No home truly feels like home without at least one piece of timeless furniture.

It takes the average new homeowner years to fix and furnish his or her house to satisfaction. Every paint sample, furniture choice, floor surface, window treatment and lampshade is discussed and dissected until, finally, decisions are made, and with luck, everyone is happy.

If you’d like to make a housing move but don’t allow yourself to even dream about it because of the economy, stop it. Just stop it.

So you’ve made the big decision to sell your home. You’ve cleaned out the closets, held a garage sale and given strict orders that beds are to be made every morning.

There’s no doubt that the kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where meals and memories are made. So this spring, listen to your heart and give your kitchen the TLC it deserves.

Ah, spring is in the air. Or is that dust? Let the sunshine and green of spring invigorate you to clean your nests. We’ll give you some pointers and a few tips on how to “go green” in the process.

What are the hot new trends for the new year/new decade? We asked local designers for their insights on how to jazz up our living spaces without having to pay the piper.

The easiest way to get more bang for your buck is a splash of color.

To most of us, retro furniture is the kitchen set of the 1950s. Think chrome legs, a Formica table top and shiny vinyl on the chairs, often in red and white or teal and white, although yellow, green and other colors were popular, too.

Living Spaces is a new monthly publication of the Rockford Register Star. It is your guide to the latest in seasonal and trendy designs and decor, and local businesses that provide such products and services.

Coming up in Living Spaces:

October: Furniture, especially retro themes

February: Hottest tips for 2010 from local designers

March: Closets, organization and spring cleaning

April: Kitchen transformations

For many folks in the Midwest, fall is the favorite time of year. The climate becomes “just right” with no bugs, no humidity and no scorching heat.

As the weather turns cooler, we also feel the urge to nest and to make our homes “just right” for the change of season. No matter your budget or decorating style, you can make simple alterations that cozy up your favorite rooms for fall.