When you look through the high end periodicals and glossy magazines, there ae so many dedicated to lifestyle, another batch to homes and gardens and yet more on how to spend our liesure hours. Once you get past the cheap end that just copy each other, it’s possible to get to the real essence of what is happening out in the world of house design, renovation and interior design. With the latter comes the need to actually decorate and put a stamp on the finished job. Anyone can have a new kitchen installed. It will include the standard design of cabinets, oven choices and other ‘white goods’ that are not inc fact white these days but a variety of steels or hidden behind cabinet doors. After the hardware goes in, and it can take a good week to refit a standard sized kitchen by a dedicated installer, the choice of decor for the remainder of the rooms will be the next issue.

There are many finishes nowadays – in the kitchen and bathrooms and shower rooms there are special paint finishes to suit steamy and damp areas. Obvously one is expected to ventilate well, with ceiling or wall extractor fans, but opening the windows themselves every day is the best method. However, back to the plot . . . . the choice of single colour or co-ordinating is a big one. There will never be complete agreement amongst family members. Currently the glossy magazies are very full of streamlined pale colours on most walls with stark very dark shades on others. It does make for an atmospheric finishi but probably one that is better at different times of the year.