Interior design and colour specialist Sandi Larkin

I would say that design and colour chose me. I started painting when I was three years old and designing spaces, furniture and clothes at 13. I still have my bed that I designed and my father had made up for me when I was 13. My passion to create beautiful spaces, jewellery, clothing and furniture has never waned. So here I am 40 years later still passionately mixing bespoke colour for tailormade interiors and designing beautiful things.

Yes I love the look and feel of traditional French country of which Charles Faudree was the ultimate master and whose look remains timeless and elegant.

The wall colour or paint colour plays a pivotal role in interiors as it anchors the colour scheme of your room either as a contrast or as a blended/monochromatic scheme.

I follow these redecorating principles: Colour, Proportion, Texture. Wall and floor colour options are where I start as this gives you a good foundation. Then I choose the bigger pieces of furniture making sure that have the right scale and proportion for the room. Once you have the large status pieces, you can start layering with accessories to create charm.

My favourite piece is a very beautiful Renaissance-style mirror. About 20 years ago I found a picture and had it copied by an Austrian craftsman. My team and I hand-painted, gilded and distressed it to look like the original. I still love it and every time I look at it I am reminded of the grandeur and timeless elegance of the past. It is something that Herbert Givenchy would have owned.

The Designed by Sibley Shanghai Drinks Cabinet is definitely at the top of my list. It is a master of ingenuity, practicality and sublime craftsmanship. It is a statement piece that will create glamour and style in any size of home from an apartment to manor house. I love it as it has a very Ralph Lauren feel to it. I feel that Sibley McAdam is the South African equivalent of that brand and honours traditional craftsmanship at international standards.

Choose one colour paint and one flooring option throughout your house or apartment. Breaking up the colour and floor options makes a space seem smaller, whereas by using one neutral colour you create a canvas for your art and other focal points.