Although Denise Britti didn’t begin her professional interior decorating company, Beautiful Décors Inc., until 2003, she credits her background in psychology and marketing for helping her work with her clients and grow the business. One of the highest-traffic spaces in the client’s home, this room needed to be uplifted in a functional, not fussy, way. The result is a warm and welcoming living area for entertaining and relaxing. The key changes, Britti notes, were in three areas:  “These windows are the focal point of the entire room,” she says. “I wanted tall and narrow treatments that would accentuate the architecture and draw the eye upward.” Her creations won Britti an award from Window Fashion Vision magazine’s 2008 Envision Design Competition. “The original photo collage dwarfed this beautiful mantel and crossed over the molding,” she says. “The four new pieces of art add interest and fit within the confines of the builder’s architectural plan.” Black or dark-wood frames are particularly pleasing to the eye. If you can’t cope with taupe, consider vibrant colors that coordinate with the room’s other design accents.
“We chose the window fabric and then tweaked the wall color to perfection,” Britti explains.

For more information about Denise Britti and Beautiful Décors Inc., call 336-480-7330, or go to http://www.beautifuldecors.com.

In her 28 years in the industry, June DeLugas says she’s yet to keep from falling in love with her projects. “I put a house together like an artist paints a canvas,” she says. “It’s hard not to become attached to your work.” The theme of this piece of art — a family keeping room — was casual French elegance. From antique ceiling beams to hand-painted tables, “we’ve packed a lot of character into this space.”  “I always start with the rugs,” says DeLugas, who opened her Clemmons design shop six years ago. “We used the rugs as our color foundation and worked up.”  “Decorators are all about lighting,” she explains. To keep with the French-country theme, DeLugas purchased fixtures and did faux-finish touch-ups. “We wanted to maximize the light in the house to work with the gorgeous back window. Even our paint colors are light-reflecting shades to make the whole house seem light and airy.” DeLugas chose delicately detailed antique pillows to accessorize the couches and window seat. “These pillows add warmth and a cozy, inviting feel to the room.”

For more information about June DeLugas Interiors, call 336-778-1030, or go to http://www.junedelugasinteriors.com.

Marybeth Barrett’s husband calls her the “MacGyver of Decorating.” It’s that resourceful attitude that defines Addressing Spaces, her redecorating and staging business. Winner of the 2008 ReStore Spaces challenge, Barrett shops her clients’ homes, pulling items that can refresh rooms in economical, eco-friendly, and instantly gratifying ways. “There’s a true science to color selection,” Barrett says of the paint, “it’s important to understand and use the color wheel.” Barrett redecorated this bedroom for less than $400, thanks to furniture and accessories gathered from other rooms. “I use my clients’ treasures,” Barrett says of Grandpa’s World War II map bag and Grandma’s school chairs. “Heirlooms have significance in a room.”

For more information about Marybeth Barrett and Addressing Spaces, call 336-406-7072, or go to http://www.addressingspaces.com.

Malorie Cook’s motto is that decorating should be fun: “I take all the stress out of the process. I listen to my clients’ ideas, and simply guide them through the process.” The inspiration for this guest room combined the homeowner’s interest in Ernest Hemingway with a rustic Aspen cabin.

“Scale down your furniture in a small space,” Cook notes. “You’ll always need pieces that are smaller than you first think.”  “I have a firm rule that paint colors must be pulled from fabric selections,” she says. “Also, light colors make a small room look larger.”  Cook presented her client with a design board showcasing furniture choices and fabric and paint swatches.

For more information about Malorie Cook and Interiors by Decorating Den, call 336-774-3030, or go to http://www.decdens.com/malorie.