Room for improvements

IT wasn't easy to pick a winner but Christine Robinson's heartfelt plea for help to reclaim her living room from her three teenage sons has won her a room makeover from John Lewis at the Trafford Centre.

There was a huge response from Homes readers and lots of rooms in need of some help from the store's Furnishing Advice Service but it was Christine's green living room that inspired them the most.

Single mum Christine has lived in her 1960's house in Heaton Norris for 18 years and last decorated three years ago, but admits now that she cannot think what made her combine the forest green with pale blue and a black leather suite. And she says sons Michael, 19, Paul, 16 and 14-year-old Stevie, probably had more input in the room than she had - which is why their pool table takes up space on the back wall.

Christine, who teaches hairdressing part-time at North Area College in Stockport, said: "I am not very good at choosing things for myself and when you try to please everyone you get a bit stuck.

Uninviting

"The room is very cluttered and always looks cold and uninviting and the lighting is dreadful, but it is hard knowing where to start. I just want someone to give me ideas and I would love it to be a bit more girlie and a bit more for me!

"When I read about the room makeover in Homes, I entered, desperately hoping to win because it is just what I need. Though when I got the call I could not quite believe it!"

Christine will now get a home visit from the interior experts at John Lewis as part of their Premier Furnishing Advice Service. They will discuss the potential and possibility of the room, the look and atmosphere Christine is trying to create and put together a sketch and project manage everything from taking the measurements to overseeing the fitting.

Christine will also get £4,000 to spend on gorgeous fabrics and accessories in John Lewis's top floor home furnishing department at the Trafford Centre to create the new look.

She said: "I cannot believe I have been so lucky! Re-doing a room is so difficult and the mistakes can be so expensive it puts you off starting. I cannot wait to see hear what they would do with it! It is a big room but full of the lads stuff, although I have told them the pool table is being moved to the garage! It is time I reclaimed my living room!"

Jacqui Birt, one of the two interior designers at John Lewis, said: "There were so many challenging rooms it was incredibly difficult to choose one single winner. But we felt Christine's had enormous potential and we are looking forward to getting started."

The Premier Furnishing Advice Service is available at all John Lewis stores and there is a fee of £200, which is refundable against items bought from the store to create the look.

For more information, call 08456 049 049 or go to www.johnlewis.com