The credit crunch and falling house prices is expected to have a huge impact on the way people decorate their homes in 2009. With people opting to stay put rather than try to move the bland beiges which ‘sell' houses is being replaced with a mixture of bright and warming colours. Dulux is introducing a new paint range with ‘sunny yellows and mystical violets' to inject colour back into peoples homes.

The emphasis this year is to make your home as comfortable and cosy as possible-as home is where many people will be spending their time as they can ill afford nights out of expensive entertainment. Sitting rooms are the focal points in homes. New flat screen TVs and home entertainment systems is where the money is being spent as people prepare themselves for a new way of living.

The style of interiors is also in keeping with the economical downturn. With the new injections of colour it is now fashionable to mix and match old trends alongside the new. Having pieces of antique furniture in the same room as less expensive Ikea furniture is going to be acceptable. In the same way a mix of display objects is also going to fit this new style of interiors. It will be very acceptable to browse junk shops and car boot sales to find pieces for the home which simply appeal and place them right next to genuine antiques to provide an upbeat look.

One of the main features this year is the emphasis on ‘no clutter'. Rooms can be full of contrasting colours and designs as long as there is a sense of harmony and deliberate order. Patterns and contrasting textiles are also going to be very acceptable this year.

Re-decorating with new colours will undoubtedly bring the dilemma of having existing soft furnishings and curtains in the ‘wrong' colour-this is where shopping at fabric warehouses for discount fabrics to make new window dressings and cushion covers will come in to its own. With the acceptability on not having to have everything made by the top designers sitting rooms can quite literally be transformed in a weekend. Cushions and throws can effectively be used to re-vamp a sofa and chairs, while stylish ready made curtains can be brought at incredibly low prices-particularly during the January sales.

Plain coloured or white walls are ideal if you want to add bold patterns and textures to furnishings and window dressings. 2009 is the time for individual experimentation. The old adages ‘home is where the heart is' and ‘home sweet home' will be prominent as people close themselves of from the outside world and cocoon themselves away from the doom and gloom of the failing economy.

The minimalist look with bold patterns, bright colours and bargains is what interior designs in 2009 will be all about. Visiting a fabric warehouse in the high street or online has never been so fashionable!