Home and garden experts steer you in the right direction for 2010

You are going to spend time and money on your home and garden in the new year, and you don't have any of either to waste.

We scouted around to find the most productive use of your resources when your home needs a pickup in 2010.

Here are must dos and don't from those in the know.

Do

• Find a glass or acrylic lamp to place in front of a window. This will add depth and sparkle to the room, says Susan Brunstrum of Sweet Peas Design Inc. in Libertyville.

• That naked look is in. The best bet might be a coffee table from Arhaus, said Gary Babcock, the company's vice president of fashion and merchandising. If the wood is reclaimed, nicks and nail holes are included. (Designers call this "character.") The Seaport coffee table is $900, for example. And if you're ambivalent about this trend, painted pieces do come with unfinished accents.

• Of course the designers at McCauley Design in Barrington think you should put in a new kitchen in 2010. If that's unrealistic, how about a new backsplash? It's a very visible area, and materials from metal to stone to hand-painted ceramic tiles can individualize your home. How about custom tiles celebrating your cat?

• Vintage is part of the green movement, and Susan Pantaleo of Concepts in Design Inc. in Fox River Grove says young people will grab vintage fabrics and furnishings.

• If a home improvement project is in your crystal ball, be sure to take advantage of energy tax credits. All kinds of ways to save energy from new windows to a new furnace carry this perk, says Linda Navara of LMR Designs in Arlington Heights.

•This is not your grandmother's chintz. Elaine Griffin, author of "Design Rules: The Insider's Guide to Becoming Your Own Decorator" (Gotham Books, $25), says bold geometric patterns and herringbone and bargello are what you will see.

• You remember that every room needs black or chocolate, right? Susan Brunstrum suggests painting your window and door trim with one of these shades. Then everything else can be light.

• And greens are the colors of the year, according to Jeff Hester, vice president of Hester Painting & Decorating. He likes them muted.

• If you're dying to try one of those fabulous finishes such as Venetian plaster or glazes that people like Hester are pushing, save your budget by trying it on one or two walls in a room.

• Sustainability and environmentally sensitivity were mentioned by almost everyone. Hunter Douglas, the window fashion folks, say most of their Duette Architella honeycomb shades save so much energy they should qualify for the federal tax credit.

Don't

• Uh oh. It's time to quit buying chenille furniture, says Susan Brunstrum of Sweet Peas Design Inc. in Libertyville. Too late for this warning? Be sure the next piece you buy to use with that chenille sofa is a different texture: leather, suede, linen, mohair or silk.

• Don't select a tree or plant just because it's blooming in the spring. Staff at the Morton Arboretum assure us a little research turns up choices that provide multi-season interest. If you're longing for those spring crab apple blooms, Prairiefire delivers, but also holds its red apples into December and January. Imagine those against the snow!

• Here's another heart breaker. Griffin says dark woods like wenge and espresso are no longer the way to go. She prefers honey-brown walnut and midtone finishes this year.

• Don't spray that bug. Spraying poison around your yard should never be your first step, said Tim Johnson, director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Maybe it's a friendly insect. Or maybe it won't do a lot of damage anyway. Or maybe you can pick off the beetle and its few cousins. Insecticide soaps and oils might do the trick. The idea is to research, then escalate the battle carefully.

• This is why we consult designers. Kimberly Allyn, North Dunton Design Group in Arlington Heights, warns against dark granite for high-use countertops because it shows everything and is difficult to keep clean.

• Griffin has another don't, but as long as you don't tell your 8-year-old daughter, this one probably won't break many hearts. Ditch the shags and let your next rug or carpet be a flat weave or a dhurrie.

• If you haven't gotten the word yet that "matchy matchy" is out, 2010 is the time to get on the bandwagon of individuality, says John Hoerst, merchandise manager and buyer at Chalet in Wilmette. That means don't buy sets in almost anything, from dishes to furniture.

• Your collection of knickknacks may be so stunning that your children are already fighting over who will inherit. But you should display only a few stunning examples at a time. The trend in the new year is definitely anti-clutter, according to a panel that gives input to the Reidel Marketing Group, which works with the Rosemont-based International Housewares Association.