Time to Decorate. Where to Begin?

A Newbie Goes in Search of Her Style

Don't be jealous, but I happen to live in a fabulous place.

To my mind, it's a sanctuary: a haven perfectly appointed to comfort the body and nourish the soul. It forever provokes the wonder of others.

"Maybe you should, uh, put something up on your wall," one friend recently remarked.

"Are you sure you're not part of a terror cell?" asked another.

Okay, so I lead a rich inner life. And a spare -- fine, spartan -- outer one. It's not that I'm opposed to decor. I just never think about it.

I'm a renter, so like lots of folks in the same position, I'm never much invested in a place. I'm also a journalist, which means my salary goes to things like good books and mediocre happy hours.

And I'm just not inclined. So my fantastically located, reasonably priced one-bedroom rental remained, shall we say, unblemished: walls the color of sand, lights to make a dentist's office proud and not a nail hole in the joint.

There was, though, a swelling sense that at age 29, I should live more like an adult. I could begin returning the favor to folks who've hosted me a thousand times, give or take.

But the barrier is how to begin. These are universal questions faced by young renters and homeowners alike: How do you develop your own style? Where are you supposed to start? It seems like such a big undertaking and one in which you could easily err.

My case was referred to Karen Bengel, a local designer who agreed to do a few sessions of pro-bono advising.

I gave her the full tour of my 500-square-foot apartment in the U Street corridor: bedroom, with bed and dresser; kitchen, with next to nothing; and all-purpose living and dining room, with a Craigslist-procured sofa set, two bookcases and a chairless dining table.

Then she probed: "So, tell me about yourself. " And I rambled.