Entries Tagged as 'Painting / Decorating'

Create The Perfect Balanced Home – Newlywed

They say that two of the most stressful things in life are moving home and getting married, and many newlyweds find themselves doing both of these things at the same time. There are a number of ways to create an ideal home that will suit the tastes of both members of a couple, and which will also create a warm and welcoming environment for visiting family and friends.

 

Different Tastes

Male / Female RoomNewlyweds might well have different tastes and opinions on how their home should be decorated and will probably run into problems when trying to design their perfect home. Which colours to include or steer clear of, and what sort of furniture they need may cause some disagreements.  The simplest solution is for each person to have his or her own areas to organise. For example, if the husband will be doing most of the cooking, then he should decide how to decorate and furnish the kitchen. After all it will be his domain. If the wife is the gardener in the family, she can take control of the outside spaces and the conservatory. Communal areas will not be quite as easy to divide up, but if one has strong opinions on what the living room should be like and the other would prefer the bedroom their way, then it is simply a matter of compromise.

 

Stick To The Budget

One of the most common things a newlywed (and virtually every other) couple will occasionally fall out over is money. In many cases one will have a tendency to spend their money as soon as they get it, while the other may be more financially conservative and prefer to save for a rainy day. Overspending on non-necessities for the home can cause a great deal of friction between newlyweds, so setting a budget and sticking to it is a good way to avoid future arguments. Again, compromising on certain items will be key to ensuring that both individuals get the things they want without running the risk of breaking the bank.

 

Entertaining Guests

Newlyweds in their first home often do a lot of entertaining. Friends and family will probably be visiting on a fairly regular basis, so having a guest bedroom if at all possible can come in very handy. Placing fresh flowers in a decorative vase in the guest room just prior to their arrival will help make visitors feel very welcome.

It is important to make certain that there is enough seating in the living room, as well as around the dining table. Extending dining tables are an excellent option as they will accommodate a number of visitors easily and can then be closed up once the guests have gone, to free up more space in the room.

 

Stress Free Area

One increasingly popular option for newlyweds is to create a stress-free area where they can relax after a long day at work. A room decorated in neutral tones containing some nice comfy furniture and no television or computer can be a good place to get away from it all, even if it is just for 30 minutes each day to allow the mind to unwind and the body to rejuvenate. This can also be a great place to have some ’me time’ and relax with some music and a good book.

 

Top Tips for Redecorating Your Home [Guest Post]

Here are just a few top tips for interior redecorating to help you get started.

 

Think carefully about what you want to achieve from your redecorating scheme. Do you just want to update rooms and make them more modern or do you want to try and change the whole atmosphere and appearance of your home?

 

Paintbrush painting a radiatorCreate a Redecorating Plan

You don’t want to fit your new carpets before you have stripped and painted the walls. Think about the order in which you do things.

1. Buy Your Materials – paint, white spirit, sand paper, wallpaper etc
2. Protect your furniture – either move it out of the room, or cover the floor and furniture with dust sheets
3. Prepare your surfaces – sand down and wipe surfaces ready for the new paint or paper
4. Paint or wallpaper.
5. Soft furnishings should only be added once the paint has dried.

 

Integrate Your New Designs

There are plenty of ways to connect different rooms and create design cohesion throughout the home:

• You can blur the boundaries between rooms by using similar colours but in different shades.
• You can also connect rooms by using the same flooring throughout your homes such as laminate flooring.

Eye-Catching Features

These can create a ‘wow factor’ in rooms and take your interiors to the next level.

Floral WallpaperFireplace – upgrading your fireplace can be a great way of introducing interest and functionality to your rooms. There are some amazing electric fires available these days that have very realistic flame effects and impressive styling.
• Murals – create a powerful impact on rooms with a hand-painted mural. You can really let your imagination take over when creating murals. You could choose realistic murals that depict real places such as a stunning landscape vista. If you don’t feel like creating the mural yourself there are many artists out there specialising in this kind of work.
• Feature walls – there are companies now offering full wall papers depicting a city skyline, or a tranquil pond. These floor to ceiling images really stand out and provide the desired ‘wow factor’.

