Dressing your room can be as easy as dressing yourself, especially if you want your room to reflect your personality. This idea came to me on a recent trip as I was getting ready for dinner with friends at a hot, trendy restaurant. I had just finished some shopping and like most girls, I couldn’t wait to wear some of my new buys.

How do you decorate a room? Start with an inspiration piece and build up from there. That’s exactly how I put together my outfit. My inspiration came from a warm tan Angora Prada scarf that I found on sale at Barney’s. Then I found something great to go with it: a cream and gold sequined tank top from Ted Baker.

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To give this outfit a bit of a more casual feel, I paired it with Banana Republic stretch cropped jeans — which showcased even better with these bronze, sky-high YSL stilettos. The final touch: a long gold-tone necklace. These were the last few things I had brought from home.

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So, what does this crazy outfit have to do with décor? The next time you want to create a truly unique space, think about how you might dress yourself. I started with my inspiration piece, kept the color palette of warm neutrals and metallics in mind, and layered in some “bling.” Then, I brought in a comfortable and casual element, and combined pieces I already had with new showcase pieces. I also made sure to vary my textures and bring in a few interesting ones.

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The same idea goes not only for obvious spaces like a living room, but for personal spaces as well. These might be your bedroom, home office or even a reading area.

As for my outfit? My daughter thought I looked ridiculous. My husband thought I looked hot. What mattered most was I had fun with it, and I felt great. After all, isn’t that what your space should do for you? Even if your daughter thinks it’s ridiculous.

Cathy Lee is a home style expert, speaker, president and designer of Cathy Lee Style. Her redesigns of residential and business spaces have been featured in local and national publications and on HGTV. For more info and inspiring photos of design projects, visit www.cathyleestyle.com. And keep up with Cathy’s dream home makeover at her photo blog, Homefront.

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