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Create the look for a festive touch

Past 'Create the look' pages are available to view in diy ideas & advice - How to guides.

Get your house looking its very best this Christmas with these top style tips from Kirstie Allsopp.

If you're pushed for time or feeling the pinch, don't worry - just a few simple updates can really transform your space. There are so many fab cushions and lights in store that will brighten a room in an instant, and won't break the budget.

1. Make the most of lighting

Lighting doesn't always need to be big and bright; you can create a gorgeous atmosphere with statement lighting, such as pendants, focused on certain areas of the room. And I like to change my lamp shades every so often - it's an easy way to update your décor with minimum fuss.

B&Q recommends

  • Wickham Chandelier, black (5266838) WAS £49.98 NOW £35
  • Glitz Flush Ceiling Light With Crystal Details, chrome-effect (5266739) £49.98
  • - Contemporary lights to create a soft, ambient feel

2. Prepare your guest bedroom

Make your visitors feel right at home by treating your spare room to lovely new products. Put up some long glamorous curtains and complement them with a sleek curtain pole. Other nice touches, I think, include lots of comfy cushions, colourful and festive house plants and a table lamp.

B&Q recommends

  • Allannah Cushion, sage, 45 x 45cm (5292820) £14.98
  • Huron Black Nickel Ball Curtain Pole, 120-210cm (5317776) £19.98
  • Ashanti Flock Printed Curtain With Eyelets, 137 x 137cm (3537114) £49.98
  • – A gorgeous mix of stylish colours for winter

3. De-clutter your space

A quick and easy way to make your living room feel much more spacious is to hide all that mess! Store DVDs, books, magazines and toys in chests, storage baskets or on shelving units and your room will immediately look bigger. Well, that’s before you've found space for all the gifts you and your family will receive over Christmas!

B&Q recommends

  • Banana Leaf Basket (5234684) £8.48
  • Seagrass Baskets, set of 3 (5232550) £16.48
  • – Stylish solutions for any living area or bedroom

*some products are available online or in-store.

Get your house looking its very best this Christmas with these top style tips from Kirstie Allsopp.

If you've got more time on your hands, why not try slightly larger projects that make a bigger visual impact in your home?
A new fireplace or updated bathroom will totally modernise your space, as can a striking feature wall.

1. Create a stylish and welcoming hallway

It's the first room that visitors see, so make sure your hallway gives a great first impression. Brightly painted walls make a showstopping entrance, while neutral colours keep the space light and airy. I love to dress up my hall with wall lights, and decorations up the stairs. And as the hallway leads on to other rooms, think about replacing your old door handles with stylish new ones - they will add plenty of character.

B&Q recommends

  • Colours Matt Emulsion, cocoa bean, 2.5L (3836019) £12.98
  • a lovely rich shade to brighten up your hallway
  • Round Rose Door Handle, stainless steel (3409404) £22.98
  • Value Interior Door Handle, polished chrome, pack of 3 (3415658) £23.98
  • - Classic styles to perfectly finish your door

2. Create a feature wall

Even though Christmas is on the horizon, you still have time to make updates to your home. A contemporary feature wall gives a room a dramatic focal point and, using wallpaper, it only takes a few hours to do. For visual impact, use small prints in little rooms, while trendy oversized patterns come alive in big rooms where there's plenty of wall space to see them repeated.

B&Q recommends

  • Super Fresco Easy Sarah Paste The Wall Wallpaper, teal, 10m (5011583029741) £15.98
  • Super Fresco Easy Sherwood Paste The Wall Wallpaper, taupe, 10m (5011583039405) £15.98
  • Colours Collection Forest Paste The Wall Wallpaper, duck egg, 10m (3698464) £17.98
  • – Easy-to-apply patterned wallpapers that make a statement in your living space

3. Sort your bathroom

If you're worried that your bathroom isn't up to scratch, fear not - I know some clever tricks that don't involve a full makeover. Simply replace your toilet seat, update your cabinet, put up a trendy mirror and replace the sealant around the bath - a whole new look!

B&Q recommends

  • Cooke & Lewis Velon Mirror With Storage (3897553) £59.98
  • Core Tongue And Groove-effect Toilet Seat, white (3686447) £19.98

4. Clean your carpets

If your carpets have seen better days, get them looking, feeling and even smelling as good as new with some help from the Rug Doctor. You can hire this fantastic machine from your local B&Q store (or visit diy.com/rugdoctor) and your carpets will be rejuvenated in no time.

B&Q recommends

  • Rent the Rug Doctor at £19.98 for 24 hours and £29.98 for 48 hours
  • Rug Doctor Traffic Lane Cleaner (5029706000256) £5.98
  • Rug Doctor Carpet Detergent with Spotblok®, 1L (5029706000164) £11.98
  • – Particularly good at cleaning high-traffic areas

5. Cosy up by a fire

And finally, you can create a warm welcome in your home with a gorgeous fireplace. There's so much choice at B&Q – from striking electric wall hung designs (such as this stunning example) to stylish gas fires that radiate gentle heat. And with prices starting from just £249, you're guaranteed to find a fire that suits you and your home.

B&Q recommends

  • Kavachi Contemporary Mirror Wall Hung Electric Fire (5023539005280) WAS £399 NOW £279
  • – Black mirrored frame with a pebble-effect fire

*some products are available online or in-store.

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