Mel Thorne of Country Knole Interiors in Taunton gives us some top tips on how to give your home a freshen up during lockdown

1. The quickest and easiest way to make a change is to grab a paint brush and get to it. Whether it is painting one wall or a whole room, or changing the wall colour to complement your existing furnishings, it needn’t break the bank. A neutral interior set against a backdrop of this seasons soft green paint hues could completely change the feel of the interior. One colour to try is Little Greene Paint Company’s green aquamarine colour scale. It is a bright, fresh tone complementing many palettes. 2. Another way to freshen up your walls is to re-think your artwork. Reframing existing pieces with different mounts and frames can completely transform a picture. Additionally, rehanging existing artwork in new configurations works equally as well.

3. Alternatively, if you have a bare wall and cannot find that perfect piece of art, why not consider adding some pattern or texture to the space with some wallpaper? There are so many designs to choose from, from a geometric print to a floral mural. Large mural style wall hangings have become very fashionable in the past few years so adding this feature to your interior could see you bang on trend. One mural I love but have yet to find a home for in my home is Designers Guild Yulan Magnolia. Fabulous spring blossoms to cheer up any wall.

3. Freshening up your window dressings is also simple and easy to do. Adding trims to curtains and blinds is not only incredibly stylish but it can completely renovate a tired window treatment. A beautiful wide braid added to the leading edges of curtains or a trim attached to the bottom edge of a blind looks fabulous. There is a resurgence of trimming at the moment and there are so many gorgeous trims to choose from. My favorite this year is a wide braid couched with gorgeous threadwork from Colefax and Fowler. This will look beautiful on anything.

4. The long dark nights of winter are soothed by the warm soft glow of ambient lighting and changing a shade on your table or floor lamp can create a completely different feel to a space. Swap a plain shade for something pleated or patterned for a pop of interest. Additionally, altering the brightness of your bulbs can drastically change the atmosphere in a room. Personally, I love a string of fairy lights placed in a vase or glass bowl to softly light a dull corner.