At Home magazine got up close and personal with the nation's favourite interior designer act to find out what makes her tick How did you meet your partner Chris? We met at art college many moons ago. I was a teenager on an art foundation course and Chris was the student union president. I've known him since I was 19 years old. However, we met years later, when I was 27 and the rest, as they say, is history. ...

Q Let there be light I have a big window in my bedroom ' how can I achieve privacy and still let light come through?Rachel Wallis, 38, Exeter Linda replies: My favourite window coverings have to be window shutters, you see them in my dining room shots in this issue. They have a lovely way of dappling the natural light and having full privacy at night. Q Pets and flooring? What do you suggest is the best typ ...

Follow our room-by-room guide and learn how to take the stress out of your mess THE HALL First impressions count, so you need to find a place for all the mundane but necessary items that come in and out each day with the family. Watch out for the clutter Post, letters and bills, newspapers, shoes, bags, coats, umbrellas, keys. Storage solutions   Buy a letter rack or fix a box-type holder for post on t ...

Create a pretty dining room If you've got friends or family over for dinner make sure it's an event to remember ' regardless of the food you're serving. So, even if it's a selection of cook-chill supermarket meals or a Chinese take out, serve it in good-looking crockery. Pretty china, glassware and cutlery is much more affordable than it ever used to be, so make sure your china cupboard and cutlery drawers ...

Are you torn between wood, stone, or vinyl flooring? Our comprehensive guide will help you decide on the right flooring for every room Most design experts advise that the first thing to decide on in any conversion or renovation of your home is the floor ' or floors. This makes sense because the area to be covered is invariably quite large and it's immediately noticeable, so a well-chosen floor will literall ...

Take a look around your home and what do you see? Does it reflect your love of all things warm and cosy, deeply traditional or light and bright? Or have things gone out of control so much so that your penchant for minimal clean lines, has created a home that's the wrong side of chilly with nowhere for the kids to mess around; or has your collection of miniature teapots jar taken the cluttered look beyond bu ...

Linda reveals her fave essential items and tells us what's up and coming in her world ' and what's not!Go bold Pattern continues to feature not only on our walls in the form of wallpaper, but even on things like our mobile phones (how desirable is the new Nokia?), cars (have you seen the limited edition VW Beetle yet?) as well as wall stickers (Rachael Kelly) which can be transferred on to papered or painte ...

Another year has gone by so quickly! I suppose it's a good thing as it means things are fast paced, and busy! You probably won't have seen me on TV too much this year, but sadly that doesn't mean I've been sitting around with my feet up, waiting for the phone to ring. I'm happy to say that my mail order business, Really Linda Barker (RLB), which launched almost three years ago, is going from strength to str ...

When doing up your home don't forget it's the little things that make a big difference to your rooms From thinking about door handles, to skirting boards, dado rails to picture rails, it's these final touches that make your house complete. Consideration also needs to be givin to coving. Coving, or cornice, forms a decorative join between walls and ceilings and is useful when you need to conceal the ugly cra ...

Linda loves getting her home ready for a night with her girlfriends| One of my most favourite things is getting together for a great girlie night out. ' at home! I'm sorry, boys, but that's just the way it is!That's not to say I can't be tempted to dinner at a restaurant with the husband, supper with friends, and, of course, the Barker family get-togethers are legendary, but I never lose sight of the fact t ...