(ARA) - If you have the discipline to stick to it, this simple adage -- make one corner beautiful at a time -- can transform your decorating dreams from overwhelming to manageable and rewarding.

The idea is by no means new. As the story is told, a young New England bride in the late 1800s was faced with the seemingly overwhelming task of hand sewing the obligatory curtains for nine large windows gracing the front of her impressive Federal-style home on the town’s main street. “Make one corner beautiful at a time,” counseled a wise village elder. Convention not withstanding, the greatly relieved bride turned her efforts toward creating a livable sitting room for herself and her groom, the unused upstairs bedrooms getting attention in due time.