Geoffrey Hedge reflects on some of the new shades for walls and ceilings Do you spend hours browsing through the interior and property magazines for the latest trends? More and more people are putting these ideas into practice and experimenting with colour.

One of the major trends of the moment is to create a feature wall as this a simple, yet effective, way of introducing a striking focal point into the room.

Recognising this trend, Dulux has launched the Feature Wall range, giving every budding interior designer the opportunity to be bold with colour.

Louise Smith, Dulux colour and design expert, offers this advice Do not use more than one feature wall colour and combine it with a softer shade to balance the room Choose the right wall. A feature wall should be somewhere that is already a focal point such as behind head-boards, fireplaces or even the television Add some accents to the room in the same or paler shade of the feature wall colour, such as.

vases, cushions, rugs, or throws Ensure you apply enough coats of the paint to get a deep, rich colour Create mood and interest at night by up-lighting the wall in one place and leaving other areas in shadow.

All the colours in the range are designed to work equally well all over the home, but bedrooms, dining and living rooms are the ideal spaces. The colours are teal tension, redcurrant glory, mulberry burst, intense truffle, overtly olive and raspberry div These paints are priced at £9.99 for 1.25 litres and are available from good DIY stores. For more information, visit the website: www. dulux. co. uk Meanwhile, specialist paint manufacturer Craig & Rose has introduced ten new shades representing the opulence of Art Deco style and is offering them in three durable paint finishes.

Eight new colours, ranging from deep blues to earthy neutrals, are available in a rich, matt chalky emulsion and a soft sheen acrylic eggshell. Two shades in the Precious Metals collection complete the palette.

The new shades include eau de nil - water of the nile, a soft, light green colour which was widely used in kitchens and bathrooms.

The other colours are French turquoise, terra cotta, clove brown, lido blue, chalk white, Lincoln green. fresh plaster, and ivory and chromium, which was favoured by Art Deco designers for metal furniture The Craig & Rose 1829 Art Deco collection is available from B&Q stores, or visit the website: www. craigandrose. com