QUICK! MAKEOVER MY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (From Barry And District News)

QUICK! MAKEOVER MY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

THERE'S not long to go - and there is no time of the year that your home is as much on show as Christmas.

There's a constant procession of visitors and guests through the front door - they stand around in your kitchen at parties, sleep in the spare bedroom and use up all your towels. But if your home is looking shabby, don't worry. You can be your own Changing Rooms expert and spruce it up in days - and we're not just talking fir trees.... The hallway. It's the first part of the house that guests see, but it can be neglected. Is it providing a real welcome? Change your doormat to something bright and cheery, and make sure you have plenty of illumination; add extra lamps to make dark nooks look cosy.

Tidy away any excess of coats and shoes lying around to make the hall look instantly bigger, and brighten a well-worn carpet with cheap rugs. The living room. Change the whole feel by adding rugs, throws and cushions in a colour which matches or contrasts with the decor. Move your ornaments around, and try lamps and sidetables in different spots. If you have time to decorate, keep it simple - to warm a room up, use reds, oranges and yellows.

The kitchen: number one room for clutter, so clear the worktops as much as possible and make the most of attractive storage jars and boxes. Replacing curtains with blinds can add light and space to the kitchen; cover a worn table with plastic-coated cloth for an instant facelift. You can paint kitchen units for a new look. Even melamine can be painted - ask at your DIY store for the correct primer to go underneath the paint. The kids' rooms: Are they a disaster area? Get them to make their own storage boxes by painting cardboard ones with poster paints, sticking on pictures cut out of magazines or having fun with glue and glitter. If you let them involved, they might be more inclined to keep the room tidy. And think of all the extra storage space you'll need for the new toys... The guest room: Brighten it up with a new duvet cover or a smart throw, picking up the colour in lightshades and curtains. Scatter cushions add a note of luxury. If you can't afford to buy new, you can dye things in your washing machine for a couple of pounds. The bathroom: A new shower curtain can do wonders for just a couple of pounds, and new towels will feel sumptuous. Bathrooms tend to be small, so add a large mirror to give a feeling of extra space.

The dining room: Scene of the big occasion, Christmas dinner. Painting the walls in reds will create a rich, intimate atmosphere for the meal which can be picked out in the table decorations. But if you don't have time, add the touches anyway in tablecloth, candles, pot pourri and vases. Give the windows a makeover with a long, soft piece of material in appropriate colours simply draped across the top of your existing curtains and allowed to fall naturally down the sides.