I always want objects in my home that have a connection to me or something I've loved. It's still stuff, but it's stuff that has meaning.

Home has always been one of the most important things. If I don't feel at home in my space, then I feel really unmoored.

I live in a beautiful vintage building that was built in the heart of downtown Chicago.

We hold back our true feelings and beliefs, whether it's from a sense of being polite or fear of hurting someone's feelings. But what I have seen on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' is that no one benefits from holding back and keeping things bottled up inside. So I pride myself on speaking my mind and not being afraid to give honest feedback.

I'm not going to say paint is an easy spruce-up. It takes time, it needs touch-ups, and you have to be very methodical. But it is worth it, and it isn't particularly expensive.

Your home should tell the story of who you are.

First and foremost, I'm a decorator and product designer. Everything I do, the television shows, the books, that comes from the design work. It's what I love.