Alison Cork, home guru and founder of online interiors store alisonathome.com, gives her top tips for updating your home over the coming year
- Create the illusion of bigger spaces by investing in glass furniture. Glass-topped coffee tables will fool the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it actually is.
- Play with textures. Whether your colour scheme is bold and colourful or enjoys more neutral tones, break up the look with different textures. Experiment with different wood shades, or add a textured throw or cushion to the sofa.
- Embrace smaller rooms by using contrasting wallpaper, fabrics and accessories. Pepper mirrors over your wall and position them so that they reflect a more open area of your home.
- Dress your windows! Keep them clean (newspaper and vinegar never fail) and draw the eye to them with an eye-catching plant or accessory. Think of it as a make-shift extension.
- Hang your wall art strategically. Once your mirrors are hung, think about your pictures and wall art. Larger pieces of wall art will create a sense of space – regimented rows of small pictures give a sense of clutter. If you’re wedded to the smaller pictures, group an odd number in the middle of the wall in an asymmetric pattern to draw attention away from the edges of the room.
- Mix up the lighting. It might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you’re set on giving your home a mini-makeover, but lighting can completely change a room’s mood. Place an existing lamp in a different corner of the room, or use coloured light bulbs to create atmosphere.
- Re-paint and re-upholster. Don’t underestimate the impact a fresh splash of colour or a brand new print can make to an anonymous wall or piece of furniture. Similarly, everyday items such as chairs and sofas will benefit from being re-upholstered in a brand new fabric.
