Fashion magazine preteen

Family style that's … cool, calm, and collected

"Style is a matter of positive attitude," says Barbara Smith. This restaurateur, television home-show host, and former fashion model ought to know. She's been working on her style and spirit since age 18, when she "gobbled up self-help books" for feel-good fuel to keep her knocking on the fashion world's notoriously sealed doors. Her spunk (not to mention beauty, poise, and height), paid off with a 1976 cover on Mademoiselle magazine, a role never before filled by an African-American. Today, Barbara widely swings open the doors to the home she shares with her husband, television producer Dan Gasby, and stepdaughter Dana (above receiving a secret from friend Kaimya). Inside, Barbara truly does decorate with feeling: "More than anything, we want our home to be open in every, sense of the word," she says. Come on in and let her show you how to breathe life, and light, into your interiors.

"Developing style is mostly about discovering who you are and how you want to live your life," says Barbara. Let's analyze this room's personality: Creamy white backdrops and light wood floors establish serenity. Crisp, modem furniture spells elegance, and accessories that are few in number but bold in shape keep the look uncluttered and organized. Serene, elegant, organized ... that could sum up this homeowner. "I think all of my personalities are here," says Barbara, "the hostess, the mother, the model, the person who just wants to relax." By keeping the floor plan open and the palette hushed, Barbara can usher in lots of guests as easily as she does a variety of accessories. The flexible accents change with the season, but they always warm the contemporary room with their organic, practical natures.

Though the home's main rooms--living room, dining room, and kitchen--open into each other, the feeling is intimate. To get close-knit coziness, Barbara clusters furniture to accommodate such small-group activities as dining or snuggling with a view. She believes in leaving as much floor space as she fills, which plays up the rooms-within-a-room look created by the groupings. Breathing room also lets each furniture piece have its own spotlight--or its own downlight in this case, since most of the lighting is recessed in keeping with the uncluttered style. But Barbara does fill in visual blanks boldly, with large-scaled art, greenery, and flea-market finds (such as the dressmaker mannequin on the dining buffet and wiry garden vessels on the wall in the reading corner). These extras give her rooms such decorating advantages as height and personality. "Finishing touches make a room," says Barbara. "Just play around and you can learn accessory style. Start by rotating favorite pieces instead of putting them all on display at once."

Barbara's best memories took root in the kitchen, amid the cooking storms her mother, grandmother, and aunts stirred up for frequent family gatherings. This ingrained love of food and entertaining led to her three B. Smith's restaurants (in New York, Washington D.C., and Sag Harbor), and a book on the subject. In her home, says Barbara, "it's the kitchen that holds the spirit. I consider it a place to play, to try new things." Not surprisingly, she infused her kitchen with a playful spirit. Teninch-wide painted stripes in shades of mango and honeydew create a downright jazzy rhythm on the walls. The stripes fill in for upper cabinets, left off so the open kitchen would be more "roomlike." Blonde wood tones are in keeping with the beachy color scheme.

In 12-year-old Dana's room, the home's warm tones shift to cool blue-peen as easily as the sand meets the sea outside. Starfish shapes stud two shades of mossy green stripes, another happy nod to the seaside environment. The walls have a washed-out look, which can be crated by watering down latex paint and brushing it on with random strokes. Once again, the idea is to play. "I wanted Dana's room to be fun and pretty," says Barbara, "but not cutesy." It works for Dana. "I like it," she says, "it's cool." Her favorite part: The fluffy, cloudlike sheers that tone down the morning light, allowing her the luxury of sleeping late on the weekends. Also handy is an old cupboard revved up with paint and fabric. It stashes plenty of preteen gear.

The master bedroom hints at some of the secrets to Barbara's successful, personal style. Here are its lessons:

* Go for the bold, such as a character-rich mirror or sculptural bedside lamp, when selecting finishing touches. Or, group like items, such as family photos, for accessory impact.

* Keep patterns clean and use strong colors as exclamation points amid otherwise hushed hues. Stripes work their way into this room for decorating continuity, but vivid accents are kept to living areas.

* Practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid to copy the basics of a favorite room from a magazine or a store, says Barbara. But fill in with favorite collections or family pieces to practice your personal style. "If it feels good," she says, "it'll work."