Lighting can make or break an interior design scheme, a specialist has insisted.

This is the verdict of interior designer George Bond, who believes that appliances such as chandeliers can be splendid when placed in the right place, but can look inappropriate if installed in other areas of the home.

Mr Bond explained: "You can make a small space look so huge, just by putting overhead lighting in and it'll bring the whole thing to life. There are downlights and there are so many different kinds of directional lighting."

He also stressed that people can develop the worst interior scheme in the world, but bring it to life with the correct lighting.

When undertaking DIY work, homeowners may want to take the opportunity to check the condition of their boilers.

Npower has warned people that they may be affected by heating problems during the festive season, so now is a better time than ever to check that their appliances are in a stable state.