The 3 P's of any interior makeover: Plan, Purge and Paint. The most important step is the Planning. Get all of your ideas in order. Create a floor plan to organize your space and to help you make decisions. Purge what you don't use, what is broken and outdated. This will simplify your spaces and make the things left in the room become the feature. Paint!! I can't say it enough. Paint is the BEST way to transform any space! Always use the best quality paints. I strongly recommend Benjamin Moore and California paints.

In the featured project for this article, all of the dated furniture was purged. A plan was created before shopping so that there would be no purchase mistakes. Size is important. If the wrong size pieces are bought it will ruin the integrity of the space.

Paint was a big component of the makeover. If you have spaces with a lot of volume, invest in a professional painter to get the job done quickly. And consider painting eyesores, like the stone fireplace that was not attractive at all.

If you are stumped on how to makeover your challenging space find a professional that understands space planning and design and work with them to improve the look, feel, and function of your space.

Julie Fergus, ASID, is a nationally published interior designer. Her studio and showroom is located in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Julie's clients are primarily in the Lakes Region and Mount Washington Valley, however, she will travel throughout the state and North East. Visit her website for contact info.