The Sunday News
Amanda Ncube
DECORATING or designing a home can be daunting at times, especially if you are not sure of what you are doing.
It is important to know how to play up a house’s strengths, hide its flaws, and make it appealing to just about everyone.
Here are some important tips you can use to freshen-up your home’s interior — without digging deep into your pocket.
It is important to first set the tone of the front door. The front door is the first thing that greets people and it determines how the rest of the house looks and feels. Make a great first impression by painting the front door using a colour that you like — that will reveal your personality. It will all depend on what you want, it might resemble calm or neutral or fun . . . some prefer colours that have resemblance such as orange that is associated with happiness and warmth. One thing that should go: an outdated screen door. Get rid of it or replace it with a storm door with full-length glass that you can switch out for a screened panel.
Stick to neutral colours like light brown or grey, especially on the first door, where flow is important. You want to minimise jarring transitions. Neutral walls give you the greatest decorating flexibility, allowing you to easily switch up your accessories . . . if you have two small rooms next to each other, painting them the same neutral colour helps them feel larger. Look at a paint strip and move up or down a shade or two for a subtle variation from room to room.
Make sure there is flow in your room just like in a hotel reception area where the furniture is arranged in groupings that invite conversation. For example when you place furniture in your living room, make sure there is a sense of balance and unity. If you have a combination of a couch and chairs make them talk to each other. By so doing your space will be inviting. Avoid pushing your furniture against the wall, people have a tendency of doing that thinking it will create more space but that is not the case, having furniture away from the wall makes the room feel larger.
When it comes to heavy, outdated drapes, a naked bank of windows is better than an ugly one. It all depends with the size of the window; if it is big you can just tint it and leave it as it is. Ideally, window dressings should be functional and elegant: Think sheers paired with full-length panels. If your room gets a lot of sun, opt for light colours that will not fade. The most recommended lightweight fabrics for panels are cotton, linen, and silk blends because they tend to hang well.
Hang at least one mirror in a room, mirrors can make a space feel brighter and larger because they bounce the light around the room. But placing one in the wrong spot can be almost as bad as not having one at all. Put mirrors on walls perpendicular to windows, not directly across from them. Hanging a mirror directly opposite a window can actually bounce the light right back out the window.
To be continued
