5. Ceilings are often overlooked in the planning of a room and potentially can act as a design feature. You may wish to consider tiering and shaping, contrasting/hints of colour, concealed and down-lighting and more styled cornicing and coving.   6. With regards to the woodwork of the room, i.e. skirting boards and door-frames, strive to make a compatible match which agrees with the overall concept you have of the room.   7. When choosing the texture and colour of your walls have in mind that what you have chosen will act as a backdrop to your furniture, fabrics and pictures. Therefore we would suggest light, warm, harmonious colours.   8. When dressing a window it is important that you recognise that you are doing so from an internal and external perspective. The point at which you make decisions about how you window-dress should be made at the same time as you choose the wall and floor coverings to ensure they are congruent.		9. When considering a floor covering whether carpets, rugs, laminate, stone, paint or ceramics, endeavour to unify the colours and textures to ensure compatibility throughout the house.   10. Now that you have completed the infrastructure of the room you have to consider your choice of furniture, pictures and decorative accessories. In making your choices it is important to take your time, slowly adding items to the room which should both reflect the importance of comfort as well as style.   Our message to you therefore is to plan ahead carefully, take time in choosing your designs, adopt a balanced approach between practicality, comfort and style and most importantly - ENJOY!   Manchester-based design company, Ashley Interiors, took the first Designer of the Year Public Award at the Concept for Living Homes, Garden and Property Exhibition. For advice or guidance you can contact them on 07774 636248.
	1. In planning the design of a room it is important that you seek a balanced approach in terms of style and practicality. With this in mind you should consider carefully the potential requirements of children, pets or elderly relatives; in fact everything that makes a house into a comfortable home.   2. In considering the design of your room, looking through interior design books can be advantageous in developing your ideas and concepts as to how the room should look. However it is important to remember that these are show-pieces-nice to look at, useful for ideas, but impractical for most people to live in.   3. Before finalising your requirements for the room, take a moment to consider the future needs you may have in terms of changed circumstances that you may forsee.   4. The first points to consider in designing your room are possible repositioning of electrical and plumbing alterations, together with any physical structural changes and possible replacements of doors and windows.