Stacy Carlson of Lou Lou's Decor advises, "Before you begin a decorating project, consider how you and your family will use the space. Often, the day-to-day function of a room can be considerably different from its conventional use. If your dining room typically has a table cluttered with scrapbooking materials, kids' homework, laundry, or is only used for the holidays, consider converting it to a place more functional for your family needs."

Read more about interior design and decorating in the current issue of Southern New England Home. Click here to receive a copy. In addition, listed below are several vendors that can help you with interior design and decorating.

OUR FEATURED VENDORS

AE Grasso Spatial Design Consultants
Anne Glazzard Custom Interiors
Dover Studio, Inc.
East Coast Designs
French Twist
Leonards New England
LMS Designs
Lisa Newman Interiors, LLC
Lou Lou's Decor
Lydia Costa Interiors
Rhode Island Design Center
Ron Alose Design Group, Ltd.
Surroundings
Swift Morris Interiors at Decorum East