Inspired Living May-June 2014

WHAT’S HOT NOW Top trends in kitchen design

THE WOW FACTOR UAE homes with effortless style

SMART LIVING

A petite apartment with giant attitude

INSPIRED MAY-JUNE 2014 / ISSUE 13 / VOL 3

LIVING

PEOPLE • PRODUCTS • PLACES

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DIY!

LOVELY GIFTS, MADE AT HOME D

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LAIDBACK L AIDBACK CHIC CHIIC FOR THE SUMMER

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Elegance Easy

EXPERTS TALK

Getting down and DIY!

If your furniture and kitchen are crying out for some TLC, our experts will tell you just how to make them as good as new again.

I have mismatched furniture in my house, a combination of hand-me-downs and bargain buys. I want to paint these for a shabby chic scheme. Can I get good results painting over MDF board?

Nifal: Painting old furniture is a great way to personalise and bring

OUR EXPERTS

MYRIAM K.FARAZ

Designer, Interiors by Myriam

NIFAL ALI

Store manager, Ace, Dubai Festival City

an old piece back to life! For the ‘shabby chic’ look you are after, why not use a two-colour finish, where the base colour is revealed below the top colour to simulate wear and tear. Closely matched colours like white on top of beige create a softer effect, but you could even go for contrasting colours like grey over scarlet or lilac over lime.

First, prepare the wood. Removing the top layer of a factory finish is essential for paint to last. For waxed furniture, clean with wire wool and white sprit; if it is varnished, sandpaper the top layer.

Once the surface is clean, the painting can begin. Paint a basic primer layer which will give your furniture a smoother finish. Acrylicbased primer is great as it is water-based, making it easy to use and spills can be easily cleaned. Use a 5cm brush for detailed areas and legs and a larger brush for the main body. After the primer, apply a thin coat of each of your two colours. Make sure coats are as thin as possible and let each layer dry properly before applying the next, for a tougher finish. Once finished, if you want to create a more rustic effect, lightly scuff the corners and detailed areas of your furniture to show more of the under colour. Then paint a layer of acrylic varnish to seal the colour in and make it easier to clean. As a finishing touch consider changing all the handles on mismatched furniture to create a unified look.

Complement an accent wall with these lights from Indigo Living

Myriam, Needed your advice regarding accent walls.

Should I get one for my living room at all? I was hoping the accent wall will liven things up in my neutral room!

Myriam: An accent wall is an excellent idea for a living room espe-

cially if you have space and neutral furnishings. However before you decide on which type to opt for, understand that you have a choice to go bold or safe. A safe option, for example, is to use a pattern in the same color palette such as a gorgeous damask or paisley printed wallpaper in neutral shades. Alternatively go bold and introduce a new colour altogether which contrasts the colour scheme and livens it up. Ideally for an accent wall, select a flat wall without windows so the effect is enhanced. Another option is to use a floor-length mirror which adds interest and depth to the room.

tip!

Accent walls are fabulous to enhance a notable feature. Make sure you don’t hide it behind too many pictures or curtains.

Stuck with a decorating dilemma? Our experts are here to help. Just email your queries to inspiredliving@khaleejtimes.com

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EXPERTS TALK

We are making over our kitchen before Ramadan. Please tell us which paint do you recommend for kitchen cupboards? Also, is there any way to repair cracked or chipped ceramic tiles?

Nifal: I would recommend Clarke & Kensington

Paint and primer in one. (Both satin and semi-gloss finishes work well but semi-gloss is more suitable for kitchen cupboards as it wipes clean.) As this is paint and primer in one there is no need to prime your surface beforehand. To get a great professional finish make sure you prep your cabinets before starting any painting, here are some tips:

Mainzu mosaic tiles, available at Arteco

Every summer our garden almost dies out. Any ideas to keep it looking pretty through the summer? Are there any flowering plants that can withstand the fierce heat of the UAE summer? I do not want cactuses or thorny shrubs as we have children and pets.

Nifal: Keeping your garden looking beautiful is always a challenge during

the harsh summer months. But the good news is that there are plenty of great plants that will battle the heat while making your garden the envy of the street.

