Tara talks top tips at Crace

In October, Tara Dennis from Better Homes and Gardens wowed crowds with her decorating tips and practical advice on how to make your home beautiful on a budget.

"My philosophy for decorating is to furnish your home with honest and classic materials," she says. For basic household items, I buy the best I can afford and search for timeless, elegant styling and comfort."

Tara's top decorating tips include:

• Choose basic colours and furnishings in a variety of textures, so they can be mixed and matched. Classic styling allows the look to be changed as often as you want using art, personal collections, bed linens, towels, cushions and flowers.
• When choosing colour, think about which colours you like generally, then consider how you should apply them, whether it's in the hard or soft furnishings, paint or even foliage around the home.
• Once you have established a basic set of colours you like, divide them into groups of main or body colours and accents. Body colours should become your main backdrop and will be the major part of your scheme. Accent colours can be used to punctuate main body colours for excitement and interest.
• Body colours need to be chosen carefully for items which are reasonably permanent and can't be changed regularly. These include tiles, carpet, sofa and curtain fabrics, bricks, pavers, roofing and fencing.
• Plain, simply styled furnishings can be a canvas or backdrop to which you can create all kinds of looks.
• Group objects for maximum impact and use colour, shape or texture to form eye-pleasing compositions.
• The beauty of solid colours and shapes is simplicity. The patterns, textures and detailing will add the flavour.
• Pattern should be used sparingly and coordinated using a common colour. Vary the scale for extra interest.
• Small artworks, furniture and accessories can make a small room seem smaller, so go for fewer, bigger things for bold impact.