Expert ideas to make the most of your home

Prima online 16.02.2007

With our tips to make your home look great and run smoothly, it's like having your own homes expert on call, says Suzanne Wilkinson

Brightly coloured utility room

Tips for... the living room
Cushions add warmth, and prices are reasonable enough for you to be a little extravagant. For a more individual look, check out the selection at Debenhams, or dress up a plain cushion with beading, piping or trimming. If you're not into sewing, use Bostik's Sew Simple glue.

To update a room, take a look at the array of modern canvases on offer. Choosing is the easy bit - hanging them less so. Explore possibilities with digital photography, such as enlargements and split pictures, at www.learntodream.co.uk. When you buy something new, don't assume you have to keep all your others on display - rotating them adds extra interest. With smaller pictures, group them together if they harmonise in some way. Try grouping them on the floor first to check that your display will work.

Copy how accessories are displayed and grouped in colours or schemes in shop windows, magazines or catalogues. The secret is to keep the look simple rather than cluttered. A line of candles or similar pots and vases grouped together in different sizes works well.

For an online interior design service, try Barncroft Design Solutions (www.barncroftdesigns.co.uk). There are two advantages to this: it's time-saving, and you won't feel pressured. Each design is a one-off and is removed from the site when sold.

'A few tastefully arranged accessories will make your living room look like an interior designer has been at work. Update a neutral colour scheme with accent colours - a fresh look at very little cost.'
Vicky Akrill, Asda

Flowers add style - but it's costly to have them on a regular basis. It's much cheaper to grow indoor bulbs, such as hyacinths, which last a long time and are almost foolproof. Experiment with different pots to create a fresh look.

Tips for... the bathroom
Bathrooms should be fresh and bright, as this is where you start the day. Limescale and mould are real no-nos, so keep your tiles sparkling with vinegar and water. Light colours are best, and good lighting helps. A household needs change as the family grows up - the easiest way to upgrade a smaller bathroom is with a new shower or a bath-shower system where the bath bows out at one end to make a roomier shower.

‘You need sufficient water pressure for a shower in your home, which is dictated by your mains water. Check for yourself - a good flow will fill a one-litre jug with cold water in three seconds or less.'
Steve Zouch, Baxi Heating UK

Refurbishing an old bath is often easier than replacing it, as baths are so heavy and a nightmare to move. Companies such as Perfect Baths will chemically clean a bath to remove limescale in situ, or apply a new coating. DIY options include Tubby DIY Bathtub Resurfacing kit, which can be used on various bath surfaces, and Ronseal Kitchen and Bathroom Repair Kit, which repairs cracks and scratches on bath surfaces, ceramic tiles, shower stalls, sinks and appliances.

Using the same tiles on the floors and walls of a bathroom creates a luxurious feel, mimicking a spa or wet-room. Natural materials in particular are popular for an elegant-looking room. But, for practicality, choose ceramic look-alikes (they're lighter in weight and require no ongoing maintenance). Try H&R Johnson's Aspects limestone range wall tiles or consider the Essence range, which replicates marble. Wickes also offers a very competitive range of tiling.

Soften tiled walls with big mirrors and pretty accessories, and as a white bathroom suite remains popular, introduce bright colours with towels, which you can change on a regular basis.

Tips for... the kitchen
‘Create an expensive look for less with co-ordination, using tonal colours or one style for storage jars. Complete the look with professional cookware, which doesn't have to cost the earth. Try Asda's range of hard-anodised saucepans, stainless steel utensils and granite accessories, including a pestle and mortar.'
Vicky Akrill, Asda

Appliances are the real workhorses in the kitchen, so it's worth knowing about www.espares.co.uk, which could keep your old favourites going and save you money. Whether it's cooker hood filters, fridge shelves, replacement dishwasher seals or a new TV remote, this site is worth a look. The simple diagrams help locate the part you need, and if you can't find it listed, customer services will try to source it.

Clicktheconnection is a real time-saver, as its product directory and buyers' guide make choosing a new kitchen or bathroom easier. Visit www.clicktheconnection.com.

‘When you're buying a new appliance, shop around for discontinued seconds or end-of-ranges, so you can afford a better brand. On a daily basis, you won't remember that you spent a little more on an appliance, but you will appreciate the time-saving features and sleeker styling.'
Dawn Stockwell, Electrolux

The trick to a tidy kitchen is to make your available cupboard space work even harder for you. Smart accessories are plentiful, including those from Lakeland Limited, MFI and B&Q. Magnet has great solutions for making use of the inside of a door (with an internal storage shelf), a corner and hanging storage. MFI's cleaning cage allows you to lock hazardous detergents away from toddlers.

Stockists: 0800 handyman 0800 426396 1001 01908 555400 Asda 0500 100055 Barncroft Design Solutions 01752 309174, www.barncroftdesigns.co.uk B&Q 0845 850 0175 Baxi 0870 606 0623 www.clicktheconnection.com Bostik 01785 272727 Debenhams 0844 561 6161 Dulux 01753 550555 eSpares 0845 230 6230 H&R Johnson 01782 575575 Magnet 0845 123 6789 Parozone all good supermarkets Perfect Baths 020 8992 1782 Ronseal 0114 240 9469 Scentco 01992 511402 Tubby 01302 788700