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Q. What are some of the common decorating mistakes made by homeowners? What's your advice on how to avoid or correct those mistakes?

Ann Fox: "Decorating around items you don't really love, or around something you have inherited but feel you must use. If you don't love it now, you probably won't 'grow to love' it later. So don't add fuel to the fire by decorating around a problem."

Tricia Foley: "I think that many people try to copy what's trendy rather than trusting their own personal style in decorating their homes, and then the look doesn't last ! If you're really not sure about making these decisions, keeping a file of pictures of favorite rooms culled from books and magazines will help narrow it down.

"In terms of color for walls, I always do a test patch and live with it to see how the color responds to the light and with the existing furnishings. It's also important to put it all together and make sure that your color palette is compatible and that you're not acquiring furniture and accessories in bits and pieces that don't work together. "

Rachel Ashwell: "One of my pet peeves is too much matching, clutter, frills and people being too quick to complete the decorating process. The solution is to simplify. Be without, rather than making a wrong quick choice. Less is more."

Lyn Peterson: "Beware of the smalls. Everyone has a certain set price-point. Mine is $75. I will buy one hundred $75 things but not spring for one $750 thing let alone a $7,500 purchase. The price is a contributing factor but also perhaps sheer size. Usually these lower priced items are smaller rather than larger. We can buy them and carry on with our forays, be they at a flea market, consignment shop or antique store. We don't have to load them into the car and we still have money left to spend. Or we order endless quantities of these smalls from mail order catalogues - an endless stream of UPS men delivering goodies from Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel.

"When I go to client's homes, their mantles, windowsills, and tabletops are littered with these smalls while their seating is woefully short or they are in dire need of an area rug. Hold the smalls. Buy the beef ."

Charlotte Moss: "Things I notice right away are bad lampshades, straggly plants -- even one great plant will do instead -- and dinkiness in scale, with little teensy things dotted all over or picture frames on every surface. I really think things should be massed together for greater effect."

Mary Baltz: "Many people make decorating decisions too quickly without exploring all of the possibilities. It is always better to take your time. In the end you'll always have better results."