<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt"><font size="3" color="#990000">How to redesign your home to suit your personality</font></h2><p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">(ARA) – When guests enter your home, what they see is a reflection of who you are.</span></p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">What do you want that reflection to be?<span>  </span>It’s a seemingly simple question, but one that goes to the core of your personality.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">In order to redesign your home to reflect your real self, you have to know who that person is. The cardinal rule is: Be true to your own taste, trust yourself, maintain your confidence and never worry what others will think. When you hear that inner voice saying, "I really like this, but what would so and so say?", banish that negative message and go with your intuition. It’s your home, after all, and it should reflect who you are at this moment in time.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><img src="../images/Home-design.jpg" border="0" alt="Home Design" title="Home Design" width="425" height="282" /></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Sometimes it takes a professional designer to elicit from the client his or her true preferences. Part psychologist, part designer, a professional draws from a client hidden aspects of personality that they didn’t even know existed. A designer might show many pictures of numerous styles to clients, seeing which one they respond to most positively. </p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">When you drill down to the core of a person — all truth will then flow.<span>  </span>Since all decisions will emanate from one true source — the real you — consistency will naturally follow. And as long as there’s an essential consistent theme, most designers agree, you will have a successful result. </p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">"The most successful interiors are those with an underlying structure and theme.<span>  </span>A common theme brings order," says James Evanson, Interior Design instructor at The Art Institute of New York City. "People collect things with no order. A professional designer can help focus ideas. Remember you shouldn’t have anything in your home that is neither beautiful nor practical. If the object fits neither category, perhaps you should rethink your approach."</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span>  </span></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Gina Carlson, Interior Design Academic Director at The Art Institutes International Minnesota, agrees. "Too many people don’t plan their living space," she says. She advises that clients ask themselves, "Does this enhance my life? What am I trying to accomplish in this space? What do I want to change in my life? Do I need more space for cooking?<span>  </span>Do I want a place to work from home?"<span>  </span></p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">She says the principles of Feng Shui can bring these ideas to fruition. "Through Feng Shui analysis we can determine what colors and what kind of environment is unique to each person, supporting them in their lifestyle and goals."</p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/1b.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/1b.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Whatever the ultimate design philosophy, a good starting point is with the ancient Greeks who are credited with the maxim, know thyself. They understood that getting to know one’s true self is a lifelong journey, relevant to all aspects of living, with both spiritual and everyday applications.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit <a href="http://www.artinstitutes.edu/nz" target="_blank">www.artinstitutes.edu/nz</a> .<span>  </span></p>  <p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">Courtesy of ARAcontent</span></p></span>