If only you knew how.

Enter Lisa Lockett, a former show home stylist who has launched her own interior design business to help local property developers, builders and individuals to create the right looks and ambience in their properties.

Lisa’s Dinnington home artfully reflects her own tastes...warm yellows, oranges, pinks and reds and a mix of textures giving an exotic yet cosy feel to the house.

“When we moved in a few years ago, the house was only five years old but it was old-fashioned,” she recalled. “Previous owners had wall-papered throughout and it was very dated. The whole of the downstairs was dusky pink and all the rooms blended in with each other. There was no personality to it.

“I believe in using a lot of textures and different effects to achieve a finished result. My favourite colours, personally, are oranges and pinks but current trends are all about bringing natural light into the home, using light colours and achieving a contrast with odd pieces, such as a sofa or some distinctive fabric or a strong colour.” Lisa’s new company is called Breathe Home Interiors and says she wants it to be a “breath of fresh air.”

She explained: “I’m looking at how I can work as a greener business. I’ve already sourced carpets with environmentally friendly underlay, which cuts down on bills because it offers such good insulation and, because it is thicker, it’s more comfortable.

“I’m also looking at odourless, organic paints and I offer a de-cluttering service in which I’ll recycle as much as possible, taking things we can’t salvage to charity shops and recycle bins. A lot of my inspiration comes from nature. When I was dressing show homes, I used a lot of plants and greenery to ‘bring the outside inside’.

“I’m very aware of the environment and try to do my own bit - certainly my daughters, Isobelle, 10, and Abbie, 11, are very aware of it. Children are more aware than many adults. It’s the future and we have to respect where we live.”

De-cluttering is also close to Lisa’s heart. “Having a junk-free home makes you feel better,” she smiled. “The older generation tended to hoard a lot of things but newer houses generally have smaller rooms than older ones and they don’t have great storage space, so it’s important to lose the clutter.”

But that doesn’t mean vast open spaces and a lack of adornment. Some people need a little help with the all-important accessories, revealed Lisa, and she relishes the idea of being her clients’ personal shopper.

“One of my jobs when I was dressing show homes was running about collecting things,” she said. “It can be hard work finding the right pieces. Today, we source an awful lot over the Internet, but there’s still a lot of time spent running around trying to find what you want.