Which comes first, form or function?

Function has to come first. Anything that works well is beautiful in its own right.

Do you have a style or design ethos?

Anything goes - until it simply has to go.

Which is your favourite room in the house?

My kitchen! It's open plan, and the heart of the home where everything happens - usually all at once. I love to cook and spend time with the family then read a book quietly when they all go to watch television in the living room.

Describe your home to us?

A 3-storey, 5-bedroom Victorian house. The decoration is clean and crisp but its full to the brim with collected treasures, from a 50's juke box to an old cinema courting seat that I used to share with my husband before the cinema was demolished. I love to mix old and new together and I like a bit of a surprise.

Which period of history is your biggest inspiration?

Georgian design gets my heart fluttering. Elegant, balanced paired down interiors and exquisite furniture design. I liked the wigs and dresses too!

Who is your design guru, and why?

Frank Lloyd Wright. He built the most beautiful buildings and interiors that are completely timeless yet still look modern today.

How would you define your personal style?

Fun and glamorous.

What's been your best buy of the year?

A white leather sofa from Natuzzi (pictured left)

Have you noticed a north-south design divide?

That's a tricky question, I feel I could dig a big hole here but appreciating and enjoying good design is not about sophistication or spending power. I think interior design north of Watford is generally much more a reflection of the personality and lifestyle of the individual who lives in a home and there is a lot more emphasis on comfort.

What's the biggest mistake that home decorators make - and how can they avoid it?

Avoid fashion and follow trend. Fashion is a flash in the pan, but trends last longer and can be adapted.

What tips do you have when decorating a long-lasting room for a young child?

Only spend serious money on the things that you don't plan to change like carpets and furniture and keep them classic. Ring the changes with new bedding, accessories and furnishings every couple of years. Great lighting makes a huge difference too.

What techniques do you use to take your home from spring/summer into winter?

I change bedding, window treatments and soft furnishings. In the winter I use curtains and in the summer, I take down the curtains, clean them and just use Roman blinds. Fresh summer bedding with a splash of colour and fewer cushions on the sofa, but in great colours. I think adding plenty of flowers and plants to the house in the summer makes a huge difference too.

How can young couples begin decorating when they're on a budget?

Make do with begged and borrowed stuff until you can afford to hit the sales and replace it with things you love and can afford. Invest in a few throws and put up with your Aunty Kath's moth-eaten two seater until you can afford the one you both like.

Wood-effect wallpaper and mock marble fireplaces are no-nos from yesteryear - what one thing should we NOT be doing to our homes today?

Creating open plan spaces when the house isn't insulated enough to cope. And don't knock that wood effect paper, it's coming back...

What has been the highlight of your career?

I designed a living floral tapestry that covered Trafalgar Square. I chose all the plants, oversaw the growing and helped to install it too. It employed all the things I love, design, organisation, working with a team, plants and Nelson.

What exactly makes a house a home?

You do.