It has been an amazing couple of months since my husband and I signed our first book deal with Clarkson Potter. We have been scouting homes, traveling for photo and video shoots, and spending hours upon hours writing the first chapters of the AphroChic book.

Created at a time when Baltimore's fancy furniture was unequalled in the United States, our exuberant card table represents a collaboration between cabinetmaker and decorator.

In the mad rush to find something lovely, thoughtful and inspired we often overlook one of the easiest and most obvious gifts... a candle!

It may be true that there is "no place like home for the holidays," but luckily what makes it feel that way -- be it the smell of baking something sweet or a big, noisy crowd of friends -- is all up to you.

Part of planning ahead is about looking back to see what you've missed, what's not right, or what could stand to be a little better. I love following trends and recently enjoyed Trendwatching.com's '12 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2012.'

With all this design passion, it was fitting that Bryan Batt recently debuted his new book, Big, easy STYLE: Creating Rooms You Love to Live In.

We all have an Achilles' heel when it comes to the design of our own home. For some it is the kitchen that still lives in the '80s, and for others it...

Wouldn't it be great if real estate agents and interior designers worked together in the preliminary stages of finding our mutual clients their new home?

I remember gazing through the Clock at the top of the building facing the Brooklyn Bridge and the waterfront and realizing that I had found one of the secret jewels of New York City.

Standard ready-to-buy stone floors and simple white pedestals/viewing stations can easily translate into any interior environment, a.k.a. your home, particularly if you're on a budget but in need of good design and style.

While a streamlined palette can be absolutely beautiful, I believe the 'Age of Beige' flew out the window with our last economy. Lately, life at home is about color.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard has a decidedly global sensibility, but this London-bred designer is pure Hollywood.

It seems that in discovering what's new, the most fascinating thing is how we can be influenced by the past to create design that is elegant, comforting and that stands the test of time.

What are the daily "images" that inspire me, you, us? Who is wearing what and why? What music makes me think about design? As a designer, I am often asked that question: "What inspires you?"

Window coverings are a tricky subject. From curtains to valances to shades to blinds, velvet to tulle, discount to luxury, finding the right thing to block out the sun or frame your window is, frankly, kind of a drag.

Perhaps most rewarding is the fact that my home behind the clock -- that so faithfully marks time for Brooklyn and beyond -- time travels backward. Here in this loft, time erases itself second by second.

It's very important to trust and respect your designer -- on an emotional level as well as, a professional level. You must know they clearly understand your design aesthetic and your expectations for your project.

Whenever I get talking to someone not in the design world, they always tell me some form of "I'm clueless when it comes to decorating." Almost always, I follow this up with an exasperated sigh and a smile. One part "here we go again" and one part "no, you're really not."

Rather than trend spotting, I am more likely to be seen scouring the markets of India or pausing in the antiquities hall at the Met to revel in the surprise of contemporary shapes that have not changed for generations.

Early this month my team and I set out on an international journey that took us 3,000 miles overseas to present our collection to an international design market. To say the experience was exhilarating is an understatement.

I'm delighted to announce the launch of a stylish offshoot of the Stylelist brand: Stylelist Home, a hub for all things design and DIY. Our Stylelist Home editors, along with a terrific mix of bloggers from all corners of the design universe, will be bringing you the latest industry news and tips, with an eye toward bringing design down to earth and spotlighting fresh ideas you can use to liven up your home. READ MORE HuffPost's New eBook Examines the Successful Fight to Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell Today finally marks the end of the deeply flawed policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- which for the last 17 years allowed gays and lesbians to serve in the military... as long as they didn't admit they were gay or lesbian. Fittingly, it's also the publication day of HuffPost's second eBook, How We Won: Progressive Lessons from the Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Aaron Belkin's compelling exploration of the long road to repealing DADT. READ MORE

The interior design world has always influenced the event industry, and it's a partnership that is continuing to create dazzling weddings, showers and dinner parties.

The studio where we work each day in is a converted bowling alley. Originally built in 1928, it is 9000 square feet of pure magic, with the collective energy and spirit of over 80 years of people celebrating, playing and making merriment together.

I have chosen the road less traveled, and wanted to examine vintage interiors from the decade I was born. The '70s to me have always defined this sort of fascination with something I didn't get to fully experience.