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DESIGN TIPS
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HOW TO UP DATE OR CHANGE A ROOM WITHOUT REPAINTING
It is very easy to grow tired of a room scheme, especially if it has been a
while since you have decorated. A change of season is a good time take a
fresh look at a room. It is a perfect weekend project.
You might have some idea of how you would like to change the feel of your
room, or maybe you have seen something in a magazine. Be open minded about
where you source your information from. Don't be surprised if you find
yourself staring at a piece of fabric or a picture. You can be inspired by
any thing.
Look at the elements of what you have chosen. Is there a theme running
through or a certain dominance of colour or texture? Once you have
identified this you then have a definite brief to work from.
It is often useful to make up a "mood board." This is a collection of things - they
can be images or colour swatches or anything that gives you the right
feel for your new look. Take a while to collect items and stick them on to a
piece of cardboard. Remember to also include existing colours and features
of the room that can not be changed. Now you can get creative.
Start off by washing curtains and sofa covers, if it is a sitting room. Have
a general spring clean, so you start with a clean palette. As you do this
remove all ornaments and pictures and put them to one side for evaluation.
It is amazing how you become accustomed to objects.
What about the floor? Does it have a dominating effect on the room, with
colour or pattern? Is it time to re-carpet or to do away with carpets
altogether? A room can be opened up and made to feel larger by changing the
flooring.
With your room as a bare canvas you can begin to bring in elements of the
new look:
An exhausted sofa and chairs can be given a new lease of life by changing
their covers. If the covers are removable, think about changing the colour.
Machine dyes are so easy to use, but if you are nervous about doing it
yourself, most dry cleaners have a professional dyeing service. If the
covers are past their best, why not buy new covers or reupholster? Or you might
want to push the boat out and buy a new sofa!
If you are not feeling quite so extravagent, throws and rugs give an instant
splash of change, especially if your furniture is neutral enough to go with
anything. Try shocking colours or fluffy textures. You don't have to cover
the whole sofa, one arm or just the back is powerful enough. Beds can have
the same treatment as sofas, using bed covers and throws. New colours can be
introduced easily this way.
Think about the furniture in that room. Is every piece used? Are there some
pieces that just sit in a corner? Have you inherited something that you have
never really liked or does not work with existing pieces? Is there other
furniture in the house that would work in that room too? This is a good time
to evaluate what is there and how you use it. Don't be afraid to experiment.
If it doesn't work, take it out and try something else. Look at your
furniture differently. Could it be stripped, or painted, could you put
wheels on it, or should it go?
What about those curtains. Now that they are clean and crisp, do you still
like them? Do they work with your new scheme? If the answer is no, try a
curtain exchange (listed in yellow pages). This might be a perfect time to
give the windows a new treatment.
Now is the time to dress the room. Bring back in your ornaments. Do you need
them? Are you being sentimental about them and are you being faithful to
your new look? If you can't bear to part with them, put them in a box for a
while to store. Nothing is for ever, you can always come back to them. Do the
same thing with your pictures. Give them a rest too. Move them around the
house. It is remarkable how some pictures look different in new locations!
Alternatively, frame up objects or pictures that have inspired your room. How
about that mood board? Is there something on there that deserves a frame?
Don't forget the power of flowers. Vibrant colours in small doses can be
injected by using floral displays, supporting other colour use.
Rugs and cushions add detail that often completes the look and gives the
overall desired effect. Colour schemes can be enhanced and themes
reiterated.
Now you can stand back and see how changing a few integral elements can
result in a transformation.
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DE-CLUTTERING A ROOM
Whether you agree with the Feng Shui philosophy of improving your life by
unblocking your chi, or think it is all "bah humbug," you can't help see the
benefits of a good tidy up.
Piles of clutter lying around on surfaces and an abundance of ornaments on
display all add to a feeling of unrest. Ever had the old work-avoidance
excuse of having to clear up your desk first?
Whatever your opinion of it all, there is something cathartic about having
a good sort out. You might even find things you have forgotten you had!
We all know where our clutter hotspots are. Most of them are in the most
obvious parts of the house, usually the first thing you see when you enter
the room. The way your house looks reflects your personality. If there is
chaos and disorganisation you may run your life in a similar way. By
clearing the clutter you may well find life running a little smoother.
The main hotspots are: Entrances and hallways, usually a general dumping ground.
Corridors and passageways, especially if you have kids. They soon become a
pram and bike park. Attics and lofts. How often have you been unable to find something?
Back door. Are their piles of shoes and boxes of recycling?
The entrance of your house is often referred to as the "mouth of the house".
It is here where guests get their first impressions of where you live and
you as a person. It needs to be well lit, welcoming and allow a through
passage of movement.
Attics and basements are places where we tend to store the past. Mementos
and memorabilia keep us looking back and inhibit progress. By holding on to
these items there may be elements of your past that are unresolved or need
to be addressed. By clearing out and organising these things you can almost
unburden yourself and embrace the future. Just because it is out of sight
doesn't mean it's out of mind.
It is a good feeling when the energy of the house can flow undisturbed, not
being clogged on stairways and corridors.
It is easy to horde. There are squirrel instincts in most of us. We can all
find reasons to keep things, but there are simple techniques that can help
to alleviate this.
Simple de-clutter techniques:
Walk around your house and write down where the trouble areas are. Start
from the front door. Imagine being a guest for the first time. Be honest and
don't make excuses.
Start slowly. If there is a room that has several cupboards or is really
full, set yourself small targets, like one cupboard a day.
Use boxes or bin bags and categorise your castoffs. One to bin; one to
charity; one to recycle and one to keep. If there are things you can't make
your mind up about, box them up and store. If you miss them, bring them back.
This categorisation can be applied to anything from junk in the attic, to
clothes, to paperwork in the office.
With what remains, store or display carefully. Be ingenious with space. There
are some clever storage solutions on the market, that makes sorting a sheer
joy. You will find things easier to lay your hands on and create much more
space. It is quite satisfying and purging to see the difference a good sort
out can make.
Once you are in the frame of mind to clear you will find over ornamentation
a distraction and clutter unsettling. Build in permanent methods of control,
like hidden recycling bins, decent storage and a love for clear surfaces.
Think how you now regard your space and enjoy the order!
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