REAL HOMES: STEP INTO THE FUTURE

Nineties trends which will last:

5 Intelligent lighting: It's not just what you buy it's how you light it that counts. The dimmer switch now seems primitive.

5 Solid wood floors: Estate agents report that houses with oak or maple flooring are snapped up fast.

5 Demand for light and space: We don't all want to live in lofts but designers predict that the light and space which comes from loft living is something everyone will continue to look for. Poky and dark are out.

And trends which might not:

5 Steel kitchen appliances: We may periodically get bored with "white goods" - remember brown kettles in the Seventies? - but somehow we always end up coming back to them. The brushed steel industrial look has been a recent trend, but has it got staying power?

5 The glass brick: Ironically the glass brick has a far longer history than many people realise, but now it's inextricably linked to the loft era. For some designers it's already a cliche.

5 Standardisation: There will be greater confidence in achieving a look that expresses individuality rather than adopting a trend wholesale from magazines or television.