It's impossible not to wince at the prospect of ripping out walls, discarding furniture by the roomful or radically changing the decor from comfortably boring to contemporarily cool. But the truth is, there are times it's a matter of renovating or selling.

"My attitude is, if it's a place you love, don't get rid of it," advises decorating expert Pamela Bayer.

Instead, get rid of that outdated wall-to-wall carpet, and see what's underneath. "Just refinishing your wood floors will make a dramatic difference," she says. Then add some stylish area rugs, which you can easily and cost-effectively update as your tastes change.

"One of the least expensive and most dramatic changes you can make is paint," adds interior designer Christine Haught.

That's seconded by Bayer, who likes to alter the paint color to update a space. What's neat about painting is that even people without the patience or coordination required for wallpapering can swing a paintbrush and usually get more on the wall than in their hair, she says.

If you've got an older home, you'll most likely reach a point where you'll want a larger bathroom, or more of them. Or a kitchen big enough to do some of the cool things you see celebrity chefs do - whether or not you expect similar results.

That's when you call in the professional builders and designers who can give you the effect of moving to a new home without packing up your stuff.

- DS

Chapter By Karen Fuller