Interiors

Living in France a couple of times, I am asked if shabby chic is still OK to use for interior design. The answer is - let's drop the shabby and focus on the chic but it depends what your definition is of this trend. There seem to be a range of answers within this style and it continues to be updated. French greys, soft neutral pallets with linen as a feature and chalk-painted wooden furniture with a bit of a distressed look to add age and texture. Recycled furniture, preferably 40s or mid-century and painted in soft colours including

It spans a range of styles from classic Art Deco sharp, metallic brutalist squares to Art Nouveau floral arts and crafts and I am instantly attracted to its chic Parisian mode. My preference is for the short period that sits in between the hard lines and ornate curves which shouts luxury but doesn't overdo it. The style works with modern and old and is best with the soft curves of wooden panelled furniture. Art Deco was the start of the interest in Asian and Egyptian decor so don't ignore a Chinese cabinet you can update to look Belle Epoque.

An architect friend gave me a key piece of advice; think if you are about to buy or rent - can you live with the bathroom and the kitchen? These are the two most expensive rooms to renovate. If it requires plumbing or electricity and you don't have the money, walk away. These incur major labour costs and, more often than not, you will discover other issues behind such as a leaking sink - our current apartment -or a totally live electrical box in my first house! If you have an unlimited budget, lucky you but this post is

The famous British interior designer, William Morris, stated, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” I grew up in houses full of stuff. Having travelled and lived in different cultures, countries and cities, my parents amassed an adhoc collection of original African masks and beads, English china including Toby jugs and mixed it with other collections such as Italian ruby red glassware. And they continue to collect. My mother has a Welsh dresser absolutely full

Christian Dior stated that,"white is pure and simple and matches with everything'. There are apparently over 1000 different shades of white from what our French painter called 'l'hopital blanc' to warm ivory tones and various tints and hints of blue, grey and pink. White is generally seen as symbolising purity, cleanliness and serenity. However; it can add a sterile and cold feel to a space leaving it stark and depressing. The featured photograph is from Neptune, a wonderful interior supply store that uses a warm ivory white against soft beiges and taupes with great effect.   What Shade of

Like most people, I love the idea of a big house with lovely open space but we seem to fill it with more 'stuff'! A chic New York one-bedroom apartment for five years was the game-changer as they say in the US. We had to give away lovely furniture and decor to be able to accommodate what we had. Fast forward, and we bought a larger two-bedroom German apartment and for a while, loved the room to move. After two years, it felt as if we were rattling around the place and starting to fill it with things again.

Next week's weather is autumnal - when a strange melancholy arrives as leaves drop and the sun weakens as if apologising for losing interest. Winter coats are appearing in store window displays accompanied by socks, boots, hats and gloves. Most of us are crying ... Nooooo! Not being a fan of the dark and damp, I seek to create what the English call, a 'cosy' interior atmosphere or the Germans call 'bequem'. This doesn't mean you have to go for deep browns and greens, unless you love them and also if they are important according to Feng Shui practice -

With the Amazon forests burning and the ice caps prematurely melting, we need to honour Mother Nature. I am trying to reduce my use of plastic - not easy and I think before I buy that t-shirt and recycle where I can. Considering that a fundamental rule of Feng Shui is to declutter, it is also about our throw-away society, something I have also been guilty of. One friend is teaching us about non-plastic alternatives, another about re-using fashion and avoiding non-biodegradable fabrics. It may seem like the latest fad but it aligns with the harmony of yin and

I was in an interior design store, Maison du Monde, looking at the new autumn colours and I heard a woman admire the display, sigh and buy a neutral, beige cushion. Now I love soft beiges as they remind me of my favourite place, the beach. However, there is a touch of sand and there is dull, ordinary and neutral colour that just screams - practical! So let's look at where, why, how and when to use patterns. Size Matters When decorating, the size of the room needs to be considered as well as how much light is coming