By ROSEMARY SADEZ FRIEDMANN, Scripps Howard News Service

The Pantone color palettes for fall/winter 2012 and 2013 are in, and the winners are ... many. Expect to see these hues in clothes, interior design, home products -- perhaps even makeup.

The color authority has nine palettes to share for an array of choices. It seems that almost all the palettes are muted a bit. Each palette has a name that reflects the colors within.

Shutters as a window covering are a great choice. Wood shutters are a wonderful way to add elegance and warmth to your home. They look nice and require no maintenance. They afford privacy and also open to let the sun shine in. They even offer insulation. Some contend that wood shutters add to the value of the home as they add an architectural strength. Let's explore.

Well, it's winter. But winter doesn't have to be dreary, and often during this no-holiday time of year people enjoy lifting their spirits by entertaining. In winter we tend to do things a little more formally, so let's explore how to decorate a dining table in a wintery, formal way.

Have you ever wanted to collect and display fine art but felt you can't afford it? Well, think again. Copies of van Goghs, Monets, Dalis, Picassos and more are on canvas and affordable. Interested? Let's talk.

Sites such as overstockArt.com seem to have it all.

When it comes to children's rooms, we always want to make them the most enjoyable haven we can offer. But have you found yourself changing the decor more often than you would like?

Well, here we are in a whole new year. What say we clear up some clutter in our lives? Your personal business is not my business, so I'll leave that part of uncluttering up to you. But I can have an opinion on your home, so let me get you started on clearing clutter there.

The hustle and the bustle and the nonstop activities of the holidays are over. It's time for peace and quiet. But how do we do that when we have constant noise from television, iPod music, traffic and noisy people? Going to a spa for a week would work but that wouldn't be a permanent solution. Let's see how we can turn our homes into a quiet retreat.

So do you know what the colors are for the new year? Well, I do. And I'm willing to share that knowledge with you. These colors come to you not just from me but from the prestigious Pantone Color Planner.

Though there are just a few days left before Christmas, that's OK. We still have time to make one more special decoration that we can use now and year after year. I'm talking about a mitten garland. You can drape it on a mantel or around the Christmas tree. Or you can tack it around a doorway.

Here's a list of the materials you will need:

'Tis the season for making homemade things -- to give, to keep and, perhaps, to use year after year.

It's always nice to make special holiday cookies at this time of year, both for giving and for personal consumption. It's nice to make personalized gifts for people any time of year, but particularly now.