Category Archive for : ‘Hints and Tips’

Are you a first-time buyer of a new home? There’s always plenty to consider when buying your first home and some of the below tips may help when planning your new rooms. 

Sitting room

Floors –  find a floor finish that is hardwearing, easy to care for and you love it! Remember everywhere you walk in your home…. you walk on the floor. A good floor finish is a good investment and is a permanent finish. Remember the floor takes a lot of wear so it needs to be durable for the

There are so many ways to show off your curtains.

One of the most important tips when hanging your curtains is step number 1.

Use A Professional: Please employ a professional to hang your curtains along with curtains poles or curtain rails if your budget allows.
On A Budget? Step 1 will not be possible if your budget is limited so here are some helpful suggestions to do the job yourself.
Measure Twice, Buy Once: Always measure your windows for your curtains and poles before you go shopping! Otherwise you will end up making

I think it is very therapeutic to ‘declutter’ occasionally. Here are my top ten tips to make it easy and the results are very satisfying.

Walk in / Walk Out: Take a good look around your living room, step out into the hallway or another room and step back into your living room as if this is the first time you are seeing your room.
Scan The Room: Look around with new eyes and see what it is you love about your room and make a mental note of things that you

Additional Storage Solution

Additional storage solutions are usually a welcome find.  I am always interested in finding alternative ways to create more storage because almost all of us need extra storage. A major task is sourcing attractive storage solutions. I wrote about a storage solution in a previous blog and I imagine I will again in the future. Storage is a popular subject and is especially relevant to those of us living in smaller spaces.

Storage for books

I recently worked with a client who had a large selection of books that he

One off ‘Interior Design Consultation’, how does this consultation process work?

An initial interior design consultation is a one off meeting.

Clients usually find this extremely useful, helpful and informative. Experience has shown me that often clients have really good ideas for their own interior design project. The direction to take when beginning the creative process can be the challenge.

Spend Your Budget Wisely
New products and finishes such as furniture and floor finishes can be costly. It is important to plan your space. Prioritize the steps you take according to cost, value

Wallpaper Memories

What memories do you associate with wallpaper? Do you like the effect it can have in a space?

I think that wallpapers or wall coverings have a part to play in many interiors – it can add another layer, texture and add colour to an area that may be otherwise difficult to address. In many spaces the wallpaper or covering is the finish that adds the ‘wow’ factor and personality.

Wall coverings are durable; many are washable or scrubbable so give excellent value for money

Remember that once you have the covering

Everywhere you look, your home, business, nearest restaurant or hotel it is possible that there are at least two or three paint finishes to be seen. Can you tell the difference?

I would like to give paint some ‘good press’ rather than bad press which is undeserved in my opinion. Painting a surface in a new colour and finish that can instantly give a new look,  can transform a surface and change it forever.  The range of paint available is incredible, there are shades and tones of any paint colour you

Have you ever bought a piece of furniture thinking it would fit perfectly into your space? Just because you fall in love with a sofa or coffee table it doesn’t mean that it is suitable for your home. It only takes a minute to take out the measuring tape so when you hit the shops you know exactly what size you are looking for.

As the saying goes ‘one should never assume anything’ and it makes sense. You do not want to splash out and then realise it will not fit

Storage is something that we all need and looking for more storage space and storage options is a question that I regularly get asked by my clients. Interior spaces all have storage needs and whether we decide to display or conceal those items that need the space is up to the client and their design style.

One storage solution that I like and I think is effective is having an extra shelf over a door, when working on an interior design project a number of years ago I added this detail

Trends will come and go but there are colours that always look great –  I was looking through a Book on Colour by Kevin McCloud the other day and I spotted this palette – Kevin calls it ” the lost colours of the Kalahari ”  Using a couple of these soft warm colours give a space a very welcoming relaxed feel – great for a living room or library area.

These colours can be used for paint for walls, in fabrics for curtains or blinds and one or two for upholstery

Bedrooms

A bedroom benefits from the addition of a low chair and a cushion displayed on it, it adds colour, links in with the scheme and serves a useful purpose.

Prints

Large prints or paintings positioned close together can add interest, give a finish to a blank wall and give impact to the space.

Mirrors

Mirrors add depth and reflect light, help enlarge and brighten a small space.

Lighting

Lighting plays a key role in creating an atmosphere in a room – lighting can have subtle effects when used at a low level. Mood lights add drama