Television"s home makeover queen is best known for transforming the mundane into colourful chic. Imagine the colours of the rainbow, subtract a couple and that"s roughly the Anne McKevitt look. McKevitt creates interior spaces which are accessible and designed to be lived in, not posed in. "What people want are real homes, not some prissy designer showcase that looks like a stage set," she states in the introduction. It"s a manifesto which has won her countless fans. The soft back format makes this easy to flick through and browse for ideas and there"s plenty to make you stop. From unusual ways to divide rooms (a growing concern given the trend for working from home), to modern touches for old bathrooms, DIY junkies will be in heaven. McKevitt assumes no experience or confidence on the reader"s part, breaking down daunting tasks into manageable chunks, and offering a comprehensive, excellently organised guide. But it takes a particular person to get in trolley loads of sandbags for a TV stand, or to build a console table out of fallen branches and plywood. What with personalised carpet cut-outs, studded mirrors, revolving units, absolutely nothing is left untouched by this woman. A minimalist"s nightmare! --Lorna V