“One is never overdressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.” —Karl Lagerfeld

Once you have the purpose of your room determined, the next step is to determine your base. This is your favorite goes with everything jeans, the classic black dress or the simple white cotton T. In your room, the base is those larger key pieces such as a sofa, rug or headboard that you build off of. No matter what style or event, your base supports the activities without drawing attention. It’s like elevator music; you only notice when it isn’t there. This doesn’t mean that they have to be boring or even brown but they should support a change of mind, season or holiday. How many tops end up on the floor when you are trying to pick a perfect look but your jeans aren’t coming off? Again, a base color doesn’t have to be beige, but it should be neutral enough for everything else to speak. Take your jeans for example. They are blue and every color and style work with them. In nature, green leaves support all flower colors from the rare beauty to the common weed. Every color has a neutralness to it when done correctly. The last element to be considered is comfort. How many times have you itched in a sweater or tugged at too short pants? This is a piece of furniture that needs to be a part of your life and can’t be pushed to the back of your closet. If you aren’t able to use your furniture, you might start to avoid that room altogether.

“Elegance is not standing out, but being remembered.” —Giorgio Armani