The 5 biggest design mistakes I have made in the last 20 years of decorating and renovating – and what I have learned from them

A light filled orangery with creamy, pale blush walls.

Decorating regrets? I've had a few. Well, many. The trouble with working for interiors magazines for over 20 years is that you start to get ideas above your station – seeing some of the world's most beautiful homes and thinking, 'I could do that.'

Except I can't, not without plenty of help anyway. Because for most of those beautiful homes, there is an alchemy that comes from the trained eye of a skilled designer, and the look can't just be copied, especially when you don't have the budget, as I didn't when I first started in the world of interior design.