After years in development, Christopher's proven approach to decorating a room one layer at a time is designed to keep you on budget and out of overwhelm. Review this abbreviated version to understand the basics of Christopher's Design philosophy. Then for more information, check out his Seven Layers of Design book.

Layer 1 Paint and Architecture (moldings, mantel)
Layer 2 Installed Flooring (any floor surface that is wall to wall)
Layer 3 High Ticket Upholstery Items (sofa, love seat)
Layer 4 Accent Fabrics (area rugs and drapes)
Layer 5 Non-upholstered Furnishings (the work horses of the room, end tables, chairs, coffee tables)
Layer 6 Accessories (pictures, mirrors, candlesticks)
Layer 7 Plants and Lighting

Layer 1 Paint and Architecture

The first of the Seven Layers is devoted to the "shell" of the room, the four walls plus the ceiling. To really see what your living space looks like, remove all the furniture from the room and look at the shape with a fresh eye. The architecture of the room is represented first by its shape and second by its embellishments. Those include wood trim, baseboards, crown molding, built-ins, fireplace mantels, etc. Architectural elements not only add value to homes, but also charm and substance. They make the difference by giving a room that designer look.

Also included in the first layer is paint. However, choosing wall color is the number one fear in home design. Take time to find the most neutral shade that goes with everything you love and that works as a background to which you'll add six more layers. Neutral doesn't mean beige! From palest to deepest, every color has its most neutral shade. When choosing paint color, select the medium shade on the paint strip for the walls, the color that is two shades lighter for the ceiling if it's under 9 feet high or one shade darker than the wall color if it's over 9 feet and the lightest shade on the strip for the trim. Paint is the most inexpensive way to add warmth to your room.

Layer 2 — Installed Flooring

Whether you choose hardwood, tile, linoleum, peel and stick squares or carpet, the floor connects and completes the room. This layer is installed flooring, a permanent or semi-permanent material that is installed from wall to wall. This doesn't include area rugs which we'll talk about in Layer 4 (accent fabrics). Keep the flooring simple without complicated floor patterns. Exercise the art of restraint, stick to the system, focus on the background and save your exciting pattern ideas for later.

Layer 3 — High Ticket Upholstery Items

Layer 3 refers to the high-ticket, upholstery pieces. Upholstered items are considered in this early stage for two reasons. First, they require significant lead time to be ready for your finished room and second, like the walls, ceiling and floors, upholstered pieces are still part of the background. They are the basic furniture blocks of your and should be in a neutral palette. You can go pattern crazy later in the accent fabric layer, but Layer 3 is still about building a foundation. Layer 3 is high-ticket upholstery items: These are basically any oversized fabric covered pieces. Remember to focus on solid and textured fabrics rather than patterns. Locking yourself into a pattern can be a costly investment, which won't have any return.

Focus on furniture pieces with simple, classic lines that won't out of style. You may want to move the sofa from the living room to a den or library if you move to another home. The construction should be of a solid hardwood frame that is jointed and nailed, which will withstand repeated reupholstering. Layer 3 is designed to assure that the early investments you make in your upholstered furniture will stand the test of time.

Layer 4 — Accent Fabrics

Since our choices have been confined to solid color and textural fabrics, adding the accent fabrics in Layer 4 can be an enjoyable experience. We can be frivolous, cavalier and even giddy with pattern possibilities. This is where you can have fun with accent fabrics for pillows, curtains, draperies, runners and yes, area rugs. These are the easier pieces to change from season to season or when updating is needed.

When scouting fabric stores, take a close look at how they've grouped fabrics into collections. Manufacturers create collections that coordinate large prints with petite patterns and match geometrics with solids. This can make mixing and matching easier. Bring your swatches home and spend time with them. To provide balance, accents should draw the eye around the room at a glance, since the eye goes to color and detail.

Layer 5 — Non-upholstered Furnishings

The shell of the room is finished and we're almost ready to display our wonderful decorative items. But where? Layer 5 is devoted to the non-upholstered furniture, or the side pieces that will add surfaces and storage areas to a room. These are the workhorses of the room. Without these workhorses of the room, like coffee, end and side tables, a room simply doesn't work.

When choosing workhorses, keep the focus as much on storage as on design. Select a coffee table with a drawer and shelf to accommodate the junk that usually gets piled on the table. Your seating should never be more than an arm's length away from a reliable surface. If you have to get up from a sofa or chair to reach a lamp or beverage, that surface is too far away. Layer 5 is designed for functionality. It assures that the workhorses of the room look fabulous while serving the space effectively.

Layer 6 — Accessories

Accessories are the jewelry of the room. They add sparkle, interest and eye-catching glitter. A collection of a few larger, well-placed accessories beats a shelf full of dust gatherers. Proper arrangement can take ordinary clutter and organize it into wonderful still lifes that lend that designer look to a room. Merchandising your home is the key to arranging your belongings into groupings that make sense and look fabulous. Place objects at varying heights. Group items by theme or by color.

One of the ways to prevent your accessories from simply being absorbed into the room is to think about scale. Try standing at the threshold of a room and looking at your accessories. If you can't identify a particular object from that distance, chances are it's too small. Gather several small, similar items together as a collection. They'll look more important. Accessories define your personal style.

Layer 7 — Plants and Lighting

The seventh layer is about plants and lighting and how to combine them. They work together to create shadow and texture. Shadow is important in creating atmosphere and ambiance.

Lighting can come from above, mid-range and below. Lamp light from the midpoint of the room is most important. Practical fixtures put light at your fingertips. Spotlights from above focus attention on objects. Uplights that sit on the floor cast light upward. Placed behind furniture or under a tree, uplights produce fabulous effects and are the best tool for casting shadow. Here's a tip, remember, as much lighting should come from the floor as from the ceiling.

Adding plants to your spaces will bring natural energy, color and frangrance. There are also good-looking artificial trees available these days. They are so authentic looking that the illusion is destroyed only by the touch. Make sure you place them in a real terra cotta pot or ceramic container.

There you have it. By following my Seven Layers of Design you can avoid costly disappointments and stay on budget by approaching home decorating one layer at a time. If you can put an outfit together, you already have the skills it takes to decorate a room. You Can Do It!

For more detailed information about the Seven Layers, pick up a copy of the book, Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design. It's a must-have book for understanding Christopher's design basics, demystifying and reassuring the first-time home decorator. Click here for more.