Breaking the rules to find your home's perfect interiors vibe

Are you tired of the tyranny of the matching set? Des Breen looks at a quirky new approach to interior design which recommends mixing up your colours and combining the old with the new.

When it comes to interior design, most of us assume there is a divide between the modern and the traditional, a chasm which can’t be crossed without stepping into the territory of conflicting styles and bad taste.

Our interiors are either minimalist, clean-lined and filled with light, or they are richly decorated, packed with antique forms and textures. For some people the first is cold and featureless; for others the second is confined and cluttered.