How to shop smart

Myth: It has to cost a fortune to look good
These days, both high-street and online shopping has so much variety to offer, both in terms of choices and prices, that you don't have to part with a great deal of money to create a classy-looking effect.

Just changing your cushion covers, hanging inexpensive blinds or painting a chimney breast in a new colour can transform a room, as can styling with a few well-chosen vases, picture frames or other ornaments. Try these ideas:

• Visit flea markets whenever you come across one, either at home or - even better - abroad: you can pick up lovely curiosities, from vintage furniture, 'ethnic' throws and wall hangings to lamps, rugs and hatboxes, at very reasonable prices to give your home a truly individual feel. This will prevent your style from looking as if it's been copied from a catalogue - and no one you know will have the same flair as you do.
• Wait for one of the many seasonal sales to bag a bargain: two-for-one offers on soft furnishings can be really good money-savers, and you can often pick up furniture at knock-down prices, too. For example, at Halo's Summer of Love sale, prices are slashed by up to 60%.
• Look for end-of-season ranges if you're not bothered about your choices being 'of the moment'. (Unless you redecorate or restyle your home every season, it's impossible to be completely up-to-the-minute.) Again, you're less likely to see your choice in someone else's home.

Myth: Cluttered equals cosy
Less is almost always more in terms of home furnishings and decor. It's a case of deciding what features you want to highlight and how best to utilise your space. No matter what your style, a few well-placed pieces - whether pictures, photographs, statues or other artworks - against the right backdrop can give a much more cohesive impression than an over-filled room with too much to look at. Think about the following before you dress your room:

• Are you emulating a certain period in history? If, for example, you are restoring a Victorian house, a popular colour scheme from that period, dressed with a few potted palms on jardinieres and a mantel shelf with mirror and clock might say much more than a room crammed with Victoria artifacts and heaving with old maps and photos.
• Are your favourite ornaments and pictures getting lost amongst all the other pieces in your rooms? Consider boxing up and rotating some of your knick-knacks so you only have a few on display at any one time.
• Do you have a favourite piece which always takes centre stage? Does it warrant its position in the room? Does it fit stylistically with your theme or look? Is it time for a less obtrusive centrepiece?

Tip:
Try different concepts and ideas by creating a mood board. Get a piece of cardboard and attach images, swatches, smears of paint, textured fabrics and photographs that you like. Be daring: this is the place to indulge your secret love of bright apple green or crushed burgundy velvet and see if it works with the other items in your home. Or do it online with Halo's scrapbook area, www.haloliving.co.uk/scrapbook, which allows you to drag paint colours, fabrics, furniture to try different looks, as well as dispensing decorating tips.