Whilst you may already have a few ideas for revitalising your home’s appearance, putting them into practical action could be difficult – and seemingly call for the services of an interior designer. However, we’re going to reveal some tricks such designers may prefer to keep secret.
Hang artwork at a suitable height
We may not know huge amounts about art, but we know what we like – pictures, posters & paintings hung in such a way that we can view them easily. Artwork is often hung too high; keep the bottom of each piece a mere 7½-20cm/3-8 inches higher than furniture. Leaving too much space in-between creates a distracting void.
Shelve your books horizontally & vertically
Have 60% of your bookshelves’ tomes stacked vertically and leave the remaining 40% stored horizontally. This is good for creating both visual balance and spontaneity, says Reader’s Digest. Intersperse the books with other objects such as vases, framed photos or potted plants.
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Position mirrors around 132cm/52 inches up from floor level. Opting for this kind of placement with your mirror can avoid, for most people, the stooping or tip-toeing that can happen whilst attempting to take a look at themselves.
Set the table
If you’re planning on buying a new dining table, choose one that exceeds 90cm/3 foot in width. This should leave sufficient space for diners’ plates and cutlery along with, in the centre, serving dishes and centrepieces. If the room it’s going into is fairly small, a circular table might be a better option.
Colour a room happy
When bringing colour into a room, it’s good to give 60% of it over to a dominant hue, assign 30% of it to a secondary tone and designate the remaining 10% to an accent colour.
Get the measure of your coffee table
These days, a sofa seat is typically around 50cm/20 inches high – a comfortable height for sitting. That leaves the ideal height for a coffee table at approximately 38-50cm/15-20 inches. A convenient position for setting down and picking up your cup of coffee, book and remote controls.
Make fresh use of old pieces
Don’t assume that making your home look fresher automatically entails buying lots of new furniture and fittings. It may be far better to re-purpose existing items. Example ways of doing so are suggested by Freshome, which suggests turning an antique vase into a utensil holder or an old dresser into a bathroom sink and cabinet.
Be flexible with your budget
Spotted some floor-to-ceiling curtains in a luxurious fabric? They might be outside your budget – in which case, cheaper Roman blinds made from the same fabric could be a more affordable option. Similarly, you could forgo pricey custom cabinets in favour of stock cabinets, the door fronts of which can be customised with a paint job or new handles.
Put familiar rooms to different purposes
A room you’ve long has as a little-used dining room could actually make a good home cinema or games room, while a living room could be re-imagined as an office, says NOLA.com.
Create balance
This includes balance in colour, texture, furniture and lighting; the installation of lantern roofs could particularly assist you with the last of those.
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