Charlotte Moss's tips on budget decorating, advice on starting out, and seasonal changes...

Q. What advice do you wish someone had given you about funishing your own home when you first started out?

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.

"When I was first married I bought upholstery and things that were very formal, thinking that's what I 'should' have as a young married person. Really what would have worked better was if someone had said -- look, your tastes will change dramatically... just do simple things in one or two colors and slipcover it so you can change your mind if you want to. I think I erred on the side of formality and wish I'd perhaps been myself a bit more.

"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. I think that should never be the case. Investment things include a great dining room table. I wish I had spent money there rather than some other things, because that's where everybody comes together when you entertain.

Q. How can young couples begin decorating when they're on a budget?

Charlotte Moss: "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 these are available now via mail order. 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.

"I love the challenge of doing a whole room by mail order. We did that for a nursery for a client last year and we did the entire project from mail order. It was such a kick to pull it all together."

Q. Many people like the idea of updating their interiors for the seasons. What techniques do you use to transition your home from winter into spring/summer?

Charlotte Moss: "For myself, I have a house at the beach that's geared towards the summer and warm weather. But if someone has a house and wants to change it from season to season to give it a fresh look, in other words -- keep that movement going -- it all comes back to slipcovers. My grandmother did it. She also would change one of the rugs. The rug in the winter was a bit heavier than the one in the summer.

"Most people don't change curtains, as it's just too expensive. But, by using sources such as mail order catalogs, it's nice to pick up something like Garnet Hill or Anthropologie and get something embroidered and breezy looking for the summer.

"If you're not going to change a lot of things in the room like the rug or curtains or the slipcovers, you can move things around, take some of the accessories out for the summer and lighten them up. You can get a new look by moving things around -- it doesn't always have to be in buying something else.

So if you can't afford to buy new things, move them around and make an effort to rearrange things in the summer, and if you can, go for slipcovers and change the look."