May 30, 2008
Coloring
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Continuing with our discussion on colors, your selection for other colors depends on how important it is to you that the space looks as large as possible. The stronger the color, the more it seem to advance, making the walls close in and the rooms look smaller, so color needs to be carefully handled. You may decide that some areas(bedrooms and dining rooms, for example) do not need to feel so spacious and might actually benefit from feeling warmer and more enclosed.
Warm colors, like reds, yellows, oranges will increase the warmth even more, while cooler shades, like blues, greens and lilacs will help the walls to appear recede. So, in principle, pale, cool colors are the best space-makers, and deep, warm colors the least effective. However, do not automatically exclude these stronger colors when decorating small spaces. By using flashes of colors, on single walls or in alcoves, or for individual pieces of furniture rather than as a background shape dominating the entire room, you can harness the energy and vitality they add, and use them to bring a neutral room to life.
May 21, 2008
Coloring
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Color is the crucial factor that brings rooms of all sizes to life, making an instant impact in establishing their mood and defining their shape. Therefore, the first principal to take on board is the fact that light colors make rooms look bigger.
In a small living room, whites and creams are the most obvious choices for wall colors. They are simple and elegant, providing a neutral background against which to arrange furniture, pictures and artefacts. The brightest whites establish a stark, cool environment, good for functional warehouses-style apartments and for creating a studio-like setting if you have pieces of art you want to display.
Bright white may be too cool, though, if the room doesn’t benefit from much sunlight. You could be better off choosing a creamy, parchment white or one of the many alternatives whites now available from paint companies. It is actually quite hard to find a pure white paint unless you opt for basic ‘trade white’, but there are hundreds of ‘designer’ whites that let you choose just the right level of cool or warmth and the exact depth of tone you want to suit the setting.
May 16, 2008
Action Plan
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Projects can get put off indefinitely if you cannot decide where to start. The kitchen cabins need replacing, but you really want to change the whole layout because the sink is in the wrong place, and you cannot do that until you have moved a window, and so on…
The unappealing fact is that structural work has to come first, which includes moving windows and treating any damaged timbers. The next stage is too tackle any plumbing and electrical work, so this is the time to think about where you want light fittings and, if you are planning to rearrange your kitchen or bathroom, decide on the layout.
You can then get on with stripping back old paintwork and wallpaper, and do any necessary re-plastering(you will need to allow plenty of time in your schedule for it to dry before painting or papering). If you are planning to strip floors, do it now: it creates masses of dust, so do not wait until you have painted the room. New flooring can be laid at this stage, but needs to be covered with dustsheets while you decorate.
Therefore, in a nutshell, you should work out a practical timetable and a working order for everything.
May 6, 2008
Space Usage
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Do not waste high-level areas that can be used for storage without getting in the way of the room. Shelves fixed at picture-rail height and above doorways will probably need a stepladder to reach them, but can be used for effective display, or for books and other items that you do not need to assess very often. Usable space is often wasted behind doors, either because you don’t think of looking there or because the door itself blocks the space. There is probably enough available wall for a set of narrow bookshelves, or you consider rehanging the door from the other side to free up extra space.
At ground level, make use of spare space under beds and other large items of furniture baskets, crates, boxes and trays, perhaps on wheels, can be slotted underneath and pulled out like drawers.
An efficient way of providing extra storage is to create double-skin walls, with shelves and cupboards built into the hollow interior so that they can be assessed by doors on both sides of the wall. You can even build shallow bookshelves into doorframe, as this will be the same thickness as the wall into which it is fitted.
However, do not feel obliged to use every available space for storage. Larger pockets such as landings and the space under the stairs may be just big enough to create miniature rooms and take a desk, chair or even a small bed to accommodate overnight guests.
May 1, 2008
Space Usage
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You do not want to cram every inch of your home with shelves and cupboards, but you will probably need more storage space than you have. If you want to keep your living space clear and uncluttered, make the best possible use of wasted corners and unexplored angles.
Follow this storage checklist to ensure extra space, and decide whether some possessions should be out on show, easily accessible or stored away until they are needed.
1. Clothes and shoes
2. Coats, umbrellas and other outdoor accessrories
3. Linen and towels
4. Books and magazines
5. CDs and videos
6. Kitchenware and gadgets
7. China and glassware
8. DIY tools and gadgets
9. Files and office work
10. Letters, bills and household documents
11. Personal papers
12. Photographs, scrapbooks, old theatre programmes and other memorabilia
13. Works or art, porcelain, designer glass and other collectibles.
Remember, you may have to make sacrifices to create effective storage space for the things that really matter to you. Photographs and letters are precious, but you will not need to get at them too often, so they can be hidden away in closed storage, while everyday tableware needs to be near at hand and easy to retrieve and replace.