HOUSE OF CLEAN

Needing

If you’re anything like me, whilst the weather is cold and foggy outside, your thoughts turn to home redecoration. Here are some ideas for some quick fixes that won’t break the bank.

Rather than waiting for someone else to buy them for you, buy yourself flowers for your entrance hallway. Yellow and purple are cheery spring colours that will make you smile every time you come home.

Fill your home with beautiful scented candles. Jo Malone and Diptyque are the bee’s knees but Bath & Body Works have some lovely, affordable options. The downside is that they encourage my three year old to sing Happy Birthday on repeat, whilst running round the house blowing them all out.

Make one room your sanctuary for the year. For me, that’s a room where I can read, paint, craft or peruse the internet in peace. Go bold and paint the room (or one accent wall) a bold, fresh colour. Organise the room so that you don’t struggle to find a phone charger or somewhere to put down a mug. I gave myself stripy pink smartphone charging cables for Christmas to avoid anyone else borrowing them “by mistake”.

Often all a room requires for a quick refresh is decluttering, furniture rearranging and a fresh injection of colour. Decluttering is an instant makeover. Pack away trinkets and home accessories to clear surfaces and then reorganise your rooms. If redecorating a whole room is overwhelming, consider just replacing cushions or throws. Or take a trip to Sharjah to purchase yourself some beautiful carpets from the souk. Add a statement mirror. Strategic placement of mirrors can add more natural light to your home. In addition to bouncing light, if hung correctly it makes a small room appear larger.

Reinvigorate your walls with new artworks. If you can’t find any you like in local galleries, consider creating your own in a pop up painting course, which is the new trend in London. Alternatively get your travel or family photos enlarged and printed onto canvas. A wall of photos displayed in black photo frames of different shapes and sizes looks very appealing. Paint your front door (if permitted obviously). I’m currently debating between Farrow & Ball Pink Ground and Studio Green. This can make a dramatic enhancement to the look of your home and is a welcome change for guests and neighbours.

Consider donating books you’ve read to charity. Whilst I personally find it difficult to relinquish my book collection, I appreciate that times are changing. A home library was once a vital domestic resource of knowledge that couldn’t be accessed any other way. I remember pouring over volumes of encyclopaedias that were almost as big as me to complete my school homework. But now that space is is at a premium and we can access reading materials, music and film digitally, it does raise the question why we keep hard copies.

Whilst refreshing interior décor, remember to follow the three R’s to make a small contribution to saving our planet: refurbish, repaint, recycle. Your home will never look better.