Decorating do's and don'ts - by Suzanne Dennis

With a bit of thought - and by observing a few simple guidelines - you can easily create a comfortable and attractive interior that all family members will appreciate and enjoy.

Measure your rooms

When buying a piece of furniture, don't make your decision based on how it looks on display in the showroom. It is crucial that you consider both the size of the piece and whether it will look right when teamed with the other items in your home. Measure the room you are buying furniture for and, if necessary, also draw a rough plan of its interior, noting its dimensions and where windows, doors, power points and other fixtures are located. All these factors have a bearing on the actual space you have available and, more importantly, determine the maximum size of any particular piece of furniture that you can choose for the room.

Avoid clutter

Again, experts say the secret to successfully decorating any room is to draw a floor plan. All too often rooms are so crammed with furniture that the occupants of the house cannot walk freely from one side of the room to the other. Place items such as coffee tables at a comfortable and accessible distance from the sofa or armchairs. Never place a dining room table in a dark corner of a room - this will inevitably lead to it being only ever used as a dumping ground for items such as magazines, bills, random pieces of clothing and other items.

Be floor-level savvy

If you intend to cover a section of the floor of a particular room with timber or tiles and to carpet the rest, always make sure that the area where the two sections meet is even. Failure to do so can lead to tripping and nasty accidents.

Get rid of the TV

This might be a radical idea, especially if you have children. However, a television set - yes, even that expensive flat-screen TV - has a way of diminishing the effect of even the most luxuriously appointed interior. Even if you keep the set, make sure that its associated devices, such as the DVD player, VCR player and speakers, have a home. A viable alternative may be an attractive all-in-one entertainment unit with cupboard doors.

Lighten up

High ceilings may well promote a feeling of space, and ceiling-mounted lighting may indeed cast a lovely glow... but are you confident and nimble enough to run up a ladder every time a bulb needs changing? Out-of-reach lighting is a recipe for disaster. Simplify your life and ensure that all lighting is installed within easy reach. You don't want to be left in the dark.

Don't be sentimental

Fiercely attached to granny's imitation Louis XV cabinet or your eccentric aunt's multi-coloured wooden crockery cabinet? Face it: while some heirlooms are indeed priceless, others will simply look out of place in your newly decorated home. If it is an item you feel sentimental about, put it in storage. Better yet, take a photograph of it and then sell or dispose of it. It may sound ruthless, but with limited floor space, hanging on to an unsuitable item for nostalgia's sake can become an expensive indulgence.

Avoid extremes

When decorating, remember that your aim is to create a stylish, modern and liveable environment. Recreating the living room of your childhood with a clutter of old-world paraphernalia can be as bad as a affecting a totally state-of-the-art look. Avoiding extremes will help you to create an attractive, livable environment for all family members.

Avoid visual overload

Maintain a tasteful and balanced use of fabrics, especially for curtains and large pieces of furniture such as couches, and use pattern-free fabrics. Your tasteful patterned cushions will be best set off against a plain background.

Co-ordinating colours

Always ask yourself if you could look at your chosen colour combination every day for years to come. Give long and serious consideration to your colour scheme, as you'll be living with you choices for a long time.

Fauna and flora

Indoor plants are an attractive addition if you are seriously committed to regular watering and maintenance, including the removal of dead or dying leaves and buds. However, if you don't have a green thumb, forget the indoor garden. Nothing looks worse than neglected plants inside the home.

Domestic animals have a place in the home, but pets - and particularly dogs - should not be sprawled across chairs, couches and beds used by humans. For health reasons, children's bedrooms and play areas should be no-go areas for animals. Allocate a special area where your dog is permitted to sit or lie when indoors with the family. This will help to keep your newly decorated room in pristine condition.