When it comes to decorating your home, forget about the empty, lifeless rooms you see in interior design magazines and books. Instead, you should concentrate on designing all of the rooms in your home as backdrops for the people who will be living in those spaces. Here are a few simple techniques for designing dynamic spaces:

Don't be afraid to leave some empty spaces in your rooms. Empty space allows for breathing room and lets the most important items in the room shine -- the people who live there!

Avoid large patterns in your fabrics and wallpapers. As a general rule, use no designs larger than your palm, because they will interfere with the appearance of people in the room. Using smaller patterns on walls and furniture will mean that friends and family won't have to compete with bold patterns for attention.

Use paint colors that complement people