There is a four-letter word that takes all of the fun out of being a professional decorator: prep. It can literally take two days to find the right drawer pull for a teensy-weensy kitchen. But, then again, that’s why the pros are paid; they get it done, and they get it done right.

Lately, I have been mesmerized by the idea of what it was like to work as a designer or decorator decades ago, mostly because those poor people never got to shop online, which significantly reduces prep time. Particularly, they never got to experience Wisteria. Wisteria is a dream shopping destination for lovers of everything from European antiques to furnishings with industrial flair.

Many of their headboards, for example, rival those in high-end showrooms yet come in at a medium price point. Picking up the Louis XVI upholstered style here allows a homeowner to splurge on other key bedroom elements, such as linens or nightstands.

Although many of the pieces available on the site fall more into the traditional style of European furnishings, there are constantly surprising new finds with updated takes on traditional classics, such as these extra tall Windsor chairs. I may or may not like these even more because of my 6’5″ stature.

This industrial steel chair jumped out at me months ago, mostly for its lines and aged finish; however, one look at the price tag had me ordering it for a boy’s room I designed in Florida. NOTE TO PARENTS: Industrial chairs like this can really take a beating from your little guys. Plus, when he outgrows it and wants to change to something else, it can be used successfully anywhere else in the home. Investment piece!

Wisteria often uses unexpected materials in unique ways. This console table has an iron base and a top covered in black-and-white bone tiles. It packs graphic punch but with traditional materials, which also warm up a space.

Anyone else have any great Wisteria finds?

I haven’t even started thinking about doing my holiday gift shopping yet, but I’m not worried because along with our own excellent gift guide on HGTV.com, I’ve got an ace up my sleeve. That ace is called Svpply. If you’re not already familiar with it, think of Svpply like Pinterest, but for products. It’s tempting to call it a “social shopping site,” although I think the better way to describe it is a “retail bookmarking and recommendations” site with a clean, minimalistic design. You create an account, and drag the “Buy Later” bookmarklet into your browser’s toolbar. Now when you search the shopping sites you love and spot something you want to remember, you can click the “Buy Later” button, briefly describe the item, and it gets clipped and saved to your Svpply.

This is handy enough, but there’s also a social element. You can follow friends, stores, or even strangers with great taste, to see which products they’ve added to their accounts. Not to mention that there are features that allow you to see the trending products across the site and Svpply’s own Editor’s Pick. Best of all for this time of year are the gift guides, broken down by price point and type of product, and the new ability to make a set of items (like a Pinboard) — say, “In-Law Gift Ideas” — and either keep the set private (good if the people you’re shopping for are also on Svpply) or mark it public to share with other users (like I plan to do with my own wish list, hint hint). Svpply’s always been handy for my Daily Delight design spotting, but I think it might just make me the best Secret Santa of all time.

Are you on Svpply, or are you planning to join? If so, leave your user name in the comments! Happy gift hunting, all.

While, for many, traveling is the most amazing thing in the universe, it makes me want to clock myself over the head with a steel suitcase to avoid what I consider the Dark Side of Travel: canceled flights, cranky airport employees fed up with hearing complaints from travelers all day, people reclining their seats back on airplanes thus giving my 6’5″ self only 2.5 inches of breathing room, and of course, babies who save three weeks worth of crying for their airplane-seated audience.

But after 4 straight weeks producing, art directing and writing editorial for HGTVRemodels, I have learned to appreciate a great hotel like nobody’s business. When it comes to hotels, two words come to mind: Dorothy Draper.

Who is that? Well, she is one of the most influential professional decorators of all time. In fact, hotels were her thing.

Dorothy’s Style: Hollywood Regency. Here’s How to Get the Look

After shooting a gorgeous home in San Francisco this past week, I mentioned the similarity of Draper’s aesthetic to said homeowner’s bathroom. This led me to Google the bananas out of Ms. Draper and look up all of her lobbies, most in New York City. What I noticed about her work is its timeless appeal; pretty much any of her hotel interiors could pass as having been completed in 2011. For those of you unfamiliar with the iconic work of Ms. Draper, take a gander below and become a friend of Dorothy.

The stripes? Large scale and high contrast. Very Hollywood. I bet you can name three of four super decorators off the top of your head who’ve done this themselves. And if not, oh well, I can.

How about the super dark colors? Insanely glamorous and packed with high contrast and some elements of masculinity although kinda-sorta overall a femme room, yes?

Super gigantic scaled- moldings! Yes, yes yes! While this may be something many decorators do these days, back then it was totally “OMG, did she really just blow the scale up that large? So edgy, that Draper!”

Got a thing for Dorothy, like I do? Share, friends!

In any elimination show, nothing’s more important than the first impression each contestant makes. Who will be the dark horse? The sweetheart? The villain? As the Design Star editor, I size up our contestants the same way, since I’ll be spending (at least virtually) lots of time with them.

Right off the bat, there was something appealing about Kellie’s warm, comfortable style and easy personality. Many of you fell for her too — she led all season in the Design Star fan vote and ended up winning the grand prize, her own show right here on HGTV.com (more on that later!).

Kellie’s bright designs just scream fun, but they’re functional, too, like the built-in window seat and storage niche from the designers’ Brooklyn penthouse. (The view isn’t bad, either.)

