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Bland Brits are spending big bucks on giving their homes the personal touch 80% would like to make a greater style statement with their homes, and are looking to celebs like Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell for inspiration when it comes to decorating their dwelling.

Bland Brits are spending big bucks on giving their homes the personal touch 80% would like to make a greater style statement with their homes, and are looking to celebs like Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell for inspiration when it comes to decorating their dwelling.

Star style

The survey of 1,000 people by Mira Showers showed that the celeb wed most like to steal interiors tips from is Cheryl Cole, who was the top choice for over a quarter of ladies as well as the majority of respondents under 25.

Which celebritys home would you most like to visit for style ideas?
1.Cheryl Cole 19%
2.Simon Cowell 16%
3.Nigella Lawson 15%

Which celebritys home would you least like to visit for style ideas?
1.Jordan 27%
2.The Queen 17%
3.Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen 16%

Second favourite, and top choice for 20% the men in the survey, was Simon Cowell (16%). Other style icons were Nigella Lawson (15%), who particularly appealed to the 35 64 age group and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen (12%). Her majesty the Queen also proved an unlikely trendsetter, with those over 65 favouring her home for style tips.

The celebrity with the least coveted interior style was Jordan 27% of people would not consider visiting her home for style ideas.
Inferior interiors?

The research also showed that despite the credit crunch Brits remain style conscious, with 20% spending more than £1,000 on injecting more flair into the home in the past year and 40% have spent £500 or more, with men surveyed most likely to apply a lick of paint to give their home a personal touch and women most likely to ensure they have matching accessories.

The research also showed that 80% of people feel their homes reflect their personality, with the living room capturing their style and personality most, followed by their bedroom. Bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms were deemed less stylish and six in ten people in the UK and Ireland would like to make more of a statement with their home, women in particular, with a further 55% of people feeling conscious of what other people think about their home.

Expert tips for daring decor

Home interiors journalist Chris Haslam shares his top tips for giving your home the personal treatment.

1.As a nation were obsessed with property prices. Sadly this leads to bland and uninteresting interiors designed not to offend potential buyers. Stop worrying about what strangers think and invest your time in creating a home youll enjoy living in.
2.Be bold. The simplest way to bring life to your bathroom is to invest in a family of brightly coloured towels. They will instantly brighten a plain white suite.
3.Bathroom mirrors tend to look clinical rather than fashionable. Choose what you like, not just whats in the sanitary ware catalogue - an ornate gilded mirror oozes glamour while a chunky driftwood design helps soften a stark scheme.
4.White will almost always be the number one bathroom tile colour, but why stick to the plainest style? You can now find any number of shades as well as varied textures, reflective prints and mosaics. Mix with plainer tiles to break up the monotony over a large area.
5.Fine art shouldnt be displayed in wet areas, but why not hang a favourite film, design or art poster in your bathroom? Youll need a frame, and over time the steam might crinkle the paper, but with posters costing just a few pounds you can update the images to keep things fresh.
6.Instead of tiles, top designers are experimenting with bold patterned wallpapers mounted in wet areas and protected with a sheet of glass or Perspex. This works beautifully in en-suites where colours and patterns can flow between rooms.
7.If you bathroom is tiny, plain white gloss and neutral tones will help open the room up, but dont forget the finishing touches; a bright toothbrush holder, waste bin, plant pot or roller blind will inject personality without shrinking the room.
8.Lighting can transform your bathroom from a functional space to a relaxing spa. Install dimmer switches and up-lighters to help set the mood. Colour changing LEDs are even said to have healing qualities. Known as chromatherapy, violet apparently relaxes muscles, while yellow can aid digestion.
9.Invest in the best possible fixtures and fittings. A simple bath or basin can be given the luxury spa treatment with designer taps, while a large shower head or innovatively designed shower valve or coloured fascia will give your bathroom the chic hotel feel.
10.Dont be scared of colour. Buy a colour wheel, or look online, and learn which tones and shades complement each other and just go for it. You cant go too wrong, but if you really dont like the results, you can just paint over it.

Bathroom bandits

The research by shower experts Mira also explored what Brits really get up to when visiting other peoples bathrooms. The findings revealed that almost half (46%) of naughty Brits have had a nose in other peoples bathroom cupboards, with women more likely to than men and 59% of under 25s admitting to taking a peek.

In addition, 55% of us have confessed to something embarrassing happening to them in someone elses stylish bathroom: 30% of us have embarrassingly walked in or been walked in upon whilst in the bathroom; 13% of us have blocked a toilet or plughole and 5% of us have broken something whilst having a look around. Another 5% have been caught short on the way to the bathroom, whilst a cheeky 3% have been caught borrowing something that does not belong to them.

Roger Crabb, Marketing Manager, Mira Showers said:
At Mira Showers we are always looking to understand how the nation feels about their home, from sneaky peeks in friends bathroom cupboards to how much they spend on DIY and who their interior design icons are.

We are keen to ensure that our showers help people to express their style at home and have recently worked with Central St Martins College to develop three unusual shower fascias which challenge the notion of a shower as a white box on the wall. This is part of our ongoing investment in world class innovation and design.

Ends
Other key findings:
Which celebritys home would you most like to visit for style ideas?
1.Cheryl Cole 19%
2.Simon Cowell 16%
3.Nigella Lawson 15%
4.Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen 12%
5.Tess Daly 10%
6.The Queen 9%
7.The Beckhams 8%
8.Stella McCartney 7%
9.Jordan 3%
10.Elton John 3%
Which celebritys home would you least like to visit for style ideas?
1.Jordan 27%
2.The Queen 17%
3.Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen 16%
4.The Beckhams 10%
5.Elton John 10%
6.Simon Cowell 6%
7.Cheryl Cole 6%
8.Stella McCartney 3%
9.Tess Da3y 3%
10.Nigella Lawson 2%
Full regional findings available on request.

Notes to editors

About the research:
Research carried out by Your Say Pays, sample size of 1,000 in October 2009.

About Mira Showers:
Founded in 1921, Mira is the UKs leading manufacturer of mixer, electric, power and digital showers. The entire range of showers and accessories, such as taps and shower trays, use stylish design and innovative technology to deliver a high performance showering experience in every price range.
www.mirashowers.co.uk

About Chris Haslam
Chris Haslam is a freelance consumer journalist specialising in home technology, appliances and environmental issues. Previously consumer editor for Ideal Home he now spends his days reviewing everything from the latest TV's, water saving devices and vacuum cleaners for a host of national newspapers and magazines including House Beautiful, the Sunday Mirror and T3. His latest book, 'How can I stop climate change?' written for environmental charity Friends of the Earth is out now from Collins.