How to make a room into an escape portal.

I originally took to art because I found that making things was the way to achieve something I desired. I used to go to town with my bedrooms in the various student houses I lived in at Uni. The best one was my last student house. I made a black velvet duvet cover, pillows and matching valance sheet. I attached purple satin material to the ceiling to make it like the night sky and I stuck on glow-in-the-dark stars. I made three little black bats with faux fur and black felt and hung them from the ceiling. It was the most gothic bedroom I ever had.

I am pretty sure I made a crow too!

You can make the interior of your home become a mini film set very simply with these seven tips.

1. Car boot sale - these are plentiful now and there is nearly always once close to where you live. Here, you will be able to pick up vintage artefacts and if you are lucky, antiques. I would therefore suggest finding a car boot sale in an area where there are numerous period properties You are far more likely to land on a gem here that fits the era you are looking for than on a modern housing estate area.

2. Upcycling - have a look at your existing furniture. With a little help from a tin of paint you can make a table into a vintage masterpiece. I use Frenchic paint and then sand back off or use wax to act as a relief. This can give you a great vintage or magically aged effect. It is eco friendly chalk mineral paint so it is lovely to use. I then add details with acrylic paint. For example, you can paint the knot in a piece of wood to give the feel that the wood is very old.

3. Online auctions - Ebay and others are the perfect place to find some accessories such as an old typewriter, a candlestick holder, an old leather suitcase. Quite often, if you type "prop" as a search term than you can find old theatrical parts too.

4. re-upholster a chair using velvet or fabric with esoteric designs. You can buy your fabric online to make the new chair covering with.

5. Get dressed up with clothing from the time you love.

6. Play music from the era in the background.

7. Select art that has been painted in that style you are looking to recreate. Art provides the atmosphere for a room. It brings in the energy of the time.