WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN OUR FAMILY'S MODEST TWO-STORY, THREE-BEDROOM home in Nutley, New Jersey, neither the idea nor the reality of interior decoration was of great importance. The eight of us Kostyras were more concerned with finding a comfortable place to study in and an adequate spot in which to sleep.

The house was serviceable, crowded, and clean, but pretty much devoid of style primarily because of a great paucity of money. My handsome father had grand dreams that far exceeded his finances, and besides, he preferred to spend whatever leisure time he had in the garden. Mother had no time to sew curtains or faux-paint walls she was too busy cooking and sewing clothes for her six children.

It was not until I married the son of a very talented decorator that I felt an urge to beautify my surroundings. In college, I began to study the decorative arts and architecture and taking a cue from my father, a fine colorist color theory and application. Our first apartment was furnished mostly with hand-me-downs, but our second apartment, seven rooms overlooking the Hudson River, was a reflection of my new interest with milk-chocolate-brown walls, shiny white trim, unusual velvets, brown glazed chintzes, and English furniture found at auctions and sales. This was the first of my forays into an art form that has become for me a passion.

What I have learned, after designing and decorating five homes, is that decorating is something one can learn to do, that it consists of the ability to turn a space, however small, into a home that is inviting, warm, and useful. And while it can mean putting everything one deems beautiful into a space, it can also be a process of editing out everything unnecessary.

This book is intended to give you insight into the fascinating world of decorating. Most of the material was designed by the talented contributors to and staff of MARTHA STEWART LIVING magazine. I hope it will guide you in developing your own decorating talent.

ORDER BEFORE 2 PM CENTRAL - SAME DAY SHIPPING