Janet Lee has style. Janet Lee is bold, yet practical. And Janet Lee isn't afraid of making a mistake… after all, renters of small apartments can always undo, and redo, their design choices. Janet Lee is the author of the forthcoming book, Living in a Nutshell, which will tell renters (and owners) of small apartments how to decorate their square-foot-challenged homes.

"My design mantra is to design ‘out of the box when you live in one’…especially true if you live in a rented one.  Be courageous and maybe a little dangerous in your design choices," Ms. Lee said.

A producer for the "Oprah Winfrey Show," who previously produced an interior design cable TV show with Martha Stewart, Ms. Lee affordably transforms forgettable, small rental apartments into memorable homes that are stylish and practical.    

On her web site, www.livinginanutshell.com, Ms. Lee features her own 750 square foot Manhattan rental apartment, where she decorated her kitchen wall with a dozen empty caviar tins ($7.55 each), symmetrically arranged in four rows.  Like Andy Warhol, Ms. Lee transforms the ordinary – consumer product packaging – into pop art. 

Excerpts of my interview with Janet Lee are below. Enjoy!

What are the most important factors in successful interior design for a small apartment?
Color, color, color.  Paint, paint, paint.  Before you pass go, break open the paint can and put color on the walls.  I like to use paint to create zones in a small space, which seems counter-intuitive, but it adds a feeling of depth to a space.  

Surrender the idea of being perfect.  Many people are afraid of making a mistake, and sit for years in a dull apartment that sucks the life energy out of them.  Design mistakes can be rectified, modified. Much like baseball, there’s no crying in decorating---it should be a joyful process.

What do you notice first when you visit a small, already-decorated apartment?
Honestly, most spaces are hidden under clutter. I am immediately taken by color.  It gives energy and sets a mood so quickly in a space. I love a home that is decorated in such a way that it tells me a quick story about that person. 

One of the biggest problems of living in a small apartment is storage; what are the solutions – other than culling?
I have my small space survival list of must-haves. Top of the list is a paneled screen.  I hide everything behind it.

On your web site (www.livinginanutshell.com) you articulate some of your design ideas, but only features your apartment. What else will your forthcoming book, Living in a Nutshell be about?
The book will focus on original do-it-yourself non-committal decorating ideas, perfect for renters and for people living in transitional housing that are unique and chic and budget-conscious. I’ve saved some of the most amazing design projects that I’ve done in my apartment exclusively for the book. So stay tuned. Also, this summer I am decorating studio apartments in Manhattan and Chicago, and each space will be my testing lab for more ideas. I’ve vetted so many unconventional design resources and will include this list in the book. There is also talk of streaming design episodes of one of the apartments I am working on for the web and for a possible television series.

In your day job, you are a producer for the "Oprah Winfrey Show." Please describe what you do, and what you like best about your job.
For over a decade, I have worked as a senior field producer for the "Oprah Winfrey Show," traveling around the country and the world, interviewing heads of state, celebrities, covering natural disasters like Katrina and meeting families in crisis. I love that every assignment is different and challenging. I’ve also produced many shows with Oprah’s favorite interior designer, Nate Berkus, and he has been an inspiration. Before Oprah, I worked with Martha Stewart and produced a daily home design show for Lifetime. I’ve always painted, sewn, decoupaged and have been a “DIY” girl before there was the term. Now I plan to focus my energies on my true passion, which is design. It’s all come full circle for me and I am able to combine everything I love.