WHAT STYLE ARE YOU?

WE ALL FALL IN LOVE WITH DIFFERENT VIBES

Have you ever wondered what style you are and never quite figured it out?  We all have a style.  There are quizzes you can take online to help you find your style and if you still struggle, it might be worth hiring an interior designer to help.

Our style is eclectic.  We’ve always known this in our staging of properties as we don’t have one particular style (we love bits of all of them).  Eclectic style is when you use different styles, patterns, colours or textures and pull them together cohesively so that it just works!  We also use natural elements such as wood, plants and cottons. It’s OK to use a modern lounge with a classic style chair, the trick is not to overdo it so it feels cluttered!  

Coastal is another style (we also love).  This consists of a light pallette to start with - light coloured walls and floors.  White furnture and linen, wicker, blue tones, white washed timbers, and greenery are all tell tale traits of a coastal style.  Keep it light and airy with introduction of colour here and there. Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re at the beach? 

Minimalist is just what the name suggests!  Clean lines, minimal decorations (no clutter whatsoever), one or two colours at most, geometrical shapes, functional and more about the architecture.  You would think that this design style would be the easiest to achieve given it has a less is more approach but the opposite can be true.  Not done well, a minimalist space can end up feeling cold and underwhelming.  Using products such as beautiful natural timbers, oversized comfy furniture and large artworks can help with this.

Industrial style or industrial chic is another great style that has grown over the last 15 years or so.  Concrete, exposed bricks, reclaimed timber and industrial style lights are all things that make up this style.  Soft furnishings, artwork and rugs are what bring the chic to this design.  

 We have only covered some styles here.  Do any of these resonate with you?  To explore this more -  search deisgn styles online and take some of those quizzes!

Thanks for reading xx

COLOUR IS CRITICAL!

HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES!

Psychologists have long had a firm belief that colour can change a person’s mood and even influ- ence physiological reactions. Many interior designers like to use these principles when choosing colours for interior spaces.

Our own interpretation of colour and how it may affect our mood is subjective and can be influenced by things such as a past memory or cultural beliefs. Here we explore a few popular colour options to use in your home. We are not advising you to run out and buy litres of blue, green or pink paint and paint all your walls! You can introduce colours more subtly with decora-tions, artworks, linen and soft furnishings.

Cool Blues are commonly used in areas of the home where family and friends gather.

These colours represent feel- ings of balance, physical and mental relaxation, productivity, socialisation, communication and security.

There are many shades of blue and using the more turquoise blues can add excitement to the space. Don’t be afraid to use different shades of a colour, light blues remind us of the sky and the ocean whilst darker blues can

make the area more opulent and formal, so mix them up!

Fresh Greens can be used in the home office or areas for down- time.

These colours represent nature, freshness, restfulness, growth, wealth, optimism and calm- ness. The colour green has been proven to reduce anxiety and feeling nervous. Greens can help create a sanctuary away from the stresses of our busy lives. Easiest and most affordable way is to add greenery – plants! Other ways could be a feature wall in a neutral green (like Dulux Olive Leaf) or a statement piece like an occasional chair or floor rug.

Soft Pinks are not just for the girls’ bedroom!

Blush and muted pinks have become very popular over the past few years in other parts of the home. Pink represents femininity, softness, calmness, creativity, purity, openness, wholeness and tenderness. Soft pinks can create a gentle, loving, “everything is rosy” mood. These colours are still on trend and can be used by introducing a vase, cushions, artwork with a touch of pink or even in the bathroom!

Thanks for reading xx

YOUR HOME’S ENERGY

THE FENG SHUI ADVICE YOU NEED TO READ

Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway) is an ancient Chinese discipline hard to decipher – even for interior designers and other experts.

We want to share some easy tips with you that we use in staging, so that you can improve your home’s Feng Shui. This will ultimately keep the flow of energy through the interior more harmonious, giving you a happier and healthier home.

Keeping the energy in

Make sure the area leading to the entrance of your home is clear from clutter and overgrown trees or shrubs. Also keep your entry or hallway clutter free, this helps the good energy (or Chi) to flow freely into the home, which is important to the prosperity of the occupants inside.

Never hang a mirror directly opposite the front door as this causes the energy to flow out again. If you have a clear line of site between your front and back door, you can slow down the energy leaving through the back door by placing artworks on walls, a patterned rug on the floor and perhaps a piece of furniture such as an entry table with some flowers.

Calm down in the bedroom!

In the bedroom, make sure you can see the whole room from where you lie in your bed. Mirrors in the bedroom are not good for relationships, especially directly opposite the bed (surprising I know!). Remove them or cover them up while you sleep at night. Try placing a red candle in the north-west corner of the room to encourage romance. Taking the TV out of your bedroom might help too! Remove any clutter, and ensure there is plenty of natural light so you can awake to see the world outside and be ready to take it on!

Open your mind

If you have a home office make sure your back is against a solid wall and you can see the doorway and who is entering from where you sit. This gives you a sense of control in what is happening in your workspace. If you look after money matters or work from home in this space, place some leafy plants or fresh flowers which can help to increase productivity and growth. If you have artificial plants, just make sure they are free from dust.

A change is as good as a holiday

A nice smelling home can also help you relax and de-stress. Pick a tropical flavour so your brain connects the smell of your home with being on holidays. Don’t forget, disorganised spaces in your home stops the good energy from flowing and can be de-motivating and prevent you from thinking clearly. It’s lots of little things that will make your home, and you, happier and healthier!

Thanks for reading xx

PREPARING FOR A SALE

HOW TO NOT SCARE OFF POTENTIAL BUYERS

In any real estate market, two things remain crucial, good presentation and marketing of the property.

Selling a property can be an emotional and stressful time, especially if it’s the family home being sold. This can make it hard for owners to see their home from a potential buyer’s viewpoint. Here are some tips for preparing the property for market.

Less is more!

Decluttering the property is a must for anyone selling. When we’ve lived in a home for a long time, we can become complacent with a bit (or a lot) of clutter. Decluttering the space helps

potential buyers feel better about being in the space as most home purchases are an emotional purchase, you need to do every- thing to help feel comfortable in the space.

De-personalise

Family photos in your home are part of what make it ‘your home’. Unfortunately, this can make potential buyers feel they are intruding in your personal space and make it harder for some to imagine themselves living there! De- personalising the home by removing family photos from walls and shelves will help. A photo here or there is fine, but too many can have a negative effect.

A lick of paint

The most cost- ffeective way to freshen up a home with the most impact would be to give the home a fresh lick of paint. Even more cost effective if you can do it yourself! It’s true kitchens and bathrooms do often sell homes, but freshly painted walls help with good first impressions at minimal cost. Make sure to keep paint colours neutral and light.

Don’t forget the outside!

We all know that street appeal to potential buyers can some- times be the deciding factor as to whether they even look at it. A few must dos for the outside are tidying up the garden beds, perhaps some fresh mulch, trim- ming trees and bushes that look untidy, cleaning hard surfaces, removing spider webs and clean the windows. Clean windows make the view from the inside of the property a lot nicer too!

Thanks for reading xx