Our literary chums in the home improvement magazine world have literally gone colour crazy in their June editions, picking their favourite hues of paint and room accessories for the summer season. So which ones would cheer any chamber and which aren't even pretty enough to be sensibly disposed of at the council dump? You decide!

Ideal Home have gone straight for pastels but its selection of 'bubblegum pink' and 'sherbet yellow' have us suspecting its scribes have spent too much time in the sweet shop. Sorry Ideal Home but too much candy leave us feeling slightly ill. Fruit Pastel anybody? No, we thought not.

Living etc's choices will have conspiracy theorists wagging their tongues that some journoes have been moonlighting for the other side, as it's plumped for pastel shades as well. 'Delicious ice-cream hues are back with a new flavour' says its contents page trendily. Pastels are an 80s shade and that decade is trendy now, but somehow one can't imagine DCI Gene Hunt saying: "Fire up the Quattro I'm going shopping for some pastel throws."

Your Home have even got in on the act advising one to 'combine pale shades', although it gets some points for putting fabrics and other accessories in the pastel frame, leaving messy paint for others.

Home & Gardens is not a name you would associate with coming in from left field, but when it names its colour of the summer for your room's accessories it comes up with (wait for it) 'zesty orange'!

So well done Home & Gardens! Now take your complimentary fruit basket and leave me to lie down in a quiet room - preferably magnolia coloured.