An idea: the blue room

Blues of every shade are suddenly everywhere, with teal (thanks to Dulux with, oddly, Alesha Dixon) and navy two of the most photographed shades.

And I've just fallen for this room, which features both.

It's cosy and calming and I am feeling a yearning to repaint the front room. I think I would read more books if there was a room like this in which to do it.

And don't you just love those brilliant, make-like-a-tiled-wall blinds? They're made-to-measure rollers from The Fabric Box (prices from £72 for a 61cm x 61cm size blind) and go by the name of Sunara.

Over the summer, a younger, cooler colleague than I noticed that I was wearing Birkenstocks. "Oh they've really come back in this year after ages haven't they?" she said. I have been wearing them since they first came in. Oblivious to anything but comfort and a chirpy array of colours. And so it is with my paint choices: I've just painted over a striking Yves Klein blue wall in my kitchen, which I introduced way several years ahead of this current trend. I'm either way ahead of the curve, or deeply unfashionable.

See more of this ilk of pattern inspiration at Pinterest. After several years of pin shirking, for fear of becoming addicted, I am now tragically dependent. Do join me.

Image and blinds: Thefabricbox.co.uk