Favourite colours:
Use this blue (or any other shade of blue) to paint signs and railings and shop fronts. If blue isn't your style, try to keep things simple by making your dominant colour black or white.

Woodwork like windows will look best painted white, doors look great painted blue or black.

Railings:
Metal railings and gates are a feature of many period properties. It's a shame that so many railings and gates were removed to recycle into iron during World War II. Manningham will look like it was always intended to if the railings are put back. Many property owners have already started to do this. Try and use classic heavy designs and simply paint them black. Well-designed railings can be a strong artistic feature - call Saira on 01274 433971 if you can't find a good railing supplier. The pedestrian safety railings are being painted blue to match the other "street furniture" - bins, lampposts and benches.

Walls and paving:
The beautiful honey coloured Sandstone of the period properties in Manningham is one of our greatest assets. It looks great stone cleaned (sandblasted) - again many owners have started doing this already. Building walls and boundary walls can be sandblasted and you should repair or build new walls in Sandstone or similar coloured man-made material. Paving should be treated the same: avoid jazzy patterns and use natural sandstone-look finishes.

Shutters and shop fronts:
Well-designed security shutters can look fantastic. Saira has lots of decorative designs and can point you to a good supplier - give her a ring on 01274 433971. Period wooden or stone shop fronts are a feature of Manningham Lane. Try and restore shop fronts to their original glory and paint in the Manningham blue or black or white.

Lighting:
A building can look really dramatic when it's well lit. Avoid jazzy neon and multi-coloured lights. Use strong white light and try uplighting or downlighting building walls. Contact Saira for ideas.

Planting:
Fill Manningham Lane with natural colour. Floral hanging baskets, troughs and planters can look great all year round. Plant as much as you can!