Interior design is a tricky subject. It’s very subjective after all; one person’s dream floral curtains are someone else’s nightmare. One man’s built in wall aquarium, is a place for another to drown, one ladie’s built in closet with shoe racks is another persons game room. We could draw these comparisons all day long, and try as we might, we’re not going to reach any definitive answers.

With the current uncertainty in property markets at home and abroad, when it comes to selling you can drive up the price by following some simple tips to increase the value of your home. Alternatively, if you’re not looking to sell, indulging in an extension or clever interior design can increase living space and really turn home into a castle.

Although DIY is still a hugely popular hobby it seems to have faded a little from the public consciousness as the glut of 1990s TV shows (most notably, and least tastefully Changing Rooms) have disappeared from our screens.

When it comes to selling the key is to tone down any outrageous decoration. Hide the lava lamps, bead curtains and smooth out the flocked paper, and go for neutral tones, clean lines and white spaces. While this might make a home feel a little like a modern art gallery, it’s going to maximise the light entering your house and generate a feeling of clean living, airiness and space.

Home or abroad, an extension can add value to a home. The kitchen is a dwelling’s beating heart and buyers are always looking for large amounts of work space and well designed features, simple things such as the placement of electric sockets can make or break a property deal.

When aiming to build an extension, try and source a decent architect to make best use of the available features.

A good rule of thumb to work by is that unless it creates at least one extra room, it’s not worth the expense and effort. The cost of putting in an extension means that there are returns to scale.

Estate agents pay a lot of attention to the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in a house – try marketing a study as an extra bedroom, made readily convertible with a sofa bed or well designed furniture.

When it comes to bathrooms white is the key colour. If you own a dodgy avocado green bath set from the 1970s it might be time to consider a change.

Other popular home improvements that can be made are adding wooden flooring, converting a garden into an extra room with decking and landscaping, or renovating a kitchen by adding work tops and new cabinets.

Keep things simple and well designed, avoid clutter and dirt and try and throw in touches such as fresh floors to brighten up rooms. Bear in mind what you’d want to see in a home, in as impartial manner as possible: put yourself in the shoes of a prospective buyer.