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COME ON OVER Refresh your place before the guests arrive
Come on over DO IT HOME REFRESH SUMMER MEANS HOLIDAY GUESTS. HERE ARE SEVEN EASY JOBS TO GET YOUR PLACE IN TOP HOSTING ORDER
Words KYLIE JACKES
The warmer weather heralds alfresco gatherings and friends and family descending for festive celebrations. Kickstart the season with simple spruce-ups for your home and garden.
1Update the entry A fresh coat of paint on the front door or fence is a quick way to make an impact and offer a warm welcome – be inspired by the latest colour trends from page 57. Dulux colour and design specialist Davina Harper says, “Neutral shades like white, beige, greige and grey are eternally popular due to their easy versatility and clean and classic look. For the front door, a feature colour like Colombo Street is a bright, bold statement, whereas deeper hues in rust, burgundy, greens or blues will create a more reserved effect.” Enhance your refreshed look with a potted plant or two by the door.
2Add sparkle String lighting is an easy way to create ambience. Peter Loftus of Lytworx says, “Tiny twinkling LED solar fairy lights can be used almost anywhere to highlight garden features or define an entertaining space.” Festoon lights also create an instant festive vibe. Peter suggests draping them from branches or scalloping them under a pergola roof to gently illuminate an outdoor area. “For extra wow factor, layer a combination of fairy and festoon lights,” he says.
For a streamlined, ultra-modern look, strip lighting is a great option. With adhesive
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Pot up a blooming focal point:
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backing and clips, these can be run under kitchen benches, around a bedroom wall or in covered outdoor areas. The colour, brightness and modes of some models can be controlled via an app or a smart home assistant.
Conjure an enchanted feel inside with wire fairy lights. “With their flexibility and battery-powered versatility, they can be easily entwined around a mirror, bookcase, stair rail or delicately laid around a floral summer centrepiece,” says Peter.
Achieve a magical effect with an icicle-like canopy of solar LEDs – no hardwiring required! 3Refresh walls It’s amazing what a little scrubbing can achieve inside. To freshen up the walls, arm yourself with a feather or microfibre duster, microfibre cloths, sugar soap and a microfibre mop. Run the duster across ceiling corners and cornices – a cobweb broom could help with resident spiders and their homes – then skirting boards. Next, tackle walls with a solution of sugar soap and water. Use the mop to clean the top half of walls, then a cloth or wipes for the lower half and fiddly areas around light switches.
Peter Loftus, Lytworx
ABOVE Prep the fence for painting by giving it a light sand with an ergonomic hand sander. LEFT Mini pansies are easy to grow from seed – and, as well as producing a lovely garden display, the flowers of edible varieties can be used in salads and as cake decorations!
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ABOVE An hour or so with a water blaster can bring up grubby pavers like new 4 Colour in the garden Pretty up planters and beds with seasonal colour. Bunnings Greenlife buyer Clare Taylor says, “Perennials such as bougainvillea, hibiscus and crepe myrtle look great in garden beds, while dahlias, petunias, begonias and marigolds are great for pots in a sunny spot. In shadier areas you might like to try impatiens, native violets, hardy outdoor ferns and perennials like gardenia, lavender, federation daisies and fuchsias.” Stay on top of watering to keep it all looking its best.
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5Boost the barbecue With extra people around, the barbecue is bound for a workout, so be sure it’s up to the task. Bunnings barbecue specialist Guy Davies suggests starting with an external scrub using hot soapy water, then giving the grill plates a thorough clean. Inspect the burners to ensure they’re not covered in grease and grime. “Clear out the grease tray and add fresh Samba [fat absorber],” says Guy. “For gas barbecues, check the regulator and hose for any splits or missing seals.”
6Set an alfresco scene Socialising and relaxing is so much better in a reinvigorated entertaining area. Give paths and patios a water blast and treat outdoor furniture to a wash and gentle scrub with detergent. Check the care label to see if you can pop outdoor cushion covers in the washing machine or, if they’re beyond salvation, try to get replacement covers. Adding a stylish outdoor rug and a scattering of new cushions will also give an instant lift.
7Green up outdoor areas Even a few plants can revitalise a lifeless corner. On a deck or a patio, Clare says to use as big a pot as you have space for. “Palms and strelitzias work well in large pots to create a tropical vibe, and dwarf bougainvillea will give a lovely display of colour,” she says. For fragrance, she suggests pots of small perfumed shrubs such as boronia, pendulous camellia, lavender and geranium. A trio of pots in different sizes with a mix of contrasting plants also looks great. In a tight space, use hanging plants as a cascading verdant backdrop, such as trailing devil’s ivy, rhipsalis or hoya.
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1 130mm assorted Dahlia Dahlinova – Dahlia pinnata plant in Northcote Pottery ‘Italian’ 12cm terracotta pot, $1.69, I/N: 2833746 (plant sold separately). 2 Selleys ‘Sugar Soap’ cleaning wipes, $6.74/pack of 25, I/N: 1210330. 3 3M 80-grit medium sanding sponge, $4.98, I/N: 0319233. 4 Lytworx battery operated flickering light LED flameless candles, $24.98/pack of 4, I/N: 0118301. 5 ScotchBlue ‘Original’ 24mm multi-surface painter’s masking tape, $9.45/55m, I/N: 0142426. 6 Wagner ‘W100’ wood and metal paint sprayer, $125, I/N: 0055604. 7 Dulux ‘Weathershield’ low sheen exterior paint in True Red, $63.88/1L, I/N: 0144803. 8 Mr Fothergill’s ‘Comedy Mixed’ mini pansy flower seeds, $4.94, I/N: 2961607. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.
The Spraying Specialists
