Step three: Building a scheme board

Step Three: Building a Scheme Board

With rugs chosen and initial ideas for colour palettes beginning to form, it's time to start experimenting with different possibilities using a scheme board. This is a place where you can collate all your samples and test out how they work together.

• After I've decided on a rug, I tend to nail down my choice of wall decoration next. Walls and floors are the bones of a room, and it's important to get these sorted first before moving on to fabrics.

• When you're ready to move on to fabrics, curtains are a good place to start. You can go down one of two avenues: opting for a fabric that contrasts the rug and walls, or blends in with them for a more seamless look.

• Choosing fabric for upholstery is all about experimenting. Your scheme board should now include a sample or image of your rug, as well as samples of both your wall treatment and curtain fabric. Play around with placing different fabric samples next to these, and see what sings. It may be that the colours echo beautifully, or the patterns feel cohesive. It's not an exact science, and you might be surprised at the unexpected combinations you feel drawn to.

• Be sure to include fabrics that have different textures: contrast linen with velvet, or a taffeta with wool. I also like to include a touch of leather in a room. Keep in mind that you are always trying to create a juxtaposition between things that are highly stylised and more humble materials.

• Incorporate a mix of patterns for a more interesting and layered look. Combine florals with a print that's more graphic, like a geometric or a stripe.

The Final Board

Once you've landed on the final scheme for your room, collate all the samples onto a board and secure them down. I also like to add a copy of the floor plan to the back of this board, so I have all the information in one place.

You can then take this with you when you go shopping for the room, and will quickly be able to see whether something you find will work in the room or not.

A scheme board will act as an invaluable visual reminder of what you have planned for the room, and will help to inform every decision you make for the room.

Your Assignment

Have a go at planning a full set of rugs for the ground floor of a house – hypothetically or for real, depending on your project. Think about the different colour palettes they could inspire, and how these will flow from one room to another.