Does your living room need updating but you don’t know where to start?

Step 1
“Start with a fabric you love and then worry about what to do with it.”
High street department stores, specialist haberdasheries or even markets are great places to find a good selection of materials. Or you may find an accessory, such as a rug, throw or cushion that catches your eye.
Whatever you choose, this will form the basis of your colour palette for the room and gives you something to build on.
Step 2
Use pattern to pick up colours
Patterned fabrics are great for dressing up a room and giving it a fresh look. They can be used in a number of ways:
Cover furniture or parts of furniture, from a chair cushion to an entire sofa
Create panels or borders for curtains
Cover a screen. A useful style tip for the ‘pattern-novice’ as the screen can always be re-covered or moved to a different room if you change your mind. Another benefit is that you can take it with you when you move house
Stripes can bring together a range of colours and can be useful for giving you a palette to work with.