Interior design is complex and ever-changing - part art, part science and part magic! In recognition that you are the expert when it comes to knowing what you like, here are some design basics and up-to-the-minute trends!

- Don't be sold on a label! Always use paint charts etc upside down. You may not have fallen in love with 'Expresso' if they'd called it 'Cow Pat Brown' .

- Surround yourself with what you love - not what is in fashion. Individual style is always in fashion for you. Fashion changes so quickly, it is best to choose styles and colours that delight you

- Remaking a space?

As a starting point think what you use the space for, and how you want the finished space to make you feel. This will establish the function of the room and its mood.

The next step is to determine what style you want - which together with the mood, will dictate your colours.

· Don't trick yourself that the answer to most decorating dilemmas is to stick with white! While not technically a colour, white is very demanding to work with eg teaming with timber floors or furniture. Not to mention that there are hundreds of whites - warm/cool/greyed/soft or harsh - it really depends on matching it correctly.

· If neutrals bore you silly and you love strong colour you certainly are not alone. Although it seems at times the planet has been taken over by lovers of aubergine and chocolate brown, the paint companies continue to develop stunning saturated colours to satisfy the most dedicated extrovert! Tempted as you may be to splash a variety of hues everywhere, bear in mind that using equal amounts of very strong colours can cancel each other out. It is far more effective to have one main colour and lesser of the contrast.

· Skylight savvy - if you have a dark room that cannot be fitted with a real skylight (for example, a bathroom on a lower floor) consider installing a fake. Fit a translucent panel into the ceiling and backlight. You can even buy decorative and colourful translucent panels from skylight providers.

· If you have lots of books or collectibles consider using built-in bookshelves. They look much smarter than an assortment of store-bought shelves and can be designed to fit room spaces perfectly. Don't have a large enough room? Bookshelves can go anywhere - around doorways, on ends of built-in robes; above cupboards in the kitchen or even on the sides or end of a hallway. A minimum of 27 cm depth is all you need. Neaten off the top with crown moulding, match your existing skirting board at the base and paint to match your walls - easy!

· Tab curtains looking a little dated? Tab curtains seemed a great fashion at the time - as all fad ideas do - but the reality is they are a way of covering a window with a minimum of fabric. That is why they lack the style of fuller curtaining, and look so skimpy when closed. If you want to keep your curtains but improve their look you could coordinate them with a second matching or contrasting set on the same window. If you find the curtains awkward to open and close as needed, invest in some header tape and rings and they can be attached to the same curtain rod. Alternatively, use sheers or a blind for additional privacy.

· Dreaming of an all-white bathroom? They look so great in the magazines - all gleaming, streamlined and glowing with light! The reality is that the most noticeable thing in an all-white tiled bathroom is the grout, especially on the floor. This is especially true with smaller tiles, with mosaics being the worst of all. But don't despair, there are ways to use white tiles in your bathroom and have a result you will be happy with. One way is to try large-sized marble, polished porcelain or otherwise rectified tiles, and butt-jointed them. Make sure you engage a tiler who knows how to work with these special products.

- Exterior brickwork: if you are thinking of improving the look of brick, whatever you do, don’t paint it! These days a bagged and painted finish is far more visually appealing. There is a new product on the market which bonds the new finish to the bricks – far more durable and less maintenance. This product is being used on new homes, and so is ideal to freshen up the look of your home.

- Add some colour: It’s not always a good idea to paint dark rooms white. Far from brightening them up, white often makes a dim interior dull and lifeless. A pale yellow or soft turquoise has far more vitality and adds real warmth.

- Mars vs Venus: Having problems agreeing on a colour scheme or décor? Don't compromise so much you end up with a room you both hate. Rather, choose which rooms are important to you and take sole responsibility for those. Just remember to have a common theme eg similar flooring or a signature colour, that will link the rooms when finished.

- Can't Afford to Redecorate?

If you are so strapped for cash that you can't afford to paint your walls, or are renting and want to keep expenditure to a minimum, try this:

Use a broken finish on the wall surfaces eg sponge effect, rag rolling, colour-washing, dragging, stippling etc. You will need a sound undercoat, whether you scrub down the wall as is, or have to outlay for a fresh undercoat. The beauty of doing this is that these techniques use a tiny amount of paint - a little goes a long way. These finishes also are brilliant for covering less-than-perfect walls. Dilute your paint with water - a scumble additive will give the paint a more translucent quality, make it go further and delay drying time while you get the look just right. But if you can't afford the scumble, don't panic - it's not essential.

- Framing tips : Custom framing can be expensive. Some low cost alternatives include:

• Buy ready-made framed prints and substitute the print

• Use mats to adjust the picture to a frame you may already have

• Block-mount the print

• Have the print stretched over a frame (it will look like an unframed artist's canvas) These are often finished with a spray to appear textured like an original oil painting.