Transforming your house to meet the specific needs of your family, adding specialty rooms like wine cellars, and introducing bolder colors in the home are all expected to be popular interior design themes in 2003, experts say.

While interior designers and others in the home improvement industry unleash their annual "what's hot" and yearly trends list at this time of year, it's always tempered with the premise that your home ultimately needs to cater to your family's personality and lifestyle - not what's "in" at the moment.

Unlike the fashion industry in which it's easy to supplement your wardrobe when a new style is deemed "in," you can't change your home quite so easily - unless you have plenty of disposable income at your fingertips.

That's why the American Society of Interior Designers recommends focusing on and implementing design trends with staying power.

"People just can't run out and change things on a whim, unless they have unlimited budgets," said Los Angeles-based interior designer B.J. Peterson.

Homeowners want to maximize their space. Rooms - like formal living rooms - that traditionally had limited use are becoming a thing of the past. Instead, homeowners are opting for rooms that are comfortable and functional.

Kitchens will continue to be the hub of the house, complete with not only cooking and eating areas, but multiple preparation areas, homework and computer desk areas, pantries, beverage centers, and special dining and living areas.

Meanwhile, specialty rooms are expected to rise in popularity this year, the ASID says. Especially popular among empty nesters, these rooms run the gamut - media rooms, wine cellars, meditation rooms, libraries, sewing centers, and hobby rooms.

"I have clients who moved into the spare bedroom and transformed their master bedroom into a media room," said designer Susan Davis, an ASID member from Mountain View, Calif. "Complete with an 8-foot screen, terrific sound, leather seating and a comfortable chaise, the room works for movie viewing, casual entertaining, a teen hangout and an escape to read a book or listen to music. Though unconventional, it was the perfect use of space for this family's way of living."

Indeed, the National Association of Remodeling expects finished basements used as game and rec rooms, luxury master suites, fully functional home offices, and playrooms with plenty of storage among the remodeling projects that will be popular this year.

And 2003 is expected to be a big year for color, the ASID forecasts.

Homeowners are getting away from the boring beiges and choosing colors that set a mood, create an inviting atmosphere, or spark a response.

Color experts at Pantone Inc., a company that specializes in color communication and technology for a range of industries, says that if you'll be shopping for home furnishings into 2003, you'll see a lot of calming and comforting colors.

"The overall forecast for 2003 is one of more muted, traditional and classical shades," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute, a company that specializes in color communication and technology for a range of industries.

Another color group, Color Marketing Group, a not-for-profit association of 1,600 color designers who forecast colors for all industries, including home and architectural, says blue will be big in 2003.

"The search for the perfect Blue yields four perfect directions for blues," the company's web site states. "Whether safe and grounded, watery or atmospheric, Forecast Blues invigorate and enliven consumer products while providing steadfast assurance and stability during cloudy economic times."

Green will also play a key role in 2003 - green as in earth-friendly. So-called green design is expected to become increasingly popular in the home, the ASID says. People are learning more about "earth-friendly" building product. Bamboo and cork flooring, plant-based paints and finishes, and salvaged wood are some of the alternative materials being specified by designers today.

But again, your primary goal, experts stress, is to do whatever feels right for you and your family - and won't be an embarrassment five years down the road.