Q: Our living area has creamy ceramic floor tiles and the bedroom floors are in golden teak parquet. All the walls are off-white. What colour should the furniture be?

A: You have chosen a very neutral palette for your background. If you stay with the same shades for furnishings, you will end up with a very safe – and boring – home. Think adventurously: Why not try a feature wall in a stronger colour like mocha?

A home is about personal preferences, so you don’t have to go wild. However, colour highlights will jazz up your pad, so try upholstering large pieces of furniture in medium tones like grey or old gold (avoid pastels as they’ll look too sweet), while injecting excitement with colourful cushions and a bold print.

You can also introduce a rug to help define the seating area. Look for one in say, tan, with a strong border contrast such as turquoise. Keep the eye-catching colours to concentrated bursts, and they will add sizzle and character.