Celebrate summer and add a spalash of colour at home

“Bold is back! Colour accents should be surprising and tantalising this year,” says Nicky Pysden at DecorateNow, specialists in paint, wallpaper and decorating accessories.

“Use colour where you least expect it, to accentuate and highlight features in a room. This trend plays with shapes, light and shadow to create an interesting mix of shades.

“Colour’s coming from everywhere as the nation gets bold with teal, yellow, lime green and rosebud pink.”

If you’re used to a more neutral world and it all feels a bit scary, dip your toe into vivid decor by experimenting with what interior designers call ‘pops’ of colour.

That means picking shades you like - for inspiration, look at the clothes in your wardrobe as they’re likely to feature shades you’re naturally most attracted to - and decorating with them, or featuring them in accessories.

If you’re unsure, buy a sample pot, paint a piece of A4 paper and stick it on a wall to see that you’re comfortable with it over time and in different lights.

Think outside the box when it comes to decorating - you don’t have to opt for the inevitable ‘feature’ wall.

“Take inspiration from the catwalk. Colour-blocking is as big in fashion as it is in the home this year,” says Pysden. “If you opt for a limited palette, make sure at least one of those colours is turquoise, to add an air of electricity.”

Painting skirtings and doors in a new punchy shade, or even painting a ceiling (in a room with high ceilings this will make it feel lower and the room cosier), can be just as effective. Alternatively, give a piece of furniture, mirror or picture frames a fast colour hit by spray-painting them.

If you’re really colour cautious, simply invest in a few new accessories. But be warned - the future’s orange, blue, green, pink and a whole host of other zingy shades besides, so ensure your home’s on-trend.

Orange is a cheery colour and keys in well to a modern interior, or one focusing on turn-back-the-clock retro style.

Interior designer Abigail Ahern highlights burnt orange as her favourite shade.

“This season, stronger colours are taking centre stage and burnt orange is the star. One of the reasons I’m so obsessed with this hue is that it works in any interior, and works whether you hanker after a modern or a more bohemian interior,” she says.