After the cool minimalism of the 1990s, the Noughties saw the return of bold pattern, colour and quirky accessories in our homes. OONAGH ROBINSON finds out what else was happening in the world of interior design...

THE end of the 20th century was a tricky time for interior design enthusiasts. Magazines and TV make-over shows of the 1990s were all urging us to stop injecting our own personalities into our homes. Use clean lines, paint your walls magnolia, strip out that carpet and put some nice laminate flooring in instead, they all suggested.

Minimalism wasn't exactly the most inspiring of styles.

And let's face it, if you had children, you could just about forget the whole idea.

But then the Noughties arrived and with it came the first signs of hope for people who preferred homes to be a little, well, more homely.

Enter the feature wall.

You could keep the magnolia you'd so lovingly cultivated in the previous decade, but on one glorious wall, you could have a bit of fun.

First, people started painting one feature wall an outrageous colour. Red, purple, brown – anything was possible.

Then, somebody had the fabulous idea of reinventing wallpaper for the new century.

Instead of the hideous clashing designs that made homes of the 70s and 80s look so ghastly, wallpaper patterns became elegant and trendy. Heavy damasks, florals and designer prints were all the rage.

They were tasteful, but at the same time very bold – making your feature wall the stand-out statement in your home. Add another Noughties favourite, the weathered brown leather sofa, and suddenly you had a definite "look" going on.

Just as retro style and boho chic became big news in fashion in the Noughties, so the trend continued into interior design.

The laid-back gipsy theme was everywhere in 2004 and 2005, with vintage florals, exotic colours, romantic layers, flirty fringing and an all-round devil-may-care attitude to life.

Vibrant ethnic velvets with rich red walls and dark wooden furniture were your starting point.

And the best part of the look was that you didn't have to spend a fortune on brand new "stuff" to make your home look good. In fact, the best place to get the trendiest-looking accessories was your local junk shop or jumble sale.

You could pile your room with old cushions, throws, quilts and rugs in velvet, satin and taffeta (if the colours didn't quite match, all the better) and team them with your granny's old ornaments and vintage pieces for a perfect Bohemian home.

The craze for all things retro spiralled off into other directions, too. Designer Cath Kidston took the happy housewife style of the 1950s and turned it into a phenomenally successful range of interior products with a quirky floral vibe.

In terms of furniture, flat-pack fans could still get their fix from old favourite IKEA.

New technology continued to play a huge part in the way our living spaces were designed, with home cinemas – complete with must-have slimline LCD TV (in black, of course), BluRay player, surround sound speakers and sub woofer – making our lounges like a mini-Odeon.

And it was definitely the decade for open-plan living. No more separate kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms – instead you knocked down those walls and got yourself a king-size family room.

The most important part was, of course, the kitchen, where you cooked and entertained in style.

It was also the decade of the digital download, iPods, iPhones and the iPlayer, of Facebook and Twitter, Google and virtual gaming – read about the evolution of the internet and technology during The Noughties in tomorrow's Post.