Inside design: Lynn Spence

Toronto-based design consultant and style expert Lynn Spence is a regular on Citytv's CityLine. She divides her time between her apartment in the city and a country home, both of which showcase unerringly good design as well as her signature -- sensible, sophisticated style. We asked Lynn to give us a lesson in design basics.

STYLE AT HOME: Is there anything basic about good design?
Lynn Spence: Yes. If you can't hire a consultant, following a few simple principles that can be applied to any room and any style can help. They're touchstones you can keep coming back to when you aren't sure where to start or when you fall off the rails.

S@H: So, what's the first guiding principle?
LS: Take stock of the box: you have four walls, the floor is the fifth and the ceiling the sixth. People spend a lot of time worrying about what colour to paint the walls and what to hang on the windows and, in my opinion, not enough time pondering what they're going to put on the floor and hang from the ceiling.
The very first thing you should buy is an area rug. Without one, a room will feel empty, and you'll spend time and money filling it up with stuff you don't really need. Plus, a rug is a foundation piece that anchors everything else you add to a room; it dictates where the coffee table should go and the colour of the upholstery, so it's important that you make a solid choice.

S@H: What constitutes a solid choice in rugs?
LS: First of all, you must be simply mad about it. A good rug is like a piece of art -- it's a big investment but will be with you for a lifetime. I like to see some neutrality in the colours so that, dollars to doughnuts, your sofa will work with it. I always choose one with a border or banding because it makes the piece look finished. I never buy a rug with a centre medallion, which makes it look dated. Finally, my preference is a finer-weight pile because it looks more elegant.

S@H: What's next on the list?
LS: Once you've addressed the floor, it's time to tackle the walls. No matter how many houses I decorate, they always end up being neutral. That's because I believe that the stuff you put into a room -- the art, accessories and lamps -- should convey all the colour and personality you need. If someone wants more colour, I may use wallpaper in a hallway, behind a headboard, in a powder room or on an accent wall. It adds a second dimension to walls and forces you to become more adventurous. I also love the look of artwork hung on wallpaper -- it's the decor equivalent of dressing in layers.