Homestyle headliner

Taniya Nayak of "Designed to Sell" fame is coming to the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show to share her secrets, tips and behind-the-scenes tales. We caught up with her by phone at her Boston condo:QWhat do people need to do to sell a home in this market?

AFor starters, you need to figure out what you're overlooking, what I call forgotten fixer-uppers ... things you don't notice anymore. Use a digital camera to take photos, upload them on your computer and look at fresh images. You might be pleasantly surprised. You might be horrified. ... New hardware on cabinets and new faucet fixtures can make a big difference. They're short budget items but have a big impact. And I could talk for hours about paint. There are a million paint colors out there and it's daunting for people.

QDo you buy the idea that everything has to be painted neutral to sell?

ANeutrals are good, but neutral doesn't always mean beige. I try to show people how to accessorize in a way that adds life to your space.

QWhat are you working on now?

AI have a new show in production. It's a "House Hunters" spinoff -- "House Hunters on Vacation." We're going to awesome vacation spots and seeing luxurious, decadent vacation homes.

QYou tackled a really disgusting dorm room for three college guys on Oprah's "Clean Up Your Messy House Tour." Is that the worst space you've ever encountered?

QWhat's your favorite spot in your home?

AI love every single spot. My favorite is the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. It's so serene and peaceful. I kept the colors muted to highlight the colors outside, the changing seasons. I put my Wassily chairs right in that little opening. I sit there and stare out the window.

QYou've said there should always be something that doesn't fit, a random object that you love -- what are some examples in your home?

AMy decor is very modern. The one thing that doesn't fit is an old riddling rack, made of beat-up wood, for holding Champagne. It's the most un-modern thing you can imagine. We cut it in half, refinished it and put it on the wall. My husband is a restaurateur, and it's from the place we met -- I was a bartender and he was a manager. So it's personal to us, and something people always talk about.

QIf you could design a room for anyone, who would it be?