Redesign. You've seen it on HGTV, but did you know it's sweeping the country as the most creative, quick and affordable way to enhance the placement of existing furnishings? Unlike traditional interior designers, the professional interior redesigner rearranges and reinvents a client's home using only existing decor -- and the results take less than a day and costs less than recovering a chair.

Many interior redesigners have had traditional interior design training. All who enter the redesign field, however, have a flair for decorating, a good color sense, a discriminating eye, sensitivity to the taste of others and professional training. The field also appeals to those who love instant gratification and enjoy the challenge of decorating with what homeowners have on hand.

What sets interior redesign apart from traditional interior design is the science and art of this technique, applying them in a prescribed sequence and learning to "think outside the box" when you might not have the "perfect" item available to you.

While a formal course in interior redesign is only five days, with a combination of classroom and hands-on learning in several homes. Interior redesigners learn to interview clients to get an understanding of their lifestyle, a room's function, decorating challenges and the client's vision for the room.

Step one: Clear the room of all or most of its contents. Would you expect an artist to start a painting without having a blank canvas? Most homeowners tell interior redesigners they have moved their furnishings around and around and around and the results are primarily frustration, and no wonder. With an empty room, there is a blank slate and the room is seen in an entirely new way, with primary and secondary focal points, architectural highlights, room and wall shapes and angles readily identifiable.

Step two: "Shop the house" for hidden treasures, furniture, lighting, greenery, artwork or collections that are not currently in the space. Redesigners never overlook the possibility of finding that "perfect item" elsewhere, so bathrooms, garages, attics, closets or outdoor spaces are all fair game. Most homeowners have a "thread" that runs through their lives, and an item purchased 10 years ago may have relevance to a brand new purchase, with respect to color, texture or theme, and it is the redesigner's job to gather these items to give them drama and impact.

Step three: Bring the furnishings back, layer by layer. The upholstered pieces are introduced first, although they may be from other rooms. They are placed to form a conversation area around the primary focal point, and possibly a secondary focal point. Area rugs, tables, accent pieces and large trees are introduced next.

Step four: Arrange the lighting. A room can come alive or fall flat if the lighting is not placed correctly. Since overhead lighting is often harsh and unflattering, redesigners favor a combination of table and floor lamps, as well as torchieres and accent lighting, including uplights under greenery.

Step five: Select and hang artwork and mirrors according to the architectural space provided by the furniture arrangement. Redesigners bring back the artwork they feel is appropriate, as well as "shopping" the house for other pieces that could work, with no more than two themes in one room. In rooms where you are seated, artwork should be hung at a height where it can be appreciate while seated, rather than at eye level while standing. Foyers and hallways can have art hung at eye level while standing. It is also important to be aware of what a mirror reflects. A mirror itself may be attractive, but if it reflects something unattractive; it is not in the proper place.

Step six: Select and arrange accessories. This is the frosting on the room's cake. Redesigners keep accessorizing simple but dramatic, working with odd numbers, color and texture to create tablescapes and vignettes with highs and lows that attract the eye with breathing room on either side. A cardinal rule for redesigners is to always place something tall on the coffee table to add drama and impact and take up the dead space in the middle of the room.

Step seven: Compile a "wish list" of any items the homeowner may need to replace or add in the future to complete the room. Redesigners consider this a blueprint for future purchases, which alleviates the homeowner's anxiety and fear of making a mistake. Redesigners will also shop for or with a client, and can make recommendations and assist in any area of a home's decor.

The "room reveal": The redesign results are a beautifully designed room that brings greater comfort, peace and harmony, as well as showcasing the taste in furnishings of those who live there. Each homeowner's reaction can be a little different, from being speechless, to screaming with joy, and even crying at seeing their furnishings so artfully arranged. The comment redesigners hear most often is "I never would have thought to do that" and "What room can we do next?"

Ruthanne Hatfield of Napa is an interior designer and a certified interior redesign and staging specialist. She can be reached at 1-877-441-2844 or www.interiorplacement.com