If you really want your home to look like something out of a magazine, you need to consult an expert! No matter how artistic you think you are, I believe that the result of DIY will be a pale, clichéd copy of the real thing. Engaging a professional ensures a high-quality result … and it needn’t cost the earth!

I immediately liked Pilar's approach: she was down to earth, instantly got a feel for my lifestyle and the kind of look I like, and she was up-front about costs. She knows where to source the right things at the right price, likes to work with existing pieces of furniture and, best of all, she is prepared to manage the builders! She has a great eye for colour and fabric - the berry colour she suggested to me four years ago, for example, is now being hailed as the newest look in this season’s interior magazines. My modest suburban semi-d can now hold its own against any D4 mews... my only regret? That I didn't re-model it sooner! - M. Eaton