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Continued

Rachel Ashwell:
• "Less is more.
• Choose a few select items -- a sofa, table, rug, chandalier.
• Keep whatever you have simple.
• Try and have fresh flowers, even three separate buds vases which adds luxury and beauty.
• Fragrance is nice as well, so incorporating candles (vanilla) is always nice."

Charlotte Moss: "Looking back I wish I'd been less formal and more casual . I wish I had listened to myself a little more and invested in pieces that were going to stay for a long time, like a great bed and a great dining room table.

"I think a great bed in a master bedroom is very important. A lot of people think about the public rooms first, and think about themselves last, and I think that should never be the case. Investment things include a great dining room table, because that's where everybody comes together when you entertain.

"The thing that exists today that didn't exist before, are mail order catalogs . Today, there are catalogs that are brilliant. You can go to Pottery Barn and get velvet curtains. And even if the whole color palette is too much for you, the violets or deep green, then white with one color can really stand the test of time. Look at Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and the incredible Pottery Barn for Kids -- all of these things available via mail order didn't used to exist. It makes decorating so much easier today because it's available at retail, it's attractive, and it's very well-priced for the quality. I think it's so much easier for young people today ."

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