Interior Design advise online

Hot tips from our resident designer
	Before you do anything in your house work out what you want from each room. If it is a sitting room, do you want it to be warm and cosy so you can curl up in an armchair with a book, or is it a more formal room for entertaining guests and displaying treasured items. It is very important to have an idea of how you envisage the finished room to be.
	If you cannot afford a stunning fabric, use a plain one and accessorise it with trimmings. Make sure you make the curtains as full as possible and use a good interlining and then spend as much as you can on the trimmings, the pole if you are using one, or a wondrous pelmet. On sofas and chairs, cover them in lovely cushions or throws - which can be made with a small amount of the fabric you really wanted to use before you realised the price! Little touches often make the biggest impact.
	Your house may, to a degree, dictate a certain style, try not to go against it. If a room is dark, keep it that way and the same goes if it has a lot of light. You are more likely to have problems if you try and break the mould.
	The essence of an English room is not so much created as it evolves. Once you have the background scheme just keep adding. Don't be afraid to include more patterns or colours. Take your time, when you see an old chair or rug add it to your room. The best rooms are assembled over many years.
	Just bought a new home - live in it, don't dash around redecorating every room, you are guaranteed to make mistakes. You must spend time getting to know the house and how it works for you and your family.
	Having been a guest in many people's houses, I urge all my clients (and friends!) to spend a couple of nights in their guest bedrooms. It is terribly important that your guests are comfortable and have a good night's sleep - do make sure the bed is comfy, the curtains keep out the morning light and the room is warm enough. There is nothing worse than a miserable house guest.

Questions and answers

We are happy to help you with your decorating problems. Send us your questions and we will do our best to answer them. You can either email us or write to us at The Hive, Ashurst, West Sussex BN44 3AX Here are some questions we have already received together with our advice.

Q.	We have recently moved into my husband's family home. Nothing has been redecorated for at least 50 years. I daren't do anything too drastic as I don't want to upset my mother-in-law but the dining room curtains have become shabby. They are damask and match the walls - which we really can't afford to replace - have you any ideas?
A.	I know how important it is not to upset the mother-in-law! You really have two options. Do you have any idea where the fabric came from in the first place? A lot of old damasks are still being produced, or you could send me a snippet of the fabric and we could see if we could find it. Your best bet would be to have the curtains carefully taken apart and use the best pieces as inset panels in a new set. I would suggest you use a plain velvet as a border fabric with as large a panel as possible of the damask. You could use two velvets, very slightly contrasting in colour or texture. Have a look in the plains section of velvets and if you can't find a colour that would work send me a small piece and I will see what we can come up with.

Q.	I have just moved into a one bedroom flat in a south London Victorian house. The living room has a large window facing towards the garden. I love lots of the fabrics on your site but I need to watch my budget, I want to make a statement and don't really know where to begin?
A.	Your best idea would be to have fun with some plains, either silk or if you want more weight look at the ottomans or cotton/linen. Join three or four different colours horizontally. If your budget can stretch I would use one of Fabricant stunning poles with finals and finish off with one of Wendy Cushings to die for tiebacks. As with our wardrobe, it is often the accessories that make the outfit, and it can work the same way with curtains.

Q.	I am just completing the decoration of my bedroom and looked at your site for ideas for lamps and wall lights. My husband was brought up in Africa and I know he would be very pleased if I theme the lighting to reflect his upbringing. What do you suggest?
A.	Well, this is an unusual request - especially as you haven't told me what style/colourings you have used! Still, my suggestion would be to use some simple iron wall lights, Richard Taylor do a good range, and have cardshades in faux leopard. As for lamps, Woolpit have some stunning painted lamps with leopards or tigers, or maybe he would like a giraffe! Have a look through our selections and I am sure you will find a favourite animal.

Q.	We have just bought a small farm bungalow with a view to doing it up and renting it out. It is 1950's, it has two bedrooms, a very small bathroom, kitchen, hall and sitting room, it has a lot of light. We have to put in a new bathroom and kitchen. We are going to rent it unfurnished so we are looking to redecorate the floors, walls and curtains. Any cheap but attractive ideas?
A.	Well, I would keep it as light and fresh as possible, don't do anything to put people off, keep it simple. How about a laminate wood flooring in the general areas, carpet in bedrooms and bathroom. I would paper the bedrooms in a wallpaper, a two tone stripe or small pattern, again two tone, and paint the rest in off white. As for curtains, you could install dress curtains (ones that don't pull) with a blackout roller blind behind. Blackout roller blinds are terribly useful; you could put them in the bedrooms and then make a drape over a pole with a fun plaid blanket, or a paisley style cotton bedspread. You could use calico, fix it to a board above your window and drape it to one side with a fun tieback. For the kitchen and bathroom your best bet would be to have a rattan style blind - you can buy them 'off the peg'. Hope this gives you some ideas.