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 cracks that often develop around the edge of the ceiling. Traditional types are made from fibrous plaster but most modern, simple designs come in gypsum plaster or polystyrene or occasionally wood. Why not perk up a dreary day and set yourself a DIY coving challenge? If you approach coving with a plan, it will be easier to put up ' see panel opposite, 10 steps to perfect coving.

10 steps to perfect coving

Firstly, cut off a small 100mm length of coving to use as a guide. Use this to mark the top and bottom edges of the coving on the walls and ceiling around the room. Make sure the marks are at regular points so they can be joined with a straight edge. Connect the marks with the edge of a spirit level, and remove any wallpaper or loose paint and plaster from the area. With a craft knife, make criss-cross scratches between the guide lines to provide a key for the adhesive. Use a mitre box to help cut an accurate mitre at the end of the first piece of coving. Make sure the coving is placed the right way and always double check that the angle is being cut in the correct direction. Such a simple mistake could ruin your whole design! Spread an even layer of adhesive over the top and bottom of the back of the moulding with a filling knife. Press the cornice into place using your pencil guide line. So that the adhesive sticks evenly, press gently along the whole length. It would be a good idea to temporarily support the bottom edge of the coving with one or two galvanised nails. You can remove these later and fill the holes. Use a damp paintbrush to remove any adhesive that seeps out from the top and bottom edges. Progressing around the room, push one piece of coving up against the previous one with a straight join. Invest in a full-length piece of coving rather than using two shorter lengths because the result will be neater and look far more attractive.

Take care of the rest!

Any good DIY warehouse, local timber merchant or carpentry supplier will have a huge selection of wooden and plastic trims, decorative ceiling mouldings, dado and picture rails, skirting board, panels and coving on offer. Carved or plain, in wood, plaster, polystyrene or plastic, they can be finished with paint, stain or varnish to resemble any finish you want. Ceiling roses look most authentic made of fibrous plaster, although they do come in plastic or polystyrene. Give them a coat of primer, then matte paint, before mounting on the ceiling so they don't look cheap and shiny. Dado rails come in a variety of widths and patterns, and are usually made of wood or plaster. Their main purpose is to protect the wall surfaces from damage caused by the backs of chairs. They also provide a visual break in
the wall. For instant impact, try wallpapering below the rail and painting above in a different shade. A picture rail was originally used to suspend pictures from, but is also a useful decorating tool. Paint a light colour on the ceiling down to the rail and it will make your room appear higher ' darker colours will lower it. Match skirting boards to the period of your house ' if you're in doubt as to the style of your original skirting, pop into a neighbour's home to check. For a clean, contemporary look, lose the skirting boards and plaster, then paint straight down to the floor.
Decorative wall panels look particularly effective on stairwells with a dado rail. Because the panels come in a predetermined size, you'll need to plan out exactly where and how they will be positioned. Door handles provide the final finishing touch. Try to keep them the same throughout your house to give a feeling of continuity. Most DIY stores have a huge selection covering each period, or look at the back of glossy interiors' magazines for specialist firms offering classic designs and reproductions.