Catherine

Philippe Starck once said, "If you are depressed, you put some bright yellow in and suddenly you are happy." I wasn't feeling depressed but wanted to add a touch of summer to our bedroom. I have realised for a long time that there is a whole market there for a good bedlinen designer! The choice is limited to hotel white, stripes or flowers. Not easy for a couple to choose and avoid looking too gender specific. I have run the gamut of hotel chic blanc, Chinese intense silks and have recently gone for an Art Deco look. A bedroom is

This is the second of the expensive rooms, the bathroom being the other one. As with the bathroom, careful planning is required, you won't regret it! If you are ripping out the old kitchen and starting afresh, then you have a chance to search for whitegoods, fixtures and the whole look. If you are partially renovating, work out what you are prepared to keep and what you are really want to spend money on. That seems to be obvious however, I have seen people's budget blow out without proper research and planning especially around the classic triangle of the

This is one of the two most expensive rooms to renovate, the kitchen being the other. Space, lighting and functionality need to be carefully planned and balanced. It is a room with the potential for costly mistakes. Plan where the major areas are going to be, what lighting you will use, how to ventilate the room and even heat it. There are plenty of websites on how to renovate a bathroom yourself - I advise against it if possible. Let's focus on some basics first: How do you want to use the bathroom -  is it the main or

Let's be honest from the start, it is more than likely that the timeline set aside for a key renovation is going to take longer than planned or promised by your contractor. Even if you are doing it yourself there are possibilities with delays in ordering and delivering, discovering an issue once you pull down the wall, open up a space and so on. Put it down on paper, plan the timeline with the contractor, ask questions even if they seem stupid, talk to other friends who have renovated rooms or full places and finally - search the web,

I keep saying that the last kitchen and bathroom renovation was IT! If it can't be painted, tiled or recycled, I am no longer interested. We have completely renovated a small 18th century French townhouse, two kitchens in different houses and a major bathroom renovation and all were stressful, had good moments and mistakes. But, we keep doing it! Key Tips to Start Decide on your budget and don't forget labour costs - ask yourself if it's a cosmetic makeover, a partial renovation or whether things need ripping out and stating again. Kitchens and bathrooms will always cost more