A well-placed mirror or a gorgeous print can bring a room to life. But if you’re stuck for inspiration our guide will point you in the right direction

It’s all too easy to get caught up with latest interior trends for room colours. But to create a room you can live with, forget being a slave to fashion, and opt for hues based on your own lifestyle and taste. Remember, too, that the colour of your walls should reflect the use of the room – neutrals for a quiet study or yellow for kids’ rooms

Hanging fine art prints on the walls will help to enhance the character of your house. Wall pictures are a necessity in most homes – even the most zen-like interior. If you’re going for a modern feel, then use strong black frames for art pieces. Striking black and white photos are a good choice for a sophisticated look. Whereas, a calming room will require neutral artwork with earthy colours and a horizontal landscape subject.To create an art gallery atmosphere, give each art piece sufficient breathing space. This look is particularly effective in hallways, lobbies and stairwells. Stand at the centre of the first piece and take one or two small, swift steps along the wall – this should be where the next art piece is hung. If you want to create a focal point, tightly group an even number of pictures together. This approach works on both large and small wall spaces. Alternatively, hanging an odd number of pictures in a horizontal line will give balance and a sense of space. Suspending a tapestry, quilt or silk kimono on the wall creates a bold and unusual style of décor as well as adding texture to a room. Alternatively, you could try wallpapering just one wall with a dramatic design or texture. A feature wall created in this way makes stunning a backdrop to a favourite piece of furniture. When placing art above furniture, such as a sofa, you will need to hang the picture about 6 to 9in nine inches above it. Ideally, artwork should mirror the shape of the furniture beneath it and not be wider than the items it’s hanging above. In most cases, a single frame should be hung with the centre of the picture at eye level or slightly higher. Keep objects in proportion – hang large mirrors and paintings over large furnishings, such as sofas, pianos or fireplaces -– because large furnishings would overpower small wall hangings. Likewise, a collection of small frames would look too busy and people would not be able to see the pictures clearly. Mirrors can be of great benefit to many rooms. They make the room appear larger as well as reflecting light around the room. And do think carefully about where you hang a mirror – you could strategically position a valued item so that you can also see it in the mirror’s reflection. Even if you are no expert at art, you can add dimension to your walls with stencils. They come in a wide variety of designs – from simple geometric shapes to elaborate scenes. A basic stencil to begin with is a border. A sturdy, plastic washable stencil is the easiest to work with. Make sure the cut out pattern is the size of the decoration you want to end up with as your wall border. Don’t feel like you have to stencil all four walls – just having even one wall done in this manner gives it a stylish, unique look. Experiment, and have fun!

Nick says
‘Wallpapering is a really tricky job but if you really want to do it the results can be phenomenal. The secret is to make sure you have decent tools for the job – a great trestle table and quality brush are a must.’