Easy style updates

From best buys and clever tricks to mini décor projects…this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest ways to make your home more beautiful now

1

CHANGE THE BACKDROP Refresh a lacklustre living room with a new colour scheme. Start by painting one wall (or all of them) in sage green for a calm backdrop, then add touches of warm mustard and grey on furnishings and art for contrast.

Saturday sofa in Butterscotch velvet, from £1,640, Sofa.com

2

FILL AN EMPTY SPOT Use blank wall space above a sideboard or console to create a mini gallery wall. Centre the artwork above the furniture, leaving a gap between its surface and the bottom edge of the frames.

3

LAYER UP THE TABLE Create a relaxed, informal setting for lunches and cosy suppers. Begin with one large linen cloth placed centrally then add a couple of contrasting runners laid widthwise on top.

Wall in Peaseblossom claypaint, £47 for 2.5ltr, Country Homes & Interiors range, Earthborn Abstract Figures posters, from £9.95 each, Desenio

4

WORK IN WARM TONES Take the edge off chilly rooms by mixing in a few rich colours. Try rustic leafy prints in dusky blue, russet and gold to warm up a living space as autumn draws near.

Briar cushion, £50, MM Linen

Mother of Pearl Spot organic cotton duvet cover set, from £80, John Lewis & Partners

Round seagrass baskets, small £33; large £45, Marquis & Dawe

7

ROUND UP CLUTTER Invest in a couple of handled baskets to

keep on standby in a living room or hallway. Gather clutter that has accumulated at the end of each day and use for quick tidy-ups when guests drop by.

ONE S M A L L STEP

5SWITCH TO ORGANIC BEDDING Swap synthetic sheets and duvet covers for an eco-friendly option. Organic cotton fibres are naturally breathable for a more comfortable sleep and aren ’t treated with nasty chemicals.

6

TRY A MIX AND MATCH SPLASHBACK Instead of sticking to a single colour or material, add punch with two contrasting finishes, one above the other. Try a largeformat tile with a small-scale mosaic in complementing tones.

Confiserie triangle mosaic in Sorbet, £79.88sq m; Trousdale Aniston porcelain tile, £56.95sq m, both Claybrook Studio

8

SLOT IN A SKINNY DESK Steal space from a hallway or upstairs landing to set up a desk if room is limited. A slimline console-style desk should be sufficient for laptop working – just add a lamp and a wall unit above for extra storage.

Drax desk light, £137, Pooky

9

FRAME A WINDOW WITH COLOUR Li a plain scheme by accentuating a window recess or door frame with a bright, cheery shade. Create a similar effect by painting inside an alcove or unused fireplace.

Walls in Cream White and Mustard Jar easyclean matt emulsion, £25 for 2.5ltr, Crown Paints

10

MAKE AN EASY WOVEN LAMPSHADE Use a simple rattan basket from Ikea. Remove the handles and spray the basket black, then add a cable, light fitting and bulb, and hang. Creative Cables sells fabric-covered flexes and fittings.

11

GO DARK IN THE KITCHEN Create impact in a small kitchen by choosing darker tones in place of safe neutrals. Paint walls in smart navy blue, teamed with a blind in a dusky floral.

Snidad basket, £25, Ikea. Cable, from £2.80m, Creative Cables

Blind in Stapleton Park fabric, £65m, Sanderson

12

BOX UP KITCHEN ESSENTIALS Open shelving can look untidy if clutter isn ’t kept in check. Sort loose items, jars and packets into these chalkboard crates, with side panels on which you can jot down the contents.

Chalkboard crates, £53.99 set of three, ildecor

Bamboo cane clothes rail, £225, Dunelm

15

UPDATE A PICTURE DISPLAY If your wall art is uninspiring, ring the changes by working in a few new images. Choose prints in complementary colours or update frames and mounts for a fresh look.

Les Agrumes No 2 poster, from £9.95, Desenio

13

KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN Find favourite outfits more easily by opting for an open clothes rail instead of a wardrobe. It’s handy for guests or seasonal storage in a spare bedroom –and slim enough in a hallway for hanging outdoor wear.

14

ADD A TOUCH OF LUXE Go for opulence on a not-so-grand scale by restricting bathroom tiling to one key area. A marble mosaic splashback adds wow and is far more affordable than marble tiling wall to wall.

Calacatta Amber honed marble hexagon mosaic, £14.34 per sheet (£177sq m), Mandarin Stone

16

GO FOR PICK AND MIX BEDDING Re-charge your sleep space by focusing on the bed. Replace a tired duvet cover with linens in a mix of plains and patterns, small- and large-scale prints, layered with throws and knits to pull it all together – ready for cosy autumn nights.

Chelsea Stripe double duvet cover set, £60; Jouvene bedspread, £100; Rye knit throw in Mustard, £50, all John Lewis & Partners

17

DITCH THE COFFEE TABLE Free up some floor space by swapping a large coffee table for

smaller side tables, pouffes or a nest of tables. Lighter-weight pieces are easy to dot around – and to move around – so they won ’t obstruct the flow of the living room.

Coco two-seater sofabed in Chanel Cream, £1,179, Sofology

18

ADD EDGE WITH BLACK FITTINGS Upgrade a walk-in shower or wet room by replacing standard fittings with smart matt black ones. A black-framed shower screen will create a focal point – pair it with a black shower head and taps.

19

SLIM DOWN STORAGE Go for a neat multifunctional piece if hallway space is tight. This clever unit has a built-in mirror, shelf, drawer and pegs, and is just 15cm deep.

Hoxton gloss porcelain tiles in Olive, £46.67sq m, Mandarin Stone. Orchard 6mm Black-framed wet room glass panel, £345, Victoria Plum, is similar

Hallway tidy, £120, Urbansize

20

BRIGHTEN UP A WINDOWSILL Savour the last days of summer with a display of potted blooms. Outdoor pelargoniums make perfect houseplants and will flower well into autumn. Or try your hand at the latest trend for cacti and succulents.

Camille plant pot with saucer, £22.50, Oliver Bonas