Spray Painting – The Pro’s & Con’s

If you’re considering spray painting a tired piece of furniture, or perhaps using it to re-colour the walls of a room, here’s our quick guide to the ups and downsides of spray painting.

Pros

  • Spray PaintingQuicker coverage – one stroke of a brush is easily bettered by the squirt of spray paint
  • Faster drying – being thinner than canned paint means it dries quicker also. (Always follow manufacturer instructions for appropriate drying times)
  • Smoother finish – lighter and less dense makes for a silkier finish
  • Available for application on a wide variety of surfaces – metals, woods, plastics. Be sure to buy the right type though!
  • Utensil clean-up is far less than that of paint brushes and rollers! No need for white spirit, excessive rinsing etc!

 

Cons

  • Spray Painting MessCan be messy – you will need to cover belongings and yourself – this in turn requires preparation with tape and overalls, safety glasses, a mask!
  • This is important – you must wear a mask! You’re dealing with a toxic gas.
  • It is therefore not suitable for application in a closed environment due to the fumes. Get as much ventilation as possible!
  • If you’re inexperienced with spray paint, it can result in patchy coverage – some areas heavier than others. The trick is applying it in even, overlapping strokes, not large blasts.
  • Whilst the drying time of a coat is faster, it could take more coats that canned paint.
  • Spray paint sometimes suffer from runs / drips if you are using a thicker / more dense type.
  • Cannot have a colour mixed at the DIY store!
  • Lifespan and durability of spray paint is reported to be less than that of brush paint. Ergo, you might be needing to do it again in a few years time.
In short, know what you’re doing before starting. Prepare and prepare again.  The finished thing can be great if done properly. If not yourself, perhaps consider consulting / hiring professional spray painters.

Spruce Up The House This Summer

With the sunshine out, it can reveal more cobwebs than we thought existed in our homes.

To combat this, why not try a little spruce? It doesn’t have to be as demanding or expensive as you may initially think.

A Lick Of Paint

Adding one “feature wall” with a strong colour can transform the appearance of a room. Depending on the size of your wall, you may able to get away with using the tiny pot of paint too! Fresh colours are in this season, but try to match it with your existing furniture and decor.Floral Wallpaper

Feature Wall-papering

Alternatively, try floral or decorative wallpaper. Although they were used wall to wall in the 50s, selective use around the chimney breast/mantel piece is modern and contemporary. Plus, as the paper is new, it’ll help towards the feeling that the whole room has been done… with just a fraction of the effort. Or none at all, if you call on the services of a local painter-decorator!

Storage

Over time, the accumulation of “stuff” can lead us to stash it in a variety of places. Squashed onto shelves or stuffed into cupboards, the crammed and busy look can have you feeling the house is getting bogged down.Fitted Wardrobes

Investing in decent storage, such as a fitted wardrobe, not only provides a dedicated area for the storage of your goods, but they are beautifully designed meaning your room will be instantly enhanced.

Often, fitted furniture (tailor made to your exact measurements) can make the most of space most flat pack furniture can’t. Having it made floor to ceiling too also really utilises the available space to the max.

Accessorise

Why not use the opportunity to your advantage! Adding a rug can provide a nice focal point in a room. It can make an old tired carpet appear new, thanks to some strategic placing e.g. over regularly trodden patches, or the dog’s muddy paw prints that will not come out.

Modern Rug DesignYou may already have an Oriental or Persian rug. Opting for rug cleaning services, rather than a new rug is often cheaper and can add life to tired rugs. Plus, upon completion of the cleaning, it may suit a different room thanks to the new vibrancy and cleanliness achieved.

Mirrors can transform a room, increasing light and adding the impression that the room is larger. Plus, with a nice stylish frame, it can become the main feature of a room e.g. the entrance hall.

A couple of new cushions on your sofa can be reasonably inexpensive, but just the ticket for refreshing things in your mind. Try a contrasting colour to freshen things up or what about an interesting pattern?

These are just a few ideas. There’s plenty of scope for more.. why not post your own tips in the comments?!