When my daughter moved in to her first apartment with a girlfriend after college she was keen to make her mark on the décor. The girls each had some basic bedroom furniture and purchased a few items for the lounge and dining area. They were both working but having to pay off student loans left them with very little to spend on decorating. Yet they were keen to decorate the apartment to reflect their personalities rather than house a collection of ill-matching cast-offs from friends and relatives.

They spent a few weeks getting the place in order before asking us over for dinner. Knowing she'd always liked bamboo baskets I chose one that I filled with towels and toiletries to give her as a house warming gift. She laughed as soon as she saw me at the door with it: I didn't know what was so funny until I walked into the living room. They had picked a number of bamboo baskets and used them to decorate the room as they are both practical and cheap. My daughter and her roommate had also carried this theme around the room by dressing the floor with grass mats used as area rugs and finishing off with bamboo placemats on the dining table.

She was eager to show me her bedroom, where she had also followed eastern inspiration for the design. She had selected three feet tall, vase-shaped bamboo baskets that she was using as lamp stands, with a circular piece of glass on top to create a flat surface for bedside lamps and alarm clock. She had also chosen more bamboo baskets in her closet to sort her laundry in and use as a hamper.

They had yet to start making their mark on the bathroom when we visited. The gift basket I had brought was the first decorative item to go in that room, and seemed to be in keeping with the rest of the apartment. As it was very much neutral it would go with any color scheme they end up selecting.

The bathroom area was the last area they had left to decorate. The gift basket I had brought was the first decorative item in the room; it certainly fit with the décor of the rest of the apartment. The basket was neutral enough to fit with any color scheme. My daughter said she had been thinking about getting bamboo baskets to use on the floor for towels as their linen closet was on the small side. She reckoned it would be easy enough for her to find ones that would go with the one I had brought.

I know from experience that there is nothing quite like being able to make your mark on your first home with your own earnings. My daughter has impeccable taste and I know that as her career develops she will be able to continue working on her design scheme.