Decorating is like math, a game of adding and subtracting.

We must occasionally remind ourselves of our brief visit on this planet. Shouldn't we try to express ourselves clearly, make a personal stamp on our environment, and pay attention to the details that make the difference?

Decorating is a footnote to real life for me, a means to an end: Living well.

There are two things that make a room timeless: a sense of history and a piece of the future.

Decorating is like music. Harmony is what we constantly strive for. At home, we want a peaceful atmosphere where the objects are the notes and nothing is off-key.

I'm more influenced by people's attitudes and spirits than by their particular style. Whether it's Elsie de Wolfe or Pauline de Rothschild, I always admire women who had a vision and stuck to it. Because ultimately, the way you live has to be a reflection of you.

Take the time and do some small thing that will be noticed and remembered. Choose your objects carefully, and buy only what you love.