For some, it's the only place to be. Others can't think of anything worse. With more people making the inner city their home, traditionally run down, working class neighbourhoods are being gentrified and turned into playgrounds for the affluent and trendy.

It's a situation we all face and if you've got a history of sharing, you've done it time and again. Sometimes it's a blessing: running away from the aspiring Australian Idol who sings Mariah Carey at the top of his lungs, or escaping that room beside a straight flatmate whose bed slams against the wall when he picks up a one night stand.

If you are as forgetful as I am, you'll have locked yourself out of your house once or twice. Besides the whole experience being an intense pain in the arse, you'll have probably figured out an ingenious method of breaking into your own home.

Say goodbye to boring walls- wallpaper is back and better than ever. Forget your Nan’s swirls and patterns that threaten to jump and choke you from the 70’s.

Share accommodation has its quirks, and can provide you with a plethora of interesting stories to tell at dinner parties.  Despite this (or perhaps because of it), there comes a point for many of us living in shared accommodation when we feel the time is right to move on and live on our own.     

A few weekends ago, I threw a small party at home with a few friends - a dozen or so people crammed into my flat on a Saturday night, with music courtesy of my small portable stereo. It wasn't a wild night - we had a cheese platter, for God's sake. Not exactly a shindig of Corey Worthington proportions.

With the advent of internet shopping, there's no reason not to indulge in a few quirky luxury items to heighten the domestic cosiness of your home and get your guests talking. You can find quirky items for the home in a variety of places, from internet sites like ebay to home-order catalogues and late-night infommercials.

Before you decide to go ahead with a kitchen renovation, it is important to clearly identify the features you want in your new cooking space. Just as important is a thorough pre-renovation inspection to identify any existing problems.

The fourth annual Melbourne International Design Festival opens this month at Federation Square and venues across the city. Presented by the National Design Centre, the Festival includes over 40 events (many free) that celebrate design and promote further understanding of the creative process across a range of design disciplines.