This study investigates the role of long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA) HOTAIR in regulating chromatin states and epigenetic inheritance. The authors demonstrate that HOTAIR serves as a modular scaffold for two distinct histone modification complexes: Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and the LSD1/CoREST/REST complex. The 5' domain of HOTAIR binds PRC2, while the 3' domain binds the LSD1/CoREST/REST complex. This interaction enables the coordinated targeting of PRC2 and LSD1 to chromatin, leading to coupled histone modifications such as H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation. The study also shows that HOTAIR is required for the proper targeting of these complexes to target genes, particularly at the *HOXD* locus, where it is essential for gene silencing. Additionally, the authors identify specific DNA motifs that are enriched in binding sites occupied by SUZ12 and LSD1 when HOTAIR is present, suggesting that these motifs play a role in HOTAIR-dependent gene regulation. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of lincRNAs as modular scaffolds in chromatin regulation.This study investigates the role of long intergenic noncoding RNA (lincRNA) HOTAIR in regulating chromatin states and epigenetic inheritance. The authors demonstrate that HOTAIR serves as a modular scaffold for two distinct histone modification complexes: Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and the LSD1/CoREST/REST complex. The 5' domain of HOTAIR binds PRC2, while the 3' domain binds the LSD1/CoREST/REST complex. This interaction enables the coordinated targeting of PRC2 and LSD1 to chromatin, leading to coupled histone modifications such as H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation. The study also shows that HOTAIR is required for the proper targeting of these complexes to target genes, particularly at the *HOXD* locus, where it is essential for gene silencing. Additionally, the authors identify specific DNA motifs that are enriched in binding sites occupied by SUZ12 and LSD1 when HOTAIR is present, suggesting that these motifs play a role in HOTAIR-dependent gene regulation. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of lincRNAs as modular scaffolds in chromatin regulation.