Interiors: Some inside information on new looks for spring

When decorating any room, I always recommend continuing the wall colour on to the ceiling; regardless of the pigment you are using.

This ensures that your sight lines are not artificially halted by a change of colour. It helps to standardise proportions of the room, lowering the effect of overly-high ceilings, but counter-intuitively adding a feeling of height to low ceilings. It also helps with painting as there is no difficult cutting off to contend with.

In a hallway, the normally narrow proportions are best served by painting the woodwork in a lighter tone than you use for the walls. Avoid brilliant white, as this can be very harsh.

If you do need a really light, neutral colour, opt for something such as Zoffany Architect's White, which has subtle hints of grey (www. zoffany.com; 0844 543 4748).

Use flat emulsion for ceilings and walls and eggshell for woodwork; this has a slight sheen which gives a softer finish than gloss, but is still durable.

I am upholstering an occasional chair for use in a bedroom. I would like to use silk, but am worried about it being easily damaged.

Can you recommend a fabric that I could use? – TF, Bedale

Silk creates a beautiful look in a bedroom, but can be difficult to maintain. If this is not a piece that will be sat on regularly, you do not have too much to worry about, but you will need to be careful about fading and weakening of the fabric if it is regularly exposed to sunlight.

There are a couple of options open to you that are more specifically suitable for domestic upholstery.

Kediri Silk by Osborne & Little is a silk/cotton blend which comes in a great range of contemporary shades (61.10/m – www.osborne andlittle.com; 0207 352 1456). Alternatively, the Sateen Range from Casamance is actually a cotton/polyester blend, but you would be hard pressed to tell it from silk (from 35/m – www.casamance.com; 0844 369 0104).

We are re-decorating the bedroom for our five-year- old son, who wants something a bit more grown up. His is mad about robots – can you suggest a suitable duvet set? – LG, Driffield

Aspace are a terrific company who specialise in good quality, hard-wearing products for child-friendly areas.

As well as a comprehensive range of furniture, they also have some extremely nice bedding accessories with duvets, throws and pillows that feature classic, contemporary designs and which are finished to a high standard.

They have a great cotton duvet set featuring an appliqu robot design (a single duvet and pillow

is 50).

They also sell a range of matching accessories including curtains, a rug,

pin board and cushions. (www.aspace.co.uk; 0845

872 2400).

We really loved the wallpaper that was pictured behind a mirror and chest of drawers in your article on March 3. It featured stylised gold/silver fish on a grey background. Could you

tell me who it is by?

– TK, Wakefield

So glad that you like wallpaper, it is one of my personal favourites: it works particularly well in bathrooms.

The design in question is from Osborne & Little and is called Derwent. It actually comes in six different colours, so can suit a variety of interiors schemes.

The wallpaper is 49.35 per roll (inc VAT); the rolls are 10m long and 52cm wide, with a 61cm pattern repeat.

To find your local stockists, either visit www.osborne andlittle.com or call their London showroom (0207 352 1456).

n Jamie Hempsall is a member of the British Interior Design Association. Send your queries to him at [email protected] or contact him on 01777 248463.