Snazz It Up

By Alex May

Give your pad a designer touch with these tips from interior designers

Michele Ardon, The Finished Room
TOP TIP: Make it individual

"Instead of getting a sofa off a factory floor, our suppliers can custom-make a sofa for each person into the household. They can take into account whether a person has short or long legs and what level of comfort they crave. Customised sofas can cost only a fraction more than readymade furniture, depending on the fabric and design."

Luke Cummins, Urban Moo
TOP TIP: Make sure you have good storage

"Everybody wants a calm place to escape to - that's why storage is really important. It's great to have heaps of cupboards that almost look as though they are walls. We've just designed a great storage unit that has hidden panels in a wall that opened up to store the TV adn stereo, and a bar was built into some drawers. Clever storage means you can make the most of the space you live in."

Garth Barnett, Garth Barnett Design
TOP TIP: Buy one good piece per room

"The one bit of advice I give to all my clients is to invest in one expensive painting, piece of furniture or artefact for each room. Firstly, establish an overall theme for your home, including colours, and work on one room at a time. Select your 'good piece' and build the room around that item. Alternatively, call an interior designer."

Michele Ferguson, City Hip Design
TOP TIP: Use colour

"Colour can make a home quite magical. SMall rooms should have walls and woodwork in the same pale or neutral colours llike Bristol's Fume Blanc. Large rooms can become more cosy (or you can camouflage defects) with strong colours. I think red provides a sense of drama and looks fabulous in dining rooms. It helps to put together a visual diary of pictures you like before you commit to strong colours. THen you can use the collection of pictures you like to create a colour scheme that suits you.

Judy Green, Double Bay Interiors
TOP TIP: Add some softness

"Lately, the trend has been for minimalism and that bare-bones look, but I think people want softness. Rooms look more inviting with curtains instead of blinds and cushions instead of bare sofas. Try to make better use of your soft furnishings."

THE BIGGEST BOO-BOO?

THe most common design mistakes happen when people patch their rooms with loads of different things they like. And, says architect Luke Cummins from Urban Moo, the sure way to avoid that is to hire an interiors expert. "It sounds expensive but an interior designer can save you money," he insists. "They know where to buy quality furnishings at discount prices and they have years of design training. Bear in mind there is a difference between a decorator and designer. A designer isn't tied to getting commission for the soft furnishings they use."