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| Find gorgeous designer fabrics at Kilver Court |
Inspired? Jane will be holding a series of FREE soft furnishing sessions at Kilver Court, covering everything from cushion design to curtain making – click here to find out more and reserve a space!
1. Depressing, messy room? Stand at the doorway, close your eyes and count to 30. Now write down ten things that you can do to improve it. Yes you can! Start by dealing with those stain spots on the carpet and remove greasy marks on surfaces with polish (the smell will make the room feel ten times cleaner if nothing else!)
2. Be brutal: liberate your living space of some excess possessions and make that run to the charity shop. You’ll be amazed how de-cluttering will lift your spirits. Not sure you're ready to part with your belongings? Pack them into storage for a while – the things you really miss can always be reinstated!
3. Treat yourself to a subscription to a swanky interiors mag – call it an investment in inspiration. If you like a room, copy it. Be your own Interior Designer!
4. Saggy sofas? Get some new pads and make sure that they are at least an inch/2.5cm larger than the covers – then you get a nice plump effect! Go for feather with down if you can afford it and always buy cushions at least 18” square. Big is beautiful!
5. Fresh flowers instantly brighten up a room (and your mood!). Save cash and have a rootle in your nearest hedgerow for dogwood and ivy. Now spring is coming there’s a plethora of brightly coloured daffodils and snow drops on the way too!
6. A good clean floor can transform a room – if yours is wooden and it needs sanding, hire an orbital sander and plug the exhaust pipe into a Henry. Run it at the same time as you sand and voila, NO DUST! Finish bare wood with the same varnish as Museums use: Bonakemi Traffic and you’ll never have to sand it again.
7. Does your wrinkled rug drive you nuts? Are you forever straightening it? My favourite trick is to use Foxi anti rug creep underlay, it keeps everything in position and saves you seconds of tweaking every day!
8. Lighten up! A room really benefits from having a number of different light sources. As well as the main overhead light (why not get a dimmer switch to create a more relaxed atmosphere?) add lamps and candles to create a cosy ambiance on dark nights. Stock up on delicious fragrances in The Great House!
9. Mix up a magic potion: combine white wine vinegar and bicarbonate soda and apply to grouting between kitchen tiles with an old toothbrush. The acidic combination will lift the dirt in those hard to reach crevices, and make your surfaces look sparkling new!
10. Bed linen or sofa beyond salvation? Have a critical look and if it's stained or faded, rather than recovering (expensively!) buy a length of beautiful fabric that you can use as a throw. Opt for a weave that doesn’t crease and colours that complement the space. Finish with piles of gorgeous cushions! (Find out how at my free cushion masterclass, later this month).
