Leaf motif tiles

You will need: cloth, white spirit, ceramic tile motifs, strong all-purpose adhesive.

Time needed: 10 minutes
Clean tiles thoroughly and wipe with white spirit to remove any residual grease. Spread glue on the back of the tile motifs and press them on to the tiles. Hold in place for several seconds for a bond to form. Leave to dry thoroughly before cleaning. If you are using plaster motifs, you can paint the front and edges with eggshell paint, allowing it to dry, before applying to the tiles.

Black and white pictures for your kitchen

You will need: image to copy, craft knife and ruler, cutting mat, clip picture frame.

Time needed: 10 minutes

Frame black and white images to bring simple style to your kitchen. Look for images of fruit or vegetables in cookery books that you could enlarge on a black and white photocopier, or you could even take a picture of yourself and use that. Simply crop to fit, frame and hang. Or, prop the frames up in a row along a shelf, as pictured here.

Leaf-stamped tablecloth

You will need: tablecloth, paper, pencil, fabric paint in two tones of green, saucer, small stamp roller, leaf design stamp, spare fabric if requirred.
Time needed: 30 minutes

If the tablecloth is new, wash, dry and iron it first. Lay it out on a flat, firm surface, mright side up. Sketch out your design on a piece of paper, then lightly mark out on the tablecloth where you stamped designs will go. Pour a little of each shade of fabric paint into a saucer so that they mix slightly. Apply some paint to the roller, then roll the paint on to the stamp. (If you have not used stamps on the fabric before, practise on a spare piece of fabric first.) Press the stamp on to the tablecloth, then reapply paint before stamping again. Repeat to cover the tablecloth with the design. Fix according to the manufacturers instructions.

Handy workstation

Turn two coffee tables into an indispensable kitchen trolley that provides extra workspace and storage, too.

You will need: two identical low tables, paintbrush, eggshell paint, pencil, 8 right-angled brackets with screws, drill, screwdriver, chrome rail 5cm shorter than table width, 4 castors.

Time needed: 2 hours plus drying time
Step1: Paint both tables with two coats of eggshell paint and leave to dry.

Step2: Stand one table on top on the other and draw round the legs. Position right0angle brackets on the table top (one on the inside corners of each leg, i.e. two brackets per leg) and mark where screw holes will go on the top of the lower table and on the legs of the upper table. Drill holes in the table top and in the legs of the upper table.

Step3:Screw brackets to the legs, then pklace the upper table on the lower table, lining up with the pencil marks, and screw the brackets to the table top.

Step4: Screw the rail to the top edge of the table and screw a castor to the bottom of each leg.

Colourful tiled splashback

It's easy to tile your own splashback to protect the areas behind the sink and cooker and bring new colour to your kitchen.

You will need: tiles, felt pen, timber battens (50x25mm), spirit level, a few masonry nails, hammer, tape measure, tile adhesive & spreader, tile spacers, sponge, tile cutter, waterproof grout & applicator, cloth, all-allpurpose sealant.

Time needed: Half a day

Step1: Position one tile centally under the window, flush with the ledge. Mark where the bottom of the tile falls.

Step2: Nail a battern to the wall, its top edge along the marked line, checking with the spirit level that it is horizontal. Measure two tile widths out from the edge of the window, allowing a narrow gap for grout, and nail a second batten upright along this line, checking with the spirit level that it is vertical.

Step3: Spread adhesive over about a four-tile area in the battened-off area. Use the notched side of the spreader to form ridges of adhesive.

Step4: Press tiles gently on to the wall until the adhesive squeezes out around the sides. Check the tiles are flat against the wall. Press spacers into each corner.

Step5: Lay tiles along the windowsill so that they cover the top edges of the wall tiles. Wipe off excess adhesive.

Step6: Lay all the whole tiles and leave to dry before removing battens. Cut tiles to fit into any gaps and fix in place.

Step7: Grout the tiled area. Remove the excess with a sponge, then leave to dry.

Step8: Seal the gap between worktop and tiles with sealant.

Need some help with your kitchen layout planning? Here's an simple and easy to understand guide for planning your kitchen.

Inspiration: 100 Bright Ideas for Kitchens

Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. A well-designed, stylish kitchen should make you feel happy and relaxed whether you are grabbing a cup of coffee or cooking a three-course dinner. So, lets plan your kitchen in the simplest way possible...

The first step to design the layout which suits you best - time spent at this stage is never wasted.
1) Draw measurements of your kitchen to scale onto graph paper. Mark on the positions of doors and windows. In many cases, it is possible to move even these to get a better layout, but it is a great deal easier and less expensive to work around what is there, if you can.

2) Make a wish list of everything you would like in your kitchen, from a cooker and microwave, to a dishwasher, larder, broom cupboard, space for food processor, kitchen table and so on. Rewrite the lists putting the items in order of importance to you. The chances are you won't be able to fit in everything. next to each item, write you preferred size or specification - range cooker or built-in, double sink and drainer, under-unit or tall fridge? With some you may have to compromise, while others may be essential to you.

3) Draw each element to scale on a separate sheet of graph paper, cut them out and label. Take the most important elements - usually the cooker, fridge and sink - and position these first.

4) Work out how much cupboard space you need. This is the most adaptable part of your plan. Corner cupboards with carousel units make the most of space, pull-out units mean your larder can be tall and slim, while pan drawers hold far more than ordinary base cupboards. Narrow shelves can be used in spaces where a wall won't fit and hanging rails mean you need fewer drawers.

Find the right look! When you have your kitchen plan, you can think about the looks you love. Just changing the handles and repainting the walls is often all it takes to give your kitchen a stylish new look.

Find your style! Your kitchen should relect your tastes and be as personal to you as any other room. Any style can be broken down into ingredients - a 'recipe' to create that look. When you are trying to recreate a certain effect, get used to looking at a room and analysing the elements which make it up. Look at the materials, styles and colours, whether they blend with each other or contrast for effect. In a kitchen the main elements will be the units - style, material, colour, the walls and the floor. However, it's the finishing touches which give a kitchen its ownsignature. Handles, window treatments, motifs on tiles and fabrics all make a difference. Equally as important though, are the non-decorative elements - the appliances and the sink, the pans, jars, mugs and utensils you keep on display.

Bring in colour! There are no colour rules for kitchens. Just think about the mood you want to create: calm and cool or warm and welcoming. Light, bright colour can make a room feel larger, but think beyond pure white. Sky blue and apple green can be just as effective and are more uplifting. Even in a small kitchen, deep dramatic colour like burnt orance or cobalt blue can look wonderful.

View some examples below. For more kitchen decor ideas visit http://www.decordirect.co.za

Colour it Bright Kitchens

Sea-green cupboard contrast with rich reds and sunny yellows.

Bare brick walls are the starting point for this kitchen, inspiring the brick red floor and deep orange-red pans. The wonderful blue-green colour complements the warmth of the reds perfectly, while hints of yellow in the chairs, flowers and details like the tea towel are the injection of suprising colour that brings the room alive and gives it maximum impact.

Wooden worktops are a natural choice with the rough brick walls and the bare floorboards in the eating area. Although stripped pine floors look great, they are not practical for the cooking area unless well sealed. Use Vinyl, linoleum or rubber flooring instead for the area most vulnerable to water and grease spills.

Touches like the green plastic broom and cheerful striped tablecloth give this kitchen a retro hint. Everything else is kept simple with stainless steel and chrome.