While some of us will have spent the bank holiday weekend lazing at home indulging in far too many Easter eggs, it seems that many UK homeowners will have spent their time rather more constructively.

According to a survey by HSBC Home Insurance, as many as 52 per cent of British householders were planning on digging out the ladders and power tools and taking advantage of their time off to do some DIY over the weekend.

Richard Brown, HSBC head of insurance propositions, pointed out: "The squeeze on household budgets means that even more people will be having a go at DIY, either as an alternative to moving home or instead of employing a professional."

And it seems that for many home improvers this season it's all about modern and minimal in the bathroom as, according to Bathroom City, many seem to be opting for more current designs.

"They want very modern, very chic, straight line products that are easy to clean and are free standing," a spokesman for the company said.

"Colour wise, it is all white. The colours of old - aubergine, pink, avocado - are all out now; it is all white."

Fortunately, chic and modern is one of the easiest designs to tackle for those keen to carry out the work themselves, since the key to this sort of interior is keeping it simple.

This applies to everything from your freestanding bath or shower right down to the smaller fixtures such as basin taps and towel radiators.

Opt for furniture and accessories with clean, sharp lines that are square or very slightly rounded to maintain a sleek and streamlined look which should create a chic, modern feel to your interior.

Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that modern has to mean expensive but, if you take the time to shop around to find affordable materials and carry out some of the work yourself, it's possible to create a chic, stylish bathroom on a budget.