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casa
Design by the Numbers
TLC’s Wanda Colón gives her six
easy tips to renovate and reenergize any room in your home.
By Idy Fernandez
Whether you’re a chic fashionista who has been
forced to ice her credit cards or you’re so design-challenged
that your idea of decorating is a couple of magazines on the coffee
table, giving your home a makeover is within reach. Designer Wanda
N. Colón, host of TLC’s Home Made Simple, has the recipe.
A designer to the stars and has worked on the homes of TV and rock
stars, plus an actress in her own right. Here Colón devises
six easy decor tips that should update any pad, and we suggest our
favorite accessories to boot.
 1
Pay Attention to Your Foyer
“The foyer is the first thing that your guests see when they
come in and the last thing when they leave,” says Colón,
whose design prowess has led her inside the homes of mega-stars
like Cher. “Invest somewhere between $25 to $50 by getting
a great console table and place personal photos on it along with
a lit candle with a fragrance to match the season. You don’t
have to knock out a wall. Changing little details will always make
your house feel fresh.” Try these Spanish-looking Scalloped
Wire Hurricanes from West Elm. They’re big enough to hold
our favorite scented candles. $59. www.westelm.com
 2
Pillows and throws
“New pillows and throws will change the look of your furniture
and add color,” says Colón, whose Puerto-Rican parents
raised her in Reading, Pennsylvania. “The bedroom is often
an overlooked room, but it is actually the most important because
it should be the place that you go to wind down. Changing your bedding
with pillows and new sheets can really make a difference.”
Try these Flip Flop decorative pillows from Dror for Target. $19.99.
www.target.com.
 3
Lampshades
“You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars. Instead
buy a $10 lampshade and dress it up with inexpensive fabric. Get
a hot glue gun and decorate it with beads to create a custom lampshade,”
says the one-time bank employee. Colon left the banking industry
shortly after college and moved to California, where she honed her
skills as a commercial and private designer. Try a shag style with
a touch of beading for a retro look.
 4
Don‘t be afraid to use color on your walls
“You don’t have to buy the gallon of paint anymore to
sample with color. Now for under $10 you can get small sample bottles.
Buy at least three different colors and paint it on a 3x3 square
foot space on your wall. Then see what the colors look like morning,
noon and night, because the light will reflect the color differently
throughout the day.” Try Pittsburgh Paints colors Oro De Maya,
Mexican Jade and Granada from the Hacienda collection. www.pittsburghpaints.com
 5
Lighting
“Pick the right lighting for the space, [such as] amber tinted
light bulbs in the dinning room or a dimmer so that it creates a
warm glow and cozy atmosphere for your meals.” Try West Elm’s
Luster Glass Pendant. $89. www.westelm.com.
 6
Bring action to your space with mementos
“When you travel get something really personal, whether you
want to make your culture the focal point or local art from a festival
during, let’s say, your trip to Argentina. Don’t do
the souvenir shops and don’t go looking for just anything,”
Colón says. “Let it find you.” Try this handcrafted
Bromelia centerpiece from EcoArts. $306. www.ecoartsbrazil.com.
In addition to keeping these tips in mind, Colon says that folks
should take time customizing their space and shouldn’t feel
the need to do frequent major updates to a homes’ structure
or change big furniture items. Your couch, for example, should last
you at least 10 years, she says, adding that you should use accessories
like votives to change how a space feels. “I always want my
clients’ home to say something about them and their life.
Yours should too.”
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