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The question
My living/dining room needs a total makeover, but I don't know where to start. Should I buy a dining-room set first or get my living room in shape, then pick a dining table and chairs that complement it?
The answer
There's an exciting new option: You can take advantage of the latest in online interior design and furniture purchasing by visiting remotestylist.com. This website offers free consultations as well as fantastic below-retail furniture prices and white-glove direct-delivery service. Your designer, who is just a mouse-click away, will attack both rooms at once, sending plans and furniture ideas.
With that plan in hand, you can choose what to order as your timeline and finances dictate. When the new pieces arrive, though, the old pieces will inevitably start to look tired, just like a new spring outfit with old, weathered shoes from last season. If the shoes are vintage Chanel, of course, it could work; if, similarly, some of your pieces are cool antiques, you might be pleasantly surprised and require fewer new pieces. On the other hand, you can never have enough shoes − vintage or otherwise. Just ask Imelda Marcos.
Follow architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace on Twitter: @ddtaylordd. Have a design dilemma? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.