DESIGNED TO PLEASE WEST VALLEY SPECIALISTS TAKE THE MADNESS OUT OF MAKEOVERS.

Byline: Diana McKeon Charkalis Lifestyle Editor

When Teresa Morlang wanted to update her two-bedroom Chatsworth condo, she had no idea where to start.

"All I knew was what I didn't want - anything girly or frilly. I didn't want shabby chic or Laura Ashley. I just wanted something more liveable and cozy - a space with personality."

That's where the team from West Valley-based Room Rescue 911 came in. Composed of designer Dia Collins, builder (and Dia's husband) Jim Collins and garden expert Rick Feldman, the trio works on a wide range of home projects.

"We do everything from consulting to major construction," said Dia. "We're like a one-stop resource for everything that has to do with home and garden."

After meeting with Morlang, they decided to tackle the dining area, living room and master bedroom, as well as create two small outdoor garden areas. They also called on other specialists, including painters, closet builders and a decking expert.

"What we do is not 'Extreme Makeover,' " explained Dia. "It's 'room rescue.' We come in, take out the parts you don't need and replace it with stuff that works."

The results stunned Morlang, who moved out while the work was done. It took what amounted to about a week's worth of work and totaled $22,000 in products and labor.

"I was a little nervous that it wouldn't feel like home, but it does," Morlang said when she saw the results. Dia said part of the process is not only fixing clients' problems but educating them as well. "Part of what we want to do is empower people so that they can feel confident about doing more things themselves."

Diana McKeon Charkalis, [phone]

diana.charkalis(at)dailynews.com

Transforming the space

Here's a room-by-room look at some of the highlights:

DESIGNATED DINING: When it came to the dining room, Dia's main goal was to designate the space, making it a separate entity from the living room. They started by giving the area an update. Dia kept Morlang's slightly worn table but dressed it up with new linens and chair cushions. "She likes earth tones and natural shades, so I used those, but I threw in splashes of color."

An outdated lighting fixture was replaced with a more stylish option from Lowe's for just $59. "Then we put it on a dimmer switch for romantic evenings."

Dia dressed the windows with sheers and a Microsuede "scarf" to allow light in. But she also kept Morlang's shades for privacy. She opted for a large floral still-life from Linens-N- Things for $99 as a focal point.

"I'd be scared to death to buy something that big for the room," Morlang said when she saw the artwork. "But it looks great."

Lesson learned? It's good to face your decorating fears.

"For a minimal investment, you've got a dining room that creates a statement," Dia said.

STAY FOCUSED: The main challenge in the living room was to create a focal point. To do so, Dia found Morlang one big-ticket item to house her TV - a $1,350 handmade corner armoire from Eclectic Furniture in Canoga Park.

To tie the room together, she put the armoire near the fireplace, which got dressed up with a handmade wooden mantle made by Jim. "Now she can sit and enjoy both the TV and the fireplace," he said. "It works."

Jim also added crown molding, a great way to add visual effect. "It's gotten much more affordable," he said. "You can get crown molding for as little as a couple of bucks a foot - and it makes a big difference in a room."

When the project started, Dia noted that all the walls in the condo were white except for one in the living room, which was mossy green. She capitalized on that and had soothing earth tones painted throughout. "Colors are important for making a room come to life. We don't live in a black-and-white world. We need to bring the colors from the outside in."

ONE ROOM, ONE PURPOSE?

"One of the most important spaces you can redo is the bedroom, and it's often the most neglected," said Dia. "Often it serves too many functions."

That was also the case with Morlang, who wanted her bedroom to double as home-office space. So Dia opted for a built-in entertainment center that functions as a workstation.

"It's a complete office, but it doesn't detract from the rest of the room," she says.

She was also careful to hold onto any items significant to Morlang, and to work with them.

For example, she added new bedding in rich colors to Morlang's own bed. And she made a cover for her hope chest out of a drapery panel that cost $19.99.

Although she avoided frilly items for the most part, Dia couldn't resist one girly touch in the bedroom: a red lampshade with metallic fringe - a steal for $14. "She can always change it if she doesn't like it," Dia said. "It's fun to mix and match lampshades and bases."

GARDENS OF DELIGHT: To set a relaxed mood outdoors, just add water, said Dia. "I always bring a water feature into everything we do. They're so important and only cost between $5 and $6 a month to run."

She said you can add square footage and property value to any home by extending it outdoors with a patio or garden. "It's especially important for people in L.A. with little space. You don't have to have an acre of land to do something incredible."

In Morlang's outdoor spaces, garden expert Feldman planted fast-growing plants like California lilac. "The whole idea is to soften up the wall so you don't just have stucco to look at," he said.

He also instructed his crew to be less than exact with flower placement. "I never want anything too symmetrical or perfect - just a little off-center. Nature doesn't plant itself in rows."

TIPS YOU CAN USE

1. Face your fears. Don't be afraid to move furniture around or change your mind about color. ``I've painted a room 10 times before I got the color right.''

2. When considering a change, take inventory of the items in each room that you want to keep.

3. Less is more when it comes to accent pieces. Dress your home nicely, but don't fill it with clutter.

4. Take photos of what you're keeping and bring them with you when you shop for new items.

5. Make a ``wish list'' to give each room a fresh look. Sometimes changing out draperies or adding a few decor touches is all you need.

- From Room Rescue 911

CAPTION(S):

8 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Homeowner Teresa Morlang prepared for the makeover by getting rid of some of her furniture. ``The few pieces that I kept I hardly recognize,'' she said afterwards.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(2 -- 3 -- color) Before: The living room lacked a focal point and a sense of purpose. After: To fix the problem, a mantle was created for the fireplace, and the TV (housed in an armoire) was moved beside it. Crown molding, as well as wall painted in soothing earth tones, also help give the room a finished look.

(4 -- color) Above: Room Rescue 911 designer Dia Collins also shops with clients for a flat fee of $75 per hour.

(5 -- 6 -- color) Handmade stoneware in complementary colors from Linens-N-Things ($24 per place setting) warms up the dining room.

(7 -- 8 -- color) Water features like this one from Sig's Pottery in Northridge ($350) enhances any garden.

Box:

(1) Transforming the space (see text)

(2) TIPS YOU CAN USE (see text)