THE DILEMMA: Sarah moved into an Edwardian terraced house in Chiswick just before Christmas. All was cosy over the winter: logs stored in the unloved conservatory were burnt in the living room’s pretty tiled fireplace, and short, dark days colluded with the imperfect paintwork to make a good impression. But glorious rays of spring sunshine are now spotlighting the blemishes in Sarah’s new home. It’s time to redecorate but, given Sarah’s environmental allegiances, only eco-friendly products and processes will do. The startling effect of the changing seasons has also made Sarah wonder whether it’s possible to reconcile ecology with seasonally updated decor.

THE SOLUTION: Just like birds, it seems our enthusiasm for nest-building climaxes in the spring, the Easter Bank Holiday being the start of the traditional boom time for DIY.

Unlike birds, however, we require that our “nests” are permanent structures even though the interior might change. And if we can change our wardrobe to suit the seasons, why not the decor too? After all, replacing our furnishings every three months is not so unrealistic when you consider the affordability of a trolley load of stuff from Ikea or TK Maxx.

The problem is that this kind of unbridled consumerism is arguably in direct conflict with an environmental conscience. If Sarah wants to be kind to the world in which we live, as well as to herself, she would do well to consider how little she need do, or add, to her home to make her happy (as I am about to move house, and am horrified at the amount of “junk” I have discovered that I own, this is a particularly pertinent question for me). Equally important is the question of the longevity of any alterations and decorations. Statistics indicate that Britons spend on average £2,500 a year on renovations, indicating a high frequency of repainting and decorating.

The solution to Sarah’s quest for both sustainability and changeability is to invest in quality, with a degree of flexibility incorporated in any additions. As we are talking about a decorative scheme only, and not one that will require builders, I would suggest that Sarah hires a very good painter and decorator. A well-prepared, perfectly executed job will pay dividends. As for quality of paint, there are plenty of good organic paint suppliers around. Careful consideration and testing of the colour scheme should help her to avoid a decision that she might come to regret.

I recently designed, for a client who required similar decorative flexibility, a suite of reversible soft furnishings, moleskin one side, heavy linen on the other, and encompassing curtains, cushions, throws and even “sausage dogs” (the advice from the Energy Saving Trust is, after all, “insulate, insulate, insulate”). The moleskin makes for a deliciously wintry treatment, as well as an effective layer of insulation, while the linen rings the seasonal change. Choosing different colours for the two fabrics will add another element of change.

A Shade Above will make lampshades to order to your design and I have also designed reversible lampshades to complete the collection.

Finally, Sarah’s “unloved conservatory” sounds desperate for some affection. Once the space has been spruced up she might be interested in Appeal’s high-insulation and high-quality Solar R or Alu-Pleat conservatory blinds. These will keep the room wonderfully cool in summer but toasty in winter. NAOMI CLEAVER

Do you have an inner dilemma? E-mail property.consumer@thetimes.co.uk

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