Give your home the wow factor with Kevin McCloud's expert advice

You may not be able to build a designer home from scratch, but Grand Designs expert Kevin McCloud can help make your home stand out from the crowd

Take your time
When you're decorating, it's often tempting to rush things and settle for quick fixes, but it pays to do your research. Read magazines, watch TV programmes and look at other people's houses to work out what you want before you start.

Be individual
Your home is a personal space and should reflect who you are. If you have inherited family heirlooms or kept nostalgic things from your childhood, cherish these objects and build your look around them. Having a home with wow factor is not about having good taste - it's about having conviction.

Energise your home
A home should be vibrant, not a cold, minimalist space. Have fun decorating, and don't try to make everything look perfect or you'll end up with a sterile showroom.

Get a cohesive look
You don't have to buy lots of expensive things to give your home designer style. The art of creating a great home is to get a cohesive look by mixing expensive items with carefully selected cheaper products that look good together.

Pay attention to detail
Get the best taps, door handles, sockets and light switches you can afford, and respect the original character of the older buildings. Even small things, such as getting the appropriate door latches, can make a big difference.

Be brave
Consider altering the layout of your home to suit your lifestyle. Most of our properties were built before the war, or are newer imitations of these pre-war builds, with layouts that don't suit today's open-plan living. if knocking out walls would improve the way you live, and you can afford it, then go for it.

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