Naomi Cleaver, interior designer, writer and television presenter, is launching a new series of design workshops - great news for the 45% of homeowners that will spend a long weekend tackling DIY jobs* (and that means everything from a splash of paint on the walls to more strenuous renovations such as replacing the bathroom, kitchen or landscaping the garden).

And, with the amount we borrow to pay for our home improvement projects going up, rising 21% over the past five years from £7,932 to £9,570, Naomi’s courses focus on how to avoid costly mistakes and getting the best out of trades people.

Naomi has added two new courses for 2013, the first will be held on Saturday 11 May. Additions include ‘Clever Kitchens & Beautiful Bathrooms’ and ‘Cracking Colour & Fabulous Fabrics’. The new half-day courses will be held at Combe House Hotel in Gittisham, East Devon, on Saturday 11 May and Saturday 6 July respectively and will complement Naomi’s existing ‘Be Your Own Designer in a Day’ course, also held at the beautiful country hotel on Saturday 8 June.

As well as developing the new courses, Naomi also recently joined Kevin McCloud to help judge the annual Grand Designs Awards and has just finished filming for ITV’s brand new prime time series, Britain’s Secret Homes.

Naomi says "I love holding my courses: it’s such a thrill to see everyone’s confidence build in their own ability. Designing your home can feel like an overwhelming challenge, especially when there are so many decisions to make and when every decision costs money. And yet we're all designers with our own unique "creative DNA" and I will show you in my courses how you can create a home that is individual without making expensive mistakes."

*According to a recent report by Nationwide 2013.

Click here to book one of Naomi's courses.