Pale Blue Walls at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

Pale blue walls and whitewashed floorboards create a bright and modern look. An all-white scheme can look rather stark, but just adding chalky baby blue to the walls gives the space a softer, more easy-going feel. Cushions and throws add splashes of bright cerise, blue and pink, and these can be swapped around or added to any time to change the feel.

The same shade of blue has been used on the lower walls, beneath the dado rail, and on the door - an emulsion for walls, a tougher, eggshell paint for the woodwork. Above, there's a pale, airy blue, which makes the room feel light and spacious. A subtle leaf design has been stencilled on in green at random - an easy way to breath life into plain walls, with a pattern that's not as bold or rigidly repeated as wallpaper.

The colours are fresh and bright in this kitchen. White units and appliances, pale blue-washed floorboards and clean white walls make a simple, light, space-enhancing combination. Colour comes from the pretty pots, canisters and bowls dotted around. The pale blue of the boards is also picked up on the retro-style fridge, which adds a dash more pastel colour to the room.