Living spaces

10 decorations you'll love to line your table with this festive season

Selected by Amelia Thorpe, these decorative delights are sure to give any dinner party a certain je ne sais quoi.

The secrets of good lighting, from plug placement down to dimmer switches

Interior designer Charlotte Crosland reveals the secrets of good lighting.

Seven gorgeous fires to keep you warm this winter, from clean and green to striking marble

How to use Turkish rugs to create a rustic, charming family room

Tor Vivian’s use of kilims has lent character to this newly built extension.

The book that combats disposable culture with tips and tricks for the perfect restoration

Mary Miers applauds an evocative portrait of a group of London Georgian houses cherished back to life.

Transforming a space with paints and wallpapers, from natural hues to velvety bold colours

Amelia Thorpe rounds up the latest wallpapers and paint colours.

In praise of the chaise: The subtle art of sprawling in style on a vintage-style chaise longue

The modern chaise longue has been reinvented to combine pared-back looks with a more commodious feel.

Why the British see interiors design as a form of self-expression — sometimes for better, sometimes for worse

Why is there no British equivalent of Martha Stewart? Because we simply don't like being told what to do, argues Giles Kime — and while that's sometimes disastrous, at other times it works rather well.

Why you should avoid matching and use colours and patterns to bring a living room to life

11 pretty cushions to add a touch of colour and pizzazz to your living room

How large-scale wallpaper can transform a space beyond recognition

Fortune favours the bold – in actions and interiors. Giles Kime explains how big and bold can make a small room look larger and what to avoid if your floor space is limited.

How to bring a change of tempo to a large drawing room with a sumptuous sitting area

Inspired by Moroccan furniture, Guy Goodfellow looked to his own home to create a bold and intoxicating addition to his drawing room.

How to keep a sense of fun without veering into 'unhinged eclecticism'

The little touches added to this redesigned Oxfordshire pub keep it fresh, fun and lively without overdoing it — something we could all learn from, as Giles Kime explains.

How to bring a room to life with vibrant hues of blue

Saskia Blythe has employed a palette of vibrant blues to liven up a London drawing room.

A Cornish cottage transformed in a perfect local style by a designer famed for exotic opulence

A look inside this guest cottage on a West Country estate demonstrates the versatility of its interior designer.

Expert tips for caring for antique Oriental rugs

Roger Rose of James Barclay, the rug cleaning and repair service, offers advice on caring for antique Oriental rugs.

Three brand new paints, inspired by the wartime country retreat of the Bloomsbury Group

Charleston inspired the likes of Bell, Grant and Keynes to produce the works that made them famous. It has since inspired Annie Sloan to add three new limited edition colours to her Chalk Paint palette.

The luxury of an armchair which one wishes to sink into and never escape

The activity of sitting has been much-maligned, but now receives an elegant makeover in the form of a moss green armchair from The Queen of Serene.

Eight of the best floor lamps to bring light into your living spaces

How to decorate your entrance hall: Choosing colours, right lighting and what to do about furniture and pictures

Architectural historian, interior designer and natural-paint specialist Edward Bulmer reveals the secrets of successful hallway decorating.