Predicting the latest home interiors design trends is a complex and ever changing task. Often inspiration can be taken from the fashion catwalks - currently this avenue provides designs and colours to suit most tastes and styles.
Anyone who has been following the glossy magazines can tell you that that there is plenty of pattern, colour and texture in fashion, plus all sorts of exciting possibilities created with new materials and technology.
Despite reaching the high-tech realms of the 21st Century, today's interior collections still reflect home styles of the past. Fashion design influenced by retro styles of the the sixties and seventies hit the spring/summer 2007 catwalks, and this colourful retro look has filtered into the home.
Prints are one of the biggest interior stories this year and the bolder the better. Wallpaper, which is back with a vengeance and fabrics, have been brought alive with velvets and flocks.
Eye-catching pattern is showing its staying power. Bolder in our choices and using homes to reflect our bold and challenging lifestyles: no more playing it safe. Layer strong differing patterns to build up a cornucopia of fabrics and wallpapers.
Whether you go all-out or keep it more subtle, patterned paper, accessories or bedding can transform a lifeless room into a haven of colour. Create a focal point by wall-papering one wall or add interest to a bedroom with bold bedlinen. But avoid mixing too many patterns and colours. For those lacking in confidence, introduce patterns via accessories like window dressings, cushions, lampshades and ornaments.
But if florals, flocks and bright colours are not your thing there is still much to chose from which reflects the latest trends. Black and white needn't be confined to ultra-modern properties. More traditional-style Damask patterns, which look great in period homes, are everywhere and grace everything from wall-coverings to teapots. Black has to be glossy and polished to keep it looking rich and opulent. Use bold and sensuous shapes to add glamour.
Pretty pastel shades and soft feminine fabrics are also in vogue and provide a sharp contrast to the more dramatic interior themes of 2007. Pale pinks, greys, metallics, shimmering sequins and glass all feature heavily in this year's collections.
You can also bring an air of spring into your home with colour palettes of soft greens, palest pinks and gentle aquas.
Mix and match with existing colours to update your look. Glamorous grey is the new neutral. It began on the catwalk and is now a hit in the home. From inky charcoal through to palest dove, grey will complement any hue.
With the environment and all things green hot on the agenda, homeware inspired by nature is also a predominant interior theme this year. Earthy tones of green, brown and khaki create a restful environment, while natural materials like wood and twine take you right back to nature.
The challenge of changing design trends is the difficulty of creating your perfect environment at a lightening pace. The best home interiors evolve over a period of time using a rug or a wallpaper as the central theme and then building from there. Don't be in too much of a hurry, unless commercially motivated, otherwise the finished look will resemble a hotel bedroom, rather than a stylish home.