Trandescantia Pallida (or Purple Heart): You will

see these plants in many parks here as they are great for covering large areas. If planted in the sun the leaves are a stunning dark purple; in the shade they go a green / purple shade. They also produce lovely pink flowers. The only downside is they can be irritating to pets. But as they are trailing plants, put them in hanging baskets, out of your pets’ reach.

Hibiscus: Another plant that can survive the heat. There

are hundreds of species of hibiscus and all of them produce vibrant flowers. Ideally pot these plants as the key is to move them to a more shaded area during the peak summer months, this will help them produce more flowers for you to enjoy. They can move back into the sun around October.

Bougainvillea: Another great summer plant. They thrive

in areas with low rainfall and intense heat. For maximum blooming, they need direct sunlight for at least five hours a day.

A great idea is to not just think about flowering plants, but also bamboos and grasses to create lovely green blocks in your garden or to add height. One of the biggest challenges here is that you need to feed your plants regularly. The sandy soil has zero nutrients, and what little it does have is washed through. Keep your soil topped up with a good plant feed so plants stay healthy.

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Remove all the doors and hardware from the

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Top tip: Use both an angled brush and a cabinet/

cabinets, working on a flat surface will save you from getting the dreaded drip marks.

Carefully clean the surface. You need a perfectly

clean surface for the paint to adhere; a sugar soap solution works best for this. You could sand the surface of your cabinets with light sandpaper to give them a little grit. This will also help the paint smoothly adhere to your surface. Just make sure you clean up all of the dust before you begin painting.

trim roller. First use the brush to paint around the edges, corners or any details. Once all the detailed areas are painted switched to a trim/cabinet foam roller to go over the whole door this will help give a smooth finish with no brush strokes.

REPAIRING TILES: If the damage is quite

extensive, consider replacing the tile. Small and cosmetic cracks are quite easy to repair in just a few steps: YOU’LL NEED: • An epoxy-based tile filler • Paint matching the colour of your tile. Test a small area of tile to ensure that the colour is right • Tile sealant

METHOD

Mix together a small amount of the tile filler

and the paint.

Apply this paste to the crack, and let dry for

a few minutes.

Wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove

excess paint and filler.

After the tile has dried, apply a coat of tile

sealant to give your work a smooth finish.

Need help sourcing the right furnishings? Our experts will sort it out. Talk to us on www.facebook.com/ktinspiredliving

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S P E C I A L F O C U S: K I T C H E N S

2 BUILT IN BEAUTIES 1. Get inspired bu this sleek and compact kitchen, designed by Diana Trower. 2. Five burner gas hob from Siemens. Available at Better Life, price on request. 3.

Built-in oven from Siemens. Available at Better Life, price on request. 4. Built in kitchen appliances from Siemens. Available at Better Life, price on request. 5.

Social kitchen from Fisher & Paykel. Available at Better Life, price on request..

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COUNTERTOP CANDY 1. Floatea Tea Egg, stainless steel tea ball from THE One, price on request.

2. Pisa cheese grater from THE One, price on request. 3. Hitachi Juice Extractor (HJE900P). Available at Eros Group stores.

4. Inissia machine from Nespresso. Available at Nespresso Boutiques, Dhs 550.

FAUCETS WITH FLAIR 1.Integrated soap dispenser from Dornbracht, price on request. 2.Gourmet 2280C faucet with a mobile spray spout by Deca. Available at Arteco Ceramics, price on request. 3. Spin Gourmet 2280C faucet

by Deca. Available at Arteco Ceramics, price on request.4. Pivot faucet in cyprum ďŹ nish from Dornbracht, price on request. 5. Metris single-lever kitchen mixer with pull-out spray from Hansgrohe, Dhs 1300.

THE CHILL ZONE 1. Hitachi refrigerator with French doors and freezer at the bottom. Glass touchscreen controls. Available from Eros Group. price on request. 2. 676-L French door fridge from Sharp. Available at Cosmos and leading retailers, price on request. 3. Hitachi refrigerator Ultra Big2 Series, available from Eros Group. price on request.

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