Morning friends. So with summer around the corner (hopefully this isn't it!) I know I should be drawn to airy spaces and beautiful beachy style interiors, but I keep getting drawn to dark walls again and again. Black, inky blue or charcoal grey walls seem to add instant atmopshere, and although they are a bold decorating move, especially for white lovers like me, I think it's definitely something I'd like to try.

I absolutely love the charcoal walls in this bathroom from a Sneak Peak on Design*Sponge - it feels really unexpected but looks so fresh and stylish against the crisp white. I'd add a bright hand towel in fushia or lime, a typography print to the wall - and I think this could just be my dream bathroom.

Could you live with dark walls?

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Morning friends, so are you back in work this morning after a weekend of chocolate eggs, beers and BBQs? I'm sure all UK readers are feeling suitable summery after the wonderful weather we've had over Easter, and I hope those of you elsewhere in the world have had some sunshine over the long weekend too. I don't know about you, but I feel like our home needs an injection of something light and breezy to bring this nice weather inside. Throughout winter we're drawn to wool and other warm and cosy textures, whereas now lightweight materials like linen, cotton and straw pave the way for sunny days and balmy evenings. I love these decorating ideas of colourful straw baskets clustered together on a wall, and the way this collection of straw hats are casually displayed around a vintage mirror - two great summer styling ideas to try at home. One; two

Who says tiles need to be orderly and neat? Not me, lover of organised chaos. I know I seem to gush over pretty much every post, but this tiling idea is extra special and something I would definitely like to try when we eventually own a home where we can completely makeover the bathroom. Mixing and matching all these different designs is so striking and relaxed, yet uniformed by the green theme to pull the look together. It's also a pretty cost effective trick too, as you can combine lovely fancy tiles, like ones from Fired Earth, with cheaper high-street numbers. A huge win in my book, what d'ya reckon?

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I'm been having chats with a few friends who are decorating at the moment, and I can't help but force the idea of creating a moodboard on them all. "You just have to make one," I enthuse, "It'll make decorating so much easier!" I'm not sure if they all share my giddy excitment for decorating, but moodboards are tools of the trade for interior designers and stylists - so it makes sense that the rest of us should give them a go too. Decorating a room from scratch or deciding to spruce up an existing design can definitely feel overwhelming, and pulling ideas together on paper or on screen really helps to pin point exactly what style and colours we're drawn to. I sometimes make two - one which is quite general, with a wide collection of stuff I'm loving, followed by a second which is more fine-tuned and specific to the needs of the room. I also have an ever changing mood-come-inspiration board on the wall above my desk, and this week I'm feeling sepia tones and dreamy hues of pale grey and green, flesh pink and milky white. Moodboards can be as simple as pinning magazine tears on a cork board, and good old cutting and gluing on a cardboard sheet, to online creations on sites such as Olioboard or even more elaborate examples like these fantastic vibe trays from designer extraordinaire, Kelly Wearstler. Do you use moodboards when decorating? I adore seeing people's inspiration so please share pictures if you do!

We don't have a hallway and it's probably my biggest bugbear about this flat. The door opens straight into the lounge so there's always a cluster of shoes, which I'm attempting to tame with a red and white striped basket, yet stuff like keys and post always ends up dumped on the dining table. It has made me realise the importance of entrances and hallways to the general organisation of our homes. Of course it's the first thing visitors see too, so I feel it important not to neglect this area design-wise either. I think the key to making the hallway a successful space is to treat it like any other room and think carefully about its purpose and how we need it to function. 1. A bench Top of my entryway wish list is a free-standing or built-in bench that instantly invites visitors in with a comfy seat (and encourages them to take off their shoes). A bench can also double up as concealed storage, and allows you to inject instant colour with cushions and throws. The space below could feel quite stark and uninviting without the seating, it really brings warmth and interest to an otherwise bland hallway. 2. Go wild on the walls I think the hallway is a great area to really experiment with paint and wallpaper. It tends to be a small room that we don't spent much continuous time in, so why not take a risk and inject some fun? By taking this route, I'd keep everything else pretty laid back and simple, with not too much happening on the walls. 3. Create a gallery Remember the art walls from last week? Well, a long wall in a hallway could be the perfect place for a collection of some favourite art and prints. I think the image below is actually of a living room but I love the effect of lots lined up a couple of shelves like this - and the sneaky storage slipped in underneath. 4. Reflect the light If there's ever a place for the light reflecting benefits of a large mirror, it's in the hallway. Unlike this beauty below, entrances can often be small and dark, and mirrors help to brighten the space while allowing a quick make-up touch up before leaving the house. 5. Pretty shoe storage If I didn't have the room for a bench, I'd go for a lovely cabinet like this that provides both storage and a surface to drop off post, keys and other bits and bobs. Traditional shoe storage can be a bit ugly I think, yet a vintage sideboard like this that might normally live in a bedroom, would add a little touch of charm to the entrance. 6. Wall storage If space was super tight, I'd abandon free-standing storage altogether and fix some old wooden crates to the wall to keep the floor completely clutter-free. Crates are so useful and perfect for stashing post and keys, as well as displaying personal touches at the entrance of your home, like framed pictures or favourite fresh flowers.

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