Who believes, “Free advice is worth every penny?” Not Dee Hulsing of Topeka, Kansas. “Priceless” is how she now describes the advice once given freely by a  decorator friend—even though it left her “paralyzed” at the time.
“What my decorator friend said was simply, ‘Do what you like,’” Dee recalls nearly a decade later. One glance around the Hulsings’ 12-year-old ranch and you know Dee took that advice and ran with it. Ran to flea markets and garage sales, to antiques stores and auctions and, ultimately, to new heights of creativity she hadn’t before recognized in herself.
“I was paralyzed at first. I really didn’t know what to do with this house [where husband Dan, a plumbing contractor, had been living before their marriage],” Dee explains. “I have no artistic training, but in the past 10 years, my creative genes have come to the surface.” Now, she is fearless about mixing patterns and colors, zealous about following her intuition, and eager to pass along ideas that have stood the tests of time and taste in the house they share with three dogs and two cats...And an amazing number of collectibles, such as 74 spice racks dating from the 1920s-1950s, and 250 pieces of McCoy pottery (made in Roseville, Ohio, in the first half of the 20th century). Not to mention a roomful of teddy bears—she still has her first baby bear—and walls hung thick with unusual plates, each decorated with birds sculptured in high relief.
It’s a lot of stuff, Dee concedes, “But I need the stuff I have around me. I’ve created an environment in which I feel comfortable. And I did it,” she smiles, “by following my friend’s advice:
I’ve done just what
I like.”
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Do Your Rooms Need A Makeover?
How To Tell: Have you been living with the same rooms since you can’t remember when? If it’s been a while since you’ve changed things around, chances are you’re ready for a room makeover! Don’t worry—it doesn’t have to involve a lot of time or money. We’ve asked homeowner Dee Hulsing for some of her own ideas on how to get a new look in a snap.
• Find Your Focus. Everyone has personal style. Not sure what yours is? Don’t worry, you’ll know it when you see it!
• Buy One New Thing. If something catches your eye, buy it, even if you have no place to put it. Says Dee: “I guarantee that within 24 hours, you’ll find the perfect spot.”
• Shop Smart. When you’re in a flea market or antiques shop, look for the box on the floor. There’s always a box of old stuff worth looking through. Dee says she’s found some of her favorite things down there.
 • The More The Merrier. More is never quite enough for Dee. She believes in living with all her collectibles “all at once,” and then adding a few key embellishments. She also advises layering patterns and colors to increase their impact in a room.
• Be Bold. Many things can be improved, if you have the courage. “I’ve painted a new border around pictures, stenciled designs around the ceiling and used two dust ruffles on a bed,” says Dee.
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