The wonderful part about all these choices is that today we can happily mix and match the pieces that we love. The rule book has been thrown away, and we have been told you regain our confidence and decorate with our hearts and guts. Concrete and velvet are now well matched neighbours, just as a fabulous statement chandelier can hang happily above a stripped-back oak refrectory table.

If I was to introduce any rules I would say stick strictly only to the pieces that you really, really love – don’t add in anything that doesn’t make you squeal with delight, and above all be honest. Our homes are there to make us feel rested and secure. They should also inspire and invigorate and only you know how to achieve these emotions in yourself. Have some fun and don’t be shy.

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Amongst all of these complex emotions our homes should be there to provide the constant. They should shelter us and make us secure, relax us when we are stressed and inspire and revitalise us when we are feeling low. How is it possible to achieve all these demands under one roof? Well I am pleased to say that it is possible – but like most things in life, to achieve this goal it does involve a bit of effort from you. I am not one for following formats when it comes to interiors or bossing my clients, but there are a few basic rules that I strongly advise that you adhere to.

We are constantly evolving and therefore our homes should be evolving with us – and the most fundamental rule to stick to is get rid of the items that are no longer relevant – DO NOT HOARD! It is such an unhealthy way to live, and a cluttered house will not only stress you out but also drain you of energy. What is the point of investing in beautiful pieces of furniture if they are hidden behind a pile of old newspapers? I love my books but if I have no intention of re-reading them, or my children reading them, I pass them on. It gives me space on the shelves to collect new books. What percentage of our wardrobes are full of clothes we haven’t worn in 3 years? I think we all know the answer to that!

You don’t need to hang onto the ‘stuff ‘, and if you get into the routine of having regular trips to the charity shop or tip you will find it incredibly cleansing. Your home is then open for new, fresh things. Nothing is allowed to get stale and your beautiful treasured pieces have the space to shine.

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Now picture this – a badly lit hallway with non-descript colours on the walls for practical reasons! A dis-functional coat rack, a small table with a bowl on it for keys and possibly a mirror on the wall to check you haven’t dribbled cereal down your top before you exit the house for work. Does this sound familiar too? Yes, I would imagine there are far too many of you out there that can relate to this. I experience such hallways on a regular basis on my travels and it never fails to disappoint and confuse me on equal levels.

Why? Why is it we give so little regard, time or energy to this area of our home. It is the one room of the house that greets us every time we return. It’s the one room where you meet and welcome your visitors, paving the way to introduce the rest of your home with it’s considered decorating achievements. It is actually the one room of your home that a lot of people only ever see, yet we all allow it to let us down and reflect so badly on what lies beyond. This is the one space that should be welcoming you and your friends with open arms, and it should be screaming personality not just practicality. We all know that we can achieve function and beauty – it just needs a little more imagination.

Now I realise that this isn’t a space that we hang out in, and it can often be challenged for size, but trust me when I say the minute you turn the key in the lock and open the door you need to be wowed immediately. It will lift your mood in an instant, especially if you have had a difficult day and help set the tone and atmosphere for the rest of the house.

I recognise too that we don’t all have commanding, sweeping staircases or dramatic tiled floors but that is all the more reason to give this room some punch. And what is the crazy thing about all this, is that it doesn’t take much to transform it. You just need to grab it by the horns and be bold. Trust me, it can take it.

My top tip is to make an instant transformation is to change the colour. There are plenty of tough, washable paints out there so you don’t need to choose something safe. Be brave because nothing creates drama or evokes emotion better than a clever use of colour. It isn’t a big space so it can afford to have deep burnt orange wall for example, and don’t just have one mirror have several grouped together or one over sized, to bounce around the light and create the illusion of space.

My next definite tip is to invest the time and money on clever storage. Maximise your space with floor to ceiling cupboards which can be painted in to match walls – there is so much choice. No more tripping over shoes or scrambling to find your coat under three other layers of bulky fabric because you only have six hooks which looks such a mess.

My third and other essential tip is to be generous with your lighting. Now I don’t mean have it brightly lit, I mean create some layers of lighting like you would in other areas of your home. It needs to have at least one statement pendant lamp and a good sized table lamp, preferably with some other down lights that can be dimmed to create atmosphere.

Mix that all together with an eclectic wall of family photos, artwork and other interesting pieces and you’re good to go. Just remember, this is the one room of the house that you need to turn up the volume. You won’t regret it, I promise.

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It is all about perspective and we should not just be inward looking when it comes to designing our spaces. We often stand in our doorways and only design from a single perspective when there is so much scope to create the illusion of space by threading our rooms together and allowing our eyes to be thrown through doorways.

This is particularly beneficial too if we are struggling with lack of space. A door is a beautifully framed picture and it is important that we consider the composition of what we see through it. It will add another layer and dimension to the room we are in as well as allowing us the opportunity to clever with our decorating. Try and keep as many doors open where possible and let the colours and light shine through.

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