If you're secretly yearning to give your home a charming new look, it's time to hark back to the past.

Creating a nursery for a new baby is one of the most enjoyable preparations for prospective parents, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undoubtedly be choosing the best that money can buy for their eagerly-awaited baby.

Lounging around outdoors, enjoying a drink in the sunshine or dining al fresco, has been a dream rather than a reality so far this summer.

It would be easy to assume that Nicky Haslam, an interior designer with a global reputation and no stranger to private planes and palaces, might possess a home suited to the pages of celebrity magazines.

The bold, beautiful and luxurious scenery in The Great Gatsby is drawing as much attention as the glamorous stars of the new Hollywood blockbuster.

Spring's weather may not be going according to plan with only occasional bursts of sunshine, but there's no need to put up with dull, drab rooms.

An airy, elegant home with decorative tiles and nature-inspired murals, where the outdoors blends seamlessly with the indoors, would be an enviable property by today's standards.

There's an almost tangible feeling of calm and comfort as you enter Alex Legendre's house with its muted palette of earthy colours, lath and plaster walls, wide reclaimed floorboards and collection of quirky treasures.

If you're confused by colour charts, wavering over wallpaper, and dithering over decor, there's a solution which could bring your home into fashionable focus.

If you're looking for an easy way to stitch together a successful home style, it's time to pick up a needle and thread - and get sewing.

Rays of sunshine are finally piercing the gloom as spring starts to make its long-awaited appearance. And that can mean only one thing: it's time to roll up your sleeves and get cleaning.

We're all suffering from a lack of sunshine. And while there's no magic wand to change the murky outlook, you can set the forecast to 'sunny' by embracing the brightest trend on the decor horizon - yellow.