Soulful spaces

DECORATING

Rebel three-seater sofa in Olive with wooden legs, £1,349, Snug. For similar cushions, try John Lewis & Partners; for a similar cabinet, try the Loggia chest, £309, Tikamoon. For similar vases, try West Elm. For a similar tray, try the round rattan, £24.99, H&M Home; for a similar print, try Desenio

Decorating tip... Match blinds or curtains to the shade of your wall so they subtly merge, allowing other elements of your scheme, such as beautiful furniture or a standout sofa, to become the focal point

Silk Fibre oversized pendant light, £400; Cara dining table, £1,299; Cara dining armchairs, £379 each; Cara dining chairs, £329 each; Cara highboard drinks cabinet, £749; bobbin candleholders in Amber, from £12; curtains in cotton linen slub fabric, £35 per m; jute rug, £280, all John Lewis & Partners

Hampstead bench, £400; Oxford side table, £180; Eshott linen cushion covers, from £20 each;Mayfield hanging plant pot, £18; woven hanging plant pot, £12; Mickleton vase, from £25; Cerney floor cushion, £70, all Garden Trading

Tactile surfaces Embrace the modern rustic trend with a plaster-effect wall. Adding powdered marble or mineral pigments as well as colourful dyes will also create different finishes – or achieve a similar look using chalk paint.

Decorating tip... Don’t stop at the walls – painting the ceiling and woodwork in the same shade will create depth in a scheme, and by blurring the lines, also makes a small room feel larger

Caleb three-seater sofa, from £1,299; Nord coffee table, £299; Salcombe large sideboard, £349; Dylan tripod floor lamp, £129; cotton-blend Protea flower tasselled cushion, £17.50; pure cotton ikat-print cushion, £14; pure cotton striped throw, £29.50; picnic round rattan tray, £20; abstract watercolour picnic platter, £14; painted glaze ceramic bud vase, £12.50; large reactive-glaze ceramic vase, £39.50; dinner candleholder, £12.50; other accessories from a selection, all Marks & Spencer

Decorating tip... The key consideration when choosing the perfect white paint for any space is the amount of natural light it receives. Choose a warm tone for north-facing rooms and a cooler shade with a blue/green undertone for sunny south-facing spaces

Abel wooden rattan rocking chair, £299; natural monochrome stripe rug, from £95; Bronx black oak-effect sideboard, £450; Zuri ceramic table lamps, £60 each; woven leaf botanical wall art, £46; accessories from a selection, all Next Home

Ardent Saxony carpet in Sand Plain, £44.99 per sqm, Carpetright. For a similar table, try the small black side table, £17.99, H&M