Marian McEvoy’s Don’t-Do List

Elle Decor editor Marian McEvoy on rooms she could live without:

* Rooms where every piece of furniture matches and is from the same period.

* Rooms that have no antiques. They have no history.

* Rooms that have only antiques. They have no future.

* Rooms with nothing exotic. That is, nothing that comes from a country where you need a passport, a yellow fever shot and a guide to visit.

* Rooms with nothing to read in them.

* Rooms with nothing living in them--flowers, plants, a canary or dog, which show the owners care.

* Rooms with too much clutter--too many magazines, newspapers or stuff. It’s poor housekeeping and shows a lack of caring.

* Rooms with unflattering light or armchairs with no reading lights.

* Rooms that don’t look comfortable, or that have no charm or no sense of drama.