Six things to get right when renovating a room

A new year often brings new plans for the home. Whether you are reworking a single room or the whole house, a little planning at the start saves a great deal of bother later.

Get the layout right before anything else, and be realistic about a budget and timescale. Order made-to-measure joinery early, as good work takes time. Think about lighting and sockets before the walls are finished, choose hard-wearing finishes for busy rooms, and keep a consistent palette so the rooms flow from one to the next.

Above all, do not rush the decisions that are hard to undo. Measure twice, as the saying goes, and cut once.