Decorating Tips

We all need inspiration on occasion and in this weekly column I hope to offer an “information exchange” – it’s all about making life simpler, taking a short cut where you can, achieving the best results with the minimum of effort and saving precious time and money along the way.

We will start with sprucing up your home. Let’s imagine that you have saved a little money and you would like to decorate your living room from scratch.

Before you begin, start collecting colour swatches and inspirational ideas from magazines and keep them together in a file which you can carry with you so you will be able to match colour tones while you are out.  Make a note of new accessories in your favourite furnishing shops so that you can plan the whole scheme with a firm budget in mind.   AVOID IMPROMPTU PURCHASES!!!  There is nothing more dispiriting than buying an item you particularly love, only to find that it really does not work with the rest of the room

Look at the furnishings you already may have and make your favourite item the starting point for the new scheme.  Be realistic about how the room will be used and be prepared to compromise with children and pets around.

The first decorating element is PAINT, the simplest, most immediate and inexpensive way to effect a startling change.

·                    Clear out the room and check the natural lighting levels. If possible, try the shade you have chosen on a small area and leave for a day or two so you can see if the colour is appealing both during the day and at night. Remember that paint dries  a slightly darker shade than the colour chart

·                    Buy the best quality paint you can afford and the right paint for the surface – emulsion for walls and oil based paints for wood.

·                    Ensure surfaces are sound and clean to give a smooth finish.

·                    Experiment with colour.  Avoid white wherever possible, instead using pastel tones in areas where a neutral background is required.

·                    Once you have decided on your colour scheme, get started and have fun. 

The next step is to accessorise but we will move on to that next week.

Happy decorating.

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