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There are certain pieces of furniture that have paved the way for the interior design world and will always stand the test of time: the Egg Chair, the Barcelona chair and the Arco Floor Lamp, just to name a few. And lucky for us, one of these modern favorites has found its way into our office. University of Cincinnati student Alison Donner spent the last quarter in the HGTV Home Studio co-op program working with top HGTV design experts to create an interactive exhibit that focuses on an iconic, 20^th-century interior design trend: George Nelson Bubble Lamps. Find out what Alison has to say about these iconic lamps and bringing them into your home.

Wall Covering Design Trend: 3D Sculptural Surfaces

In 1947, George Nelson designed the Bubble Lamps as a substitute to more expensive silk lamps. The plastic was less expensive than the silk material and safer than using paper, so he covered a steel frame with the plastic material and the Bubble Lamp was born.

“I was really drawn to the Bubble Lamps because they are so versatile, and timeless. They work in so many room types and styles. Bubble Lamps are a fun way to add design to a room,” Alison says.

The Bubble Lamp may represent a mid-century modern style, but it’s certainly not limited to that particular design style. “The variety of shapes and sizes make the lamps appropriate for many sizes and styles of rooms. More simple shapes, such as the ball, work perfectly in a traditional space, while more funky shapes, such as the propeller, work great in a modern space,” Alison says.

Alison wanted to ensure that people were not only learning all about George Nelson’s lamps, but that they were learning how to properly light their homes, too.

“One of the best general lighting tips I can give is to use multiple light sources for a variety of light in one space. Instead of just using a pendant over a table, wash an adjacent wall with light as well, and possibly some floor lamps or sconces nearby,” she says. “Having different light sources will create a variety of light, as well as create light contrast that is pleasing and interesting to the eye.”

“Lighting should be a fun additive to a space, not an afterthought. Many times, lighting can be the last thing you think of when putting together a space. Using a lamp as a statement can really help build the space from the beginning,” she says.

To Alison, a small design detail — like the Bubble Lamp — should be incorporated from the beginning of the design process to really make the space come to life. “Sure, a room can be well-designed without a lamp, but when you add the perfect lamp, the space really comes to life. Whether it is the perfect hanging lamp, or the design on a plate you want to use, starting to think of these things from the beginning of the design will result in a truly cohesive and warm space.”

What do you think about George Nelson’s iconic Bubble Lamps? Would you add them in your living room or above your dining table?

Tell us in the comments below.

I know I talk a lot about mid-century modern design and decor, but it wasn’t my first love. That’d be art deco. Maybe it’s cliche at this point — see Woody Allen’s recent film, Midnight in Paris — but I’m obsessed with Roaring ’20s literature (Dorothy Parker, Hemingway and Fitzgerald, swoon), film (Louise Brooks and Clara Bow in anything), art (Man Ray and Tamara De Lempicka, especially) and style. When I saw that fashion designer Sue Wong was collaborating with English Home for a collection of bedding, curtains, cushions and fabrics that all have a Hollywood deco bent, it reignited my passion for the glamour of that period.

It’s tough to pick just one part of the collection that I like the best, but the Shanghai curtains and pillows are understated, yet swanky. They’re a brilliant translation of Wong’s elegant deco Asian red-carpet gowns, and would be a perfect in the classic buildings I’ve seen in New York (like the newly-restored lobby of the Ardsley). All of the sudden, I have the overwhelming urge to bob and finger wave my hair. They say you never forget your first crush, and in this case, I don’t want to.

Designer Kelly Wearstler spends time each day searching for exceptionally beautiful and one-of-a-kind objects that she can integrate into her residential and commercial designs, from hunky human forms and spherical structures to unique decorative embellishments and geometric beauties. Whether she’s sharing her finds straight from auction houses, warehouses or around town, Kelly uses her creative photo-based blog My Vibe My Life to share some of her favorite finds. In each post you can expect a unique grouping:  heads, busts, floral designs, cats, copper, chunky chain links. I, personally, can’t get enough. Every post leaves me wondering why I don’t have that funky spiked ball hanging from my ceiling or handcrafted brass legs relaxing on my living room side table.

Find out why we’re gaga for Kelly.

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By now, most parts of the country have traded the sun-filled days of summer for a crisper fall clime but the warming presence of the sun is still evident in our selection of this month’s color. From the runway to the changing leaves outside your window, this happy hue is popping up everywhere. It’s such a natural choice that it won by a (nearly) unanimous vote. Wanna know what it is?

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Short and sweet: I am absolutely buried lately between planning a temporary move cross-country to begin pre-production on an HGTV series and wrapping up my own clients in Atlanta. Amidst the short-on-time-ness of it all, I’ve become an avid user of Overstock.com. It may sound silly, but I had no idea that you can actually buy pretty much everything in the world on this site.

As I’ve been sourcing pieces for my own private clients and for HGTV.com makeovers, I’ve found that many of the styles I’m looking for in trade-only showrooms are actually available on Overstock.com at a fraction of the price. Um, yes please. Anyhow, I took note of some of the items I’m using and/or have recently used and am filling y’all in on some great stuff to consider if you’re putting together rooms on super tight budgets or if you wanna splurge on that one statement piece without going custom. Now, if I could only find an Audi A4 Wagon repairman on Overstock.com, I may be one step closer to trekking across the country.

If you can’t afford the Eames rocker, go for the next best thing, Vinnie Cradle Chair in blue. At just under $140, you can’t go wrong with this piece. Think of it as an investment, similar to those Beverly Hills ladies with new, puffy lips but without the plastic surgery or recovery period afterwards.

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Matthew Mead is an incredibly talented stylist, photographer and writer. I discovered his work while browsing an issue of Summer with Matthew Mead. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview him and get to know more about him and his team.

All photos by Matthew Mead