From the blue room in the White House (sedate) to the Blue Man Group performance artists (over the top), America’s favorite color is everywhere. Here’s why it should be in your home too.

What better time than Turkey Day to heap praise upon the one room in the house that celebrates our favorite thing: gathering around the table to share a feast with family and friends. In this Room of the Month, designer Katie Leavy goes bold with an autumnal rust, olive and gold theme. Photo by Ralph Alswang. More dining rooms >

What are five things every well-designed home should have?

Architects Steve Straughan, AIA, and Grant Kirkpatrick, AIA, of KAA Design Group in Los Angeles, answered our question this month with a list of five elements that not only contribute to the design of a home, but to its soul.

To decorate is delightful. To redecorate without spending oodles of money is truly divine—and a big trend. There are now dial- and e-mail-a- decorator services that give you inexpensive advice on how to renew a room without breaking the bank. And, of course, HGTV has it covered with Design Remix and FreeStyle, a new no-cost design show where professional re-arrangers de-clutter and reorganize, creating a dramatic new look without spending a dime.

More design definitions >