Interior design ideas: How to create a neutral colour scheme

Mix and match textures and tones by grouping together a few cushions on your sofa.

Oslo throw in Ecru, £120, Malmo cushion cover in gold or pewter, £30 (top cushion), Horizon cushion cover in gold, £30 each, Christy (christy-towels.com)

Mix florals and plains to create a cosy zone.

Bedford Square wallpaper, £49.00 a roll, Main wall painted in Portland Stone Pale Absolute Matt Emulsion, £32.50 for 2.5 litres, Side table and fireplace painted in Portland Stone Dark Intelligent Eggshell, £48.00 for 2.5 litres, Peg rail painted in Portland Stone Deep Intelligent Eggshell, £48.00 for 2.5 litres, all Little Greene (littlegreene.com).

For Eiderdown, see similar from Belinda Davies Eiderdown, £185 (belindadavieseiderdowns.co.uk).
Ursula knitted throw, £20, Ikea. (ikea.com)
Other items stylist’s own.

A monochrome scheme has a fantastic soothing effect.

‘New Classic’ kitchen collection, the cooking/sink elevation features polished Nero Impala Granite, with Silestone Blanco White on the island, from £35,000, all from Martin Moore & Company (martinmoore.com).

Candlelight has an instant soothing effect in a room.

Portland large sofa, £1,749, Translucent 45cm medicine bottle, £50, 30cm medicine bottle, £30, Taj tall stool, £169, Roma glass table lamp, £100, Hurricane lamp £70, Stepped hurricane lantern £40, Hammered metal candle plate £30, all House of Fraser (houseoffraser.co.uk)

Go for a formal arrangement in the bedroom. 

Bryher kingsize headboard in House Weave Sand, Piped in Pure Cotton Snow, £479, The Headboard Workshop (theheadboardworkshop.co.uk)

Soft shades of pink and grey create a boudoir feel in this sitting room.

Descartes 3 Seater Sofa in Ash, £1,595, sofa.com (sofa.com)

Keep surfaces clear and arrange pictures in neat rows.

Stella Sofa Bed in Herringbone, £1,195, sofa.com (sofa.com)

Group together vases in a variety of shapes and textures and add a few stems of ‘kangaroo paw’.

Fernanda tapered patterned ceramic vase, £25, Scratch brown porcelain bulb vase, £12, Fernanda large vase, £25, all Habitat (habitat.co.uk)

Swathes of lace cleverly separates areas of a room while still allowing light to filter through.

Leirvik bed, £105, Ikea PS Lamp, £100, Sigurd bench, £60, Alvine spets fabric, £12, Ikea PS vase, £30 for set of two, all Ikea (ikea.com)

Texture is all important when using one colour for your bedlinen.

Germain Double Bed in White Sand, £895, sofa.com (sofa.com)

Freestanding clothes rails can come in incredibly useful when space is at a premium.

Black metal coat rack, £225, Saddle chair, £365, both Graham and Green (grahamandgreen.co.uk).

Freestanding shelf units will divide a room up into zones while providing extra storage space.

Oak narrow 5 shelf £190, Oak narrow 5 shelf add-on £170, Light ash single bed £175, Ash 5 drawer unit £295, Muji (muji.eu)