TRY A SPEEDY STYLE UPDATE

Have fun with these simple but creative ideas that’ll ring the changes in your home without turning into a full redo

1Paint walls in warm neutrals Greys or whites can sometimes feel a little cold, but choosing milky, truffle-pink shades will make any space beautifully warm and soft. Choose furniture in a similarly neutral plush velvet to add a touch of restful decadence.

Walls in Velvet Truffle 3 matt emulsion, £30.04 for 2.5ltr, Dulux. Hampstead four-seater sofa in Velvet Mink, £3,329, Heal’s

Rose Varadero tiles, £59.99sq m, CTD Tiles 3Give stair risers a bold new look If your staircase is the first thing you see when you walk in the front door, update it with statement floor tiles. Alternatively, use a patterned wallpaper and paste this to each riser instead.

2Create a feature wall in TILE THE WALL IN A BATHROOM your bathroom by tiling from floor to ceiling with geometric tiles. Or go subtle and just tile a splashback or shower enclosure.

4PAIR PINK AND GREEN IN A BEDROOM A modern colour combo that’s perfect to create a bold boudoir, go for a bed in a deep forest green velvet, then team with blush pink walls. Accessorise with lush green plants and continue the pink theme with furniture in a similar shade.

Boxit Solar Green double bedframe, £499, DFS Terracotta Gammon cement encaustic tiles, £152.40sq m, Otto

TOP BUYS

For updating your home

Cotton rope hanging rainbow, £3, B&M

Pom pom basket, £30, House of Flora

Blue matte stoneware vase, £25, Sunday Living Sakura poster, £9.95, Desenio

Terracotta tassel basket, £22, Missguided

5Make a display of cook books Turn the end of an island or side of a kitchen cupboard into a space to store cook books. Either attach a couple of slim picture ledges or fix a batten of wood or piping to built-in shelves, and pop your books behind them.

PERFECT PICKS

For a new look

Retro Ochre footstool, £30, B&M

Bistro dining chair, £59.99, Homesense

Alcove painted in Decadent Damson Simply Refresh feature wall emulsion, £25.36 for 1.5ltr, Dulux

Rubin Case Study kitchen, from £30,000, Life Kitchens 6 STORE MAGAZINES IN A CUTE BASKET Tidy away books and mags in a pretty basket. Make some simple tassels out of wool or embroidery thread and stitch onto the basket for extra pizzazz.

Sun mirror, £29.99, TK Maxx

Bathroom sign, £12.50, Oliver Bonas

7ZONE YOUR OFFICE SPACE WITH COLOUR Ensure your WFH space feels different to the rest of the room, by painting the walls in a different shade. Use masking tape to create a clear line where your ‘office’ ends.

Walls painted in Hague Blue estate emulsion, £49.50 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

Use an extra panel to make a wall shelf for displaying fave pieces

8Build a simple banquette To make the most of space in a kitchen-diner, build a bench with storage using wood panels. You can push your table closer to the wall than if you had individual chairs, plus you can store extra bits.

Talia pair of spindle back chairs, Black, £160; Denver table, £320; Denver bench, £150, all Habitat

Hang a large lampshade over the table to zone the dining area

9Put up a floating shelf Taking up less space than shelves that require visible brackets or support, a floating shelf is ideal in a kitchen or dining space. Use to store everyday crockery and glasses, so they are easy to grab at mealtimes.

Herbivore gallery wall set, £348.15, Desenio Orbit Black velvet double bed, £499.99, Furniture and Choice

10Hangtreasuredphotos ARRANGE A GALLERY WALL and favourite quotes to give a focal point to your room. For a unified look, choose frames of the same colour and width, but play with size to make a fun layout. 12You don’t have to arrange storage and shelving in a linear fashion – instead mix it up to make a wall display. Paint GET CREATIVE WITH STORAGE CUBES the storage cubes and hang them in an eye-catching formation.

11Layer up plain bedlinen

For a bedroom refresh swap busy patterned bedlinen for serene and simple covers. Layer up cushions and knitted throws for an extra level of cosy comfort.

MUST-HAVES

You won’t want to miss

Adley desk lamp in Pink, £10, Iconic Lights

Home cushion, £12, Dunelm

The Droplet vase in Rainbow, £26, The Happy Blossoms

Retro TV storage stand, £65, Red Candy

Eket wall-mounted units, from £35; Eket wall-mounted shelving, from £20, all Ikea

13 Upcycle furniture Give a tired chest of drawers a new look. Attach hessian to the drawer fronts with strong adhesive, then frame the fabric with slim wooden battens to create a smart edge; finish with brass knobs

Indi three-drawer chest, £349, Dunelm

UNIQUE PIECES

To complete the look

Large plywood tray, £75, Georgia Bosson

Zen Onsen cushion, £55, Postcards Home

Southwold stoneware mug, £6.95, Rex London

Faux plant in ridged ceramic pot, £6, Primark

Work from home ottoman, £295, Next Home Cane bathroom caddy, £12, B&M

14Cloakrooms often SAVE SPACE IN THE LOO WITH A CADDY lack space for toiletries. This handy caddy attaches to the wall and has a rail for a towel too, so the basin remains uncluttered.

15 This clever ottoman disguises your WFH set-up and can be easily packed away at the end of the day. The desk INVEST IN SAVVY STORAGE pulls out to adjustable heights with space below to keep extra linens.

Red fabric lighting flex cable, £5m, Quirk

Repeat the colour of the flex in artwork, to tie the look together

16Hang pendants on colourful cables

Add interest to a neutral room by hanging pendant lights on bright flex. It will make a style statement and elevates even the most inexpensive pendant lights, making them look more designer.