With non-essential shops closed, now isn’t, perhaps, the best time to get started on your next interior overhaul. But spending most or all our waking hours at home sure does put that kitchen we’re not-quite happy with into sharp focus. At the very least we can daydream about what interior fixups we’d make, at best we can plan for our next renovation – here are five interior ideas taken from our Directory to get you started.

Family-owned Carl Hansen & Søn has been crafting iconic furniture from its Danish base for over a century. As well as being the world’s leading manufacturer of pieces by Hans J. Wegner – the man behind the legendary Wishbone chair – it also champions the designs of other well-known Danes such as Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm.

Use time at home to trawl through the brand’s Instagram account, a source of endless interior ideas that should be a go-to for anyone after a classic, Scandi-inspired look that will stand the test of time.

Established & Sons was born and bred in London in 2005 to celebrate contemporary British design, bringing together names like Barber Osgerby, Jasper Morrison and Amada Levete under one roof in their Clerkenwell showroom and online.

The full collection is available online and is a lesson in daring, shapely furniture in unexpected colourways that might make you think twice about that boring, all-white sofa in favour of something more… original.

Partnerships Editions’ roster of emerging and mid-career artists offers access to exciting and vibrant artworks in the form of limited editions and original pieces. If you’re not in a position to buy right now, just looking at Jonathan Schofield’s colourful depictions of gelato and lemons will have you looking to brighter days ahead.

Uncommon Projects specialise in bespoke kitchens with a bold, material-led aesthetic. As for injecting some optimism through your kitchen, founder Alan Drumm suggests opting for a yellow finish. “I think in the kitchen it’s just really uplifting and sunny. It’s an emotional choice rather than one driven by interior trends. We work in a lot of modernist interiors where bright yellows, especially traffic yellow, seem to really capture the spirit of the home.”

If you live in a period home, Alan proposes choosing something a little less zingy like a mustard yellow, which tends to better suit the age and character of those interiors. And you don’t have to go all-out to inject a little life: “While we have made a few all-yellow kitchens, we mostly use it to highlight certain elements of a design such as wall unit doors. We find it works really well with most timber veneers, like oak, walnut and maple, and frequently pair it with natural cork veneers, which add texture.”

Eckford Chong is a London-based multidisciplinary ensemble that acts as architect studio, contractor, designer and maker.

The studio’s Forest Drive project in east London is a worthy source of inspiration for anyone planning a more serious renovation. The creative reconfiguration extended outwards from an awkwardly sized kitchen creating a more sociable living space, while the introduction of skylights and pairing of a graphic tiled floor with Crittall-style windows brightened up the space. Prospective home improvers, take note.