So you fancy having a go at sprucing up your home? Want to bring it up to date, ring the changes, create a perfect oasis? It would be great if there were a formula you could follow, but I have to say that it isn’t that simple and the less formulaic you are in your approach, the better the end result will look. In short, pulling off a good look is most definitely easier said than done. I won’t be offering you a formula, here, but a few tips to give you a starting point. If you still feel bamboozled, then you can make the job easier by starting with a key piece, such as a sofa or a pair of sofas.

Often when we start an activity which is out of our usual comfort zone or realm of expertise, we can become paralysed with inertia, and the first step feels as challenging as doing a cartwheel with our hands tied behind our back. The important thing, then, is to start! Just do it! Gather up some fabrics or paint charts, rip a few samples from the wallpaper in the DIY shops and lay them out together on the floor, to see if inspiration follows.

From here you should start to get some ideas. A muted sofa can be the starting point for a dynamic decorating theme. Sofas in beige and cream can work well against a lively, or even ostentatious, backdrop of warm pinks or cool blues. If your sofa is bold and patterned then extract from this two or three colours to form a working palette for the rest of the room. You might choose to make a feature wall with bold floral or abstract patterns and this can most easily be done with a block of wall paper, though fabric hangings and tapestries are also an option, as is paint.

Some of the premium wall papers are exquisite (though shockingly expensive!) and if you go for this option then you can tie the look together by selecting one of the background colours in the paper and asking your paint merchant to mix you that exact shade. This will add class and give you an expensive look for a quarter of the price!

Don’t underestimate the impact of soft furnishings. Your sofa centre piece can be enhanced by complementary cushions and throws, which can pick out one or two of the colours in the sofa and walls. Curtains, too, can add luxury and warmth to the room and generally speaking, the better the make and fabric, the stronger the look.

Be aware of the influence of the seasons, since heavy velvet curtains don’t work well in August, but can be swapped for flimsy voile or cotton at this time. Once you’ve put the look together, it will be easier to identify these issues so rather than fretting about how it will work, just bite the bullet, choose that sofa and go for it!