Homebase has undertaken research on the nation's varying degrees of confidence when it comes to taking style risks in the home. It turns out that not everyone shies away from brightly coloured paint, daring wallpaper and brave statement pieces -the Welsh top the list of the UK's biggest risk takers. Perhaps surprisingly, Londoners - whilst ranking high for interior design ideas - managed only sixth place in the risk-taking rankings with the Scots declaring themselves the most risk-adverse when it comes to trying out a new style in their homes.

Home and Garden on Female First

Home and Garden on Female First

Home Style Confidence: Regional Rankings

  1. Wales
  2. East Anglia
  3. South East
  4. South West
  5. Yorkshire
  6. London
  7. North East
  8. North West
  9. Midlands
  10. Scotland

And, it's not just the regions battling it out, men come out top in their confidence of undertaking DIY and home improvement projects to bring a design idea to life, with nearly half of those surveyed (49 per cent) admitting they are confident in their knowledge of completing tasks, compared to just a quarter of women surveyed.

Alexei Cowan, Head of Trends at Homebase, said: "You can learn a lot about your style by pushing your creative boundaries and it can be hugely rewarding to think outside your creative comfort zone. The key to success is how you approach this though - it's all about knowing where your strengths lie and what you can and should outsource."

Alexei Cowan's top five tips for thinking outside your creative comfort zone:

  1. Research - careful preparation will minimise the risk and will also help you get a realistic sense of the scale of the project.
  2. Be Confident - trying something new sometimes requires a leap of faith but we can discover so much about our style parameters by taking this creative risk
  3. Get a Second Opinion - when you are looking to try something new, bouncing it off someone with an eye for design can be really useful. Homebase's Design & Decorating Academy can be booked for a free consultation in selected stores. They will help you create a personalised mood board using swatches to help you visualise your new idea and offer advice on how to bring it to life in your home
  4. Ask for Help - nobody is perfect at everything and it's important to know where your skills lie and where you should get someone to help you implement your project
  5. Learn, Learn, Learn - not every project is going to go 100% as you have planned but you will learn and grow in confidence the more you try something new

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