Congratulations. You've made that big leap of faith and bought a new place or committed the cash to revamp your existing space.

Now you're ready to add the design sizzle that will truly make it yours. But where to start?

Getting started is often the hardest phase of a new style project, yet it shouldn't be. There should be no moments of indecision, no fear of the outcome and no hesitation in the process when you start with a colour board.

You may have seen them hanging on the wall of a builder's show suite, watched designers on TV pull them together or read of their value here before. So why don't you have one for your project?

The bottom line is, you can't turn a space into a haven of style, good taste and lasting comfort without one. And you will return to it often as you update and bring new elements to your rooms.

I've never understood the reluctance to create a colour board. For me, making one is among my favorite design tasks.

It's like putting together a great outfit. Start with the major pieces - perhaps the dress or a signature top - then add bottoms, the shoes and the accessories. Then you can stand back, look at the overall effect, then get dressed and walk out the door knowing you look amazing.

It's the same idea with colour boards for your home - only you're aiming for that amazing look and feel when you walk in the door.

To start your home colour board, pick a signature piece or inspiration for the home, whether it's a favourite silk scarf, a painting you bought on a trip to Paris or even a vase you inherited from Aunt Emily.

With the signature piece in place, start to pull samples of larger elements, such as flooring, then add countertops, tiles, case-good finishes, window coverings, accessory finishes and finally paint colours.

Don't get hung up on specifics. I'll use a flooring sample to represent a furniture finish, for example, or a laminate sample to represent an accessory finish.

When you have most of the elements laid out, stand back to look at how each interacts with the other. Are there enough interesting and diverse textures? How do the colours play with one another? Make changes, add and take away items, until you have the perfect mix. Then you can begin to create the space with confidence and a clear vision.

Designers use colour boards on most of their projects, not only to create a dynamic vision for clients but to help inspire, organize and focus ourownvisions as the project progresses.