruct the view. In a penthouse with... From flat to fab in '9

Anything below eye level is OK because you don't want to obstruct the view. In a penthouse with an ocean view, I placed a bench that is about 18 inches off the floor in front of the window. To me, it doesn't obstruct the view, it enhances it. But you don't want to have all the seating facing the view. Seating should be arranged for conversation. Another thing to remember is the ocean is a black expanse at night and no longer the focal point.

The best thing for immediate gratification is fresh flowers. You never see a photo in a magazine without beautiful floral arrangements. Every week I buy flowers. There is something amazing about it. Why do people think of buying flowers on special occasions? It's because flowers have that much power. Don't buy silk. Always buy fresh. Just put them on the coffee table in a clear vase. I promise it will change the way you look at that room.

I love living rooms. I don't want to decorate without one. I feel strongly that it's an introduction of who you are or who you want to be. People don't use most of the rooms unless they have a very small house. Our house is not huge, but we could get rid of the rest of the rooms and just keep the bedroom. We are working people, and when we come home it is usually dark. We are in the kitchen to have our snack or dinner. Then we go into the bedroom to read and watch TV. But I love the rest of the house. I love looking at it. I don't know why you would want to be logical about your home. You have more than one pair of shoes. Logic doesn't have a place when it comes to luxury.

"Trend" is a word very difficult for me to deal with. I usually don't answer very well on those kind of questions. I think what you select for your home should have longevity. Find something you really love and something that lasts. Design is not like fashion. It's a pretty long-term relationship. If you want to use trendy colors, use them in small doses and maybe in accents.

Q. Some design pundits say color has seen its day. Beige, black and other neutrals are coming back on the runways and in home design. What's your take on color?

I think it's wonderful that neutrals are returning. If you really check out rooms, the walls, ceiling, large upholstery and floors are neutrals.

Fluorescent tubing produces even lighting. Buy the full-spectrum fluorescents, if possible, because the warm tones they produce resemble daylight. High hats (halogen recessed lighting) have spots, and it's cool lighting. In the task area in a kitchen, I recommend a fluorescent tube under the counter. You can use a valence to conceal it. The ceilings in our house are 18 feet and have high hats. God forbid if you keep them on and the bulb goes. I learned from personal experience. You can go a step further and have an elongated tube over the cook top in the center of the kitchen. Another good idea is pendants or elongated fixtures.

The coffee table should be no more than 18 inches from the sofa. Your average arm length is 18 inches when you are seated, allowing you to place a drink on the table without sitting on the edge of your seat. You need 18 inches to walk between the sofa and the table, and legs need 18 inches to extend when you are sitting down.

Arrange the furniture so that the distance from one person's head to another is no more than 8 feet. It has to do with hearing. It also makes the room feel more intimate. The rule should not be compromised no matter how much space you have. If you have a great room that's 25 by 30 feet, create more than one conversation grouping. Or use the extra space for something like a game table or a bar area.

It has to do with volume and with size. Anytime you select a color, the more of it you have, the more intense it becomes. People bring in a sample and they say it can't be the same color. They say it's brighter or darker than they thought. Find the color you like and go two colors lighter on the color strip. I have experimented and it has worked for me. The worst thing is to select the wrong color. You don't want to walk into a room and say "Omigod, what is this?"

I really and truly want them to have a beautiful home. They deserve that. After all the reading, all the illustrations, all the photos, they will have a finished product that makes them smile every time they come into the room.

"I started to outline what I do," she said. "When I started putting it down, I realized that I came up with the same nine steps. For seven months, I tried to come up with number 10 and couldn't do it."

"First look for the composition of the room and make sure the pieces you want have some relationship to the space. Then go into the various pieces -- the chairs, sofa or window treatment. Your 'Look Book' becomes your recipe book or cookbook. You may not be able to do the entire house at one time, but you need to have a plan book to keep you on track and prevent you from making hasty decisions."

Evaluate what's in it and decide which elements will most influence the design, such as the view, light levels and planned use of the room. You'll learn how to measure and make a floor plan.

This is a book you create with a three-ring binder and page protectors that includes everything you have clipped out of magazines, swatches of fabric, wallpaper samples and brochures you have picked up in home furnishings' stores. When it's finished, it will help you make decisions on color, furnishings, art and accessories.

Your furniture should be arranged to be comfortable and functional. You will learn basics, such as how far to place the coffee table from the sofa, how to arrange a conversation area and how much room to allow on either side of the bed.

Your room has three layers -- floor, walls and ceiling. Hayes explains how to divide the decorative items in these areas and how to calculate what to spend on each layer.

Decide if your personality fits into the "collector" or "eclectic" types. The collector's challenge is to make sure the collection doesn't overwhelm the room. For the eclectic, she says, 75 percent to 85 percent of the furnishings should be in one style, and the rest in a different period or style.

Although Hayes uses neutrals for the background, she gives suggestions on adding color to punch up a room. Start with the floor coverings, then upholstery, and finally, select window treatments and wallcoverings.

Ever wonder why something looks wrong in a room with tile floors, leather furniture and without rugs or throw pillows? You'll learn how to add warmth to your decor with textures and patterns.

This is the step that Hayes says "really makes a house a home." She helps you determine your look and guides you in selecting tabletop art, floor art and wall art.

Before you make the final evaluation, she suggests leaving the house for at least eight hours. This is the time you use to clear your head so you see the design fresh when you return. If you don't know where to look first, you still have some work to do. The fix could be as easy as removing something or moving the furniture around.

"People are afraid of what good taste really is," she said. "I loved a line from the old TV show 'Sanford and Son.' Sanford was a junk dealer. In one episode, he went to the home of very wealthy people. The home was very organized.

"Sanford looked at it and said, 'This house has no personality. You can't even smell anything. I think we got to get some personality going on here.'"

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