For a nice romantic evening of elegance or simply for good design dinning follow some simple ideas that will make your dull microwavable TV dinner into a exquisite gourmet of dinning delight. First off, ditch those lousy patterned plates that have been tossed around for ages. Wake up, it's the 21st century and design has changed. The simpler the better… Especially when it come to food.

The idea of a fine meal is to set the atmosphere for the presentation of food. Put the food on white plates. For a dash of color use garnishes or place a solid color plate underneath the white one. By resting the food on white plates it takes away the patterned distraction making the food the focal point and a design within itself, leaving an edible presentation. Not only will it impress guests, but also who knows... it might even make it taste better.

And for all you over achievers out there try these tips... Add a solid color tablecloth for elegance, candles for a romantic setting, and flowers to add life and passion. But remember guys... be creative. If you are really trying to impress that special someone it's the little things that will count. Showing thought and care into a finished product can almost always find a way to someone's heart.

design questions? Post in the comments to find your answer.

Ever get the feeling that you can never have enough space? Of course.... we all do. The catch is to get rid of the clutter. However, if you can not possibly break yourself apart from your precious yard sale finds try taking a different approach.

Use paint as your design tool.
Ever hear that dark colors make a space feel smaller? In all actuality they make spaces feel bigger, making the walls appear to recede and giving the room more space.

Hesitant about using color?
Start by creating visual space by painting one or two walls a different color. Don't shy away from color, be bold... be daring. Color is a simple and inexpensive way to make a lasting impression.

design questions? Post in the comments to get an answer.

Dear Un-pretty in Pink,
Lots of famous guys are in the pink when it comes to fashion. So consider yourself ahead of the game. Pink looks good with every skintone. Why shun away from pink? Embrace it and even put it into your wardrobe. Become a trend setter and tell everyone I'm confident enough to wear pink. The ladies will love it.

BUT if pink is just not your bag at any expense... what can I say? If you can't paint over it the only suggestion left is to try and tone down the color using 'man accents'. Take the focus off the walls and onto something else. For instance... say you go into a room and see a brand new 40 inch LCD flat screen TV. Are you really going to notice the walls are pink? Unleash the testosterone into the room and make it your man cave. Throw some black framed black and white pictures on the walls to at least cover up some of the wall space, place some chrome lighting elements throughout the room, add a bunch of gidgets and gasmos, and cross your fingers buddy. Also, loose the overhead lighting if there is any and stick with simple task and accent lighting that is focused away from the walls. The darker the walls appear the less likely you will notice them.

Just be glad that the walls are only light pink. It could be much much worse. It could be filled with butterflies, hearts, and teddy bears.

design question? Post in the comments to get an answer.

Dear Dinning room distress,
It seems to me like you want to get a little bit funky, but still keep that dinning room elegance for special occasions. I think your choices so far are right on track... Get away from the boring and predictable, but to polish it off try thinking outside the traditional dinning room box and look into something more expressive. Take your dinning experience to a whole different level by creating a wave of cultural sensation. For instance, instead of a stuffy old dinning room table with chairs try looking to the west for inspiration. What if you had a dark sushi table and large pillows for seating? This would be a perfect way to enhance your dinning experience and to show off the hardwood floors. Throw down a small straw matt under the table...add an asian inspired screen, some bamboo and orchids for flare, a small rock garden for a centerpiece, and Vuala! a space that is elegant but inspiring. Oh and don't forget candles as accent lighting. It's the quickest and most inexpensive way to set the mood.

design question? Post in the comments to get an answer.

Dear Brad,
Just between you and me it's not so much about matching as it is coordinating. The juxtaposition* of two contrasting elements can often times make a room more aesthetically pleasing. Simply by adding different fabrics, textures, and colors you can create rooms which are stiking and effective. Try the color that best reflects your personality. Both colors are quite striking and very daring. Not only do they create a visual focus, but they will also serve as a great conversation piece.

* jux·ta·po·si·tion (n.) - the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side

design question? Post it in the comments to get an answer.

Enlighten the bloggers around the world. What do you think?

Maybe I should start my own reality show? There's plenty of drama to go around. I think it should be called "The Intern." Millions of viewers can tune in weekly and see how a small town kid who graduated in a class of 17 grew up and is now taking on a city of millions... What do you think?

Throughout the past several weeks I have continued my management experiences going from last summer in Miami. This summer, instead of observing and engaging in few tasks I am taking on more responsibility and getting my hands dirty in the real estate business. Who knows, maybe I'll be the next Donald Trump, hopefully without the comb over and I will be know as The Landon.

These past couple weeks I am being sculpted and trained into the salesperson that I was never born to be. I probably couldn't sell my way out of a cardboard box, but these people are determined to turn me into something that at least resembles a salesman. Stay tuned and we shall see how well they succeed...

While I was in Miami I became aware that DC is the heart of the CES division. DC is known for the quality of living that Charles E. Smith provides, so I'm looking forward to learning from the best in the business.

I came across this quote today and it's very true. Too many of us worry about what's going to happen to us instead of making the best of each day. Time flies, days pass, and when we're old what are we going to talk about? How much we worried or how high the snow was when we walked to school?

From the beginning I have been against war and all that it encompasses. War solves nothing. Be strategic, be smart... Terrorism on our homeland caused a great deal of this and I fully agree on the decision to go to war against terrorism. But this should be done in a way that causes them to be in constant fear of their lives, not in fear of our own. We are Americans damn it. People should know not to mess with us. Yet they still do.

Today one of our own, executed in a brutally and midevil way, has paid the ultimate price for us. Beheading one of our ambassadors of peace in the name of retaliation for stupid photos. I was not in favor of helping to rebuild their country, nor am I now. I feel that we should pull our soldiers out now and leave the people of Iraq to sift through the rubble that used to be their lives. We tried to be the bigger person and help them to be a stronger, better country. A country of peace and prosperity. Next time they mess with us or threaten us, I suggest we simply be smart, send in a sniper squad and take out all the evil that plagues this earth. I've had enough and I believe America has too.

My prayers go out to the families of those who are willing to die for our country, our beliefs, and our freedom. And especially to those who have fallen. We will eternally be in debt to them all.

What exactly is America's craze with Mexican food? I will never know. As far as it's ranking on my favorite foods list, I would say it ranks right around beets and brussel sprouts. It falls into that gray area where you will eat it to survive, but it's not all that pleasant going down. However, I will say that modernized mexi-merican is quite nice, such as Taco Bell, but the best will always be the home made kind that mom makes.

One year ago, Landon Online was born. You have watched as it has grown, aged, and now... matured. Thats right. Landon Online has now become a true webpage. Not only can you visit, but yes you can now contribute as well! It is amazing what the wonders of modern technology can do. So if you are tired of looking at those design projects this one is for you. A webpage that will change more than just once every six months.

I had never considered myself to be the blogging type, but then again I never thought I would have my own webpage either. Lucky for me Brian is a smooth talker, otherwise I would still be wondering how these webpages got out there. Who knows what the next step will be in my journeys toward becoming a Master of the Webpage Arts?