Winds of change at home

Bland neutrals have finally been given the boot and colour has triumphed, meaning that in 2010 rooms will glow with warmth and character.

Feel free to use beautiful, blooming florals, or add impact with strong blocks of colour mimicking catwalk styles.

Even devotees of cool monochrome schemes should add injections of colour to bring them bang up to date.

Be cool and contemporary with zingy accents of bubblegum pink, citrus yellow and lime or opt for rich, luscious plums and purples and lipstick reds for a glamorous, luxurious look.

Throw caution to the wind and mix elements of different styles, eras, colours and patterns to create a look that works for you.

"Generally, people are more at ease about their taste and this year will be ready and willing to experiment," predicts leading interior designer, Anita Kohn at Living In Space.

"They're going to want to make interior design statements to add 'wow' factor to rooms, with bold wallpaper prints continuing to be a strong and popular trend."

It's about being imaginative rather than feeling you have to slavishly follow one style, agrees Alan Hughes, director of Inchbald School of Interior Design.

"Interior design has grown up in the last few years," he says. "Replicating a design or scheme 'off the peg' seen in a magazine for a lifeless hotel look is very yesterday.

"Instead homes should be personal reflections of their owners, where treasured possessions complementary in colour, texture and form are displayed, and the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed."

So if you love nature but feel florals are too girly or fussy for your rooms, opt for the more funky 'country chic', which mimics a hunting lodge look.

Make a focal point of a decorative replica of a stag or deer head, a surprising best seller on the high street, and continue the woodland theme with wallpaper and accessories that takes inspiration from creatures and nature.

f that's too close to home and you yearn for the sultry colours and styles of foreign parts take stock of the 'far-away look' which is coming into vogue.

You could incorporate the exotic colours and intricate mosaic patterns of Moroccan style, experiment with dark woods and artefacts characteristic of Africa, or succumb to the charms of the East.

But whichever style you follow, make sure you make it your own.

Make do and mend is all the rage in these impoverished times, she points out, and that's resulting in a fashion for craft.

"Sophisticated stencilling has made a come back with an emphasis on achieving a hand-painted look," she says. Make your own stencils or buy ones ready-made, and apply to unexpected areas such as skirting boards, pieces of furniture, and otherwise dull corners and alcoves."

There's no need to worry about busting the budget, a few rolls of wallpaper, a pot of paint and a new accessory could be all you need to give your home a New Year lift.