HOW TO... Decorate with paint & pattern

Add instant personality to your home with colour and eye-catching prints

If you’re not 100 per cent sure, start small. Test the colour or pattern out on one wall first, with pieces of furniture or accessories to build up your confidence and to figure out if the look is for you. You can then expand and experiment as you go.

Choosing colour is so specific to each home so take your time. Paint-wise, try using big sheets of the tester paint and pinning them onto the wall in two locations, one opposite the window and one in a corner, to see how the shade reacts in natural light, in a darker area and in artificial light. Live with the tester for at least a week to allow time for it to mellow.

There’s a lot to be said for trusting your instinct when it comes to colour and shades. Sometimes you just love a shade that might go against all the ‘rules’ but that can often create the best schemes.

Pink is such a versatile colour and can change depending on the shade, from sugary pastel to the boldest neon. It has the ability to be super sophisticated and understated or bold and daring, so know where on the scale you want to sit before looking. Also think about other colours you might want to use with it so that the scheme can work together.