When it comes to design, less is more — according to Janie Petkus.

With appearances on HGTV under her interior designing belt, Petkus works with homeowners to find the perfect decor for their residence.

After working on six Hinsdale show houses, and the Grace Episcopal Church, 120 E. First St., Petkus’ work is spread throughout the community, among other places in the country.

Though she has a liking for contemporary themes, Petkus said that each room makeover should be a reflection of the homeowners and their lifestyle, no matter what the style chosen.

“Design is all about analyzing lifestyles and evaluate how people entertain and how you live,” she said. “You don’t want to have a room where you are hollering at your kids not to touch anything.”

Putting a spin on antique looks with themes including traditional, classic and romantic, Petkus’ knack for putting a fresh look on older pieces is a specialty.

“I love to put a contemporary edge on things like putting a contemporary painting over an antique table so it doesn’t look like a stuffy museum,” she said.

While the temptation to share design ideas with friends, Petkus recommends keeping ideas to yourself so personal opinions aren’t influenced.

“If you show a lot of your friends your design, they’re all going to have an opinion and they will give it to you and then you’ll go back and forth and pretty soon, you don’t know what you want anymore,” she said. “You just have to trust me and your own instincts.”

From a professional standpoint, Petkus said her purpose is to help prevent people from making expensive mistakes.

“For a design project to be successful, it has got to be what the homeowner wants and what works for them,” she said. “People may know what they like but sometimes having someone come in to bounce ideas off of can save a huge amount of money.”