THE long dark months continue, with spring still a distant dream — so why not give yourself and your home a lift.

As winter weather bites, we all want to turn up the temperature in our rooms.

But snuggly throws and cushions are just so predictable. Why not embrace the hot new trends in interiors to give your rooms a fashion conscious lift?

Join in the passion for purple hues, inspired by nature's seasonal palette, which are ideal perfect for satisfying our growing desire for rich colour and warmth in our rooms.

Plums look good teamed either with creams or greys. But bear in mind, a small room can be overwhelmed by an undiluted purple scheme."

In the current economic climate, people are expected to buy less, but buy better, which means adding luxurious touches to rooms to make them feel special, giving them a shot of essential individuality.

Cushions with applied fabric decoration, giving a 3D effect, could be a top choice accessory this autumn.

Then again, you could be inspired by the sophisticated looks coming off the fashion catwalks, with this season’s chic trend all about understated, contemporary luxury. While spring was all about nude tones, grey has become the new neutral for autumn.

Because it's so versatile, it can be styled to feel feminine and soft or masculine and strong... and as it teams well with so many shades, it won't date.

Choose from a colour palette that begins with dusty aluminium and deepens through to charcoal, then add zing with metallic touches or punchy reds.

Leather, velvet, wool, silk and embellished fabrics add refined opulence to painted wood, glass and lacquer finishes.

Rooms should feature a variety of textures so they're "touchy-feely" and also have decorative craft-style elements.

Patchwork is big news, part of the 'made it myself' vibe, and it has a colour vibrancy that we expect to see around throughout this year.

Bold, jewel colours such as ruby, emerald, jade and yellow gold will all star as accents.

There's a return to displaying pieces in the home which have a story or a history and that will stand the test of time - whether they've been made by a craftsperson or designer, or created by a homeowner.

Mix textures which add depth and comfort, such as cushions, throws and rugs in chunky, boiled wool, or suede, chenille and velvet, with lampshades in silk and corduroy.