Interior Design

Home decor and interior design can be baffling to some so here are some useful hints and tips as well as some money saving ideas.

*  When buying curtains or decorating materials take a cushion from the sofa shopping with you to ensure you get the right colour.

*  Use string covered with chalk to mark straight lines on walls for shelves, wallpaper etc.

*  When planning a child's room get down to their level to see if from a childs' perspective.  This will prevent placing hooks etc. too high for them to reach.

*  Never get a tall person to hang pictures for you as this will result in them being fitted too high.

*  To make fittings such as radiators less obtrusive paint them in the same colour as the wall.

*  Create a mantle shelf by using two decorative brackets and a plank of wood.

*  Fabric paints can give old pieces of furniture a new look.

*  Inexpensive plastic garden urns can be painted and decorated for use as indoor flower planters.

*  Try using the same colour paint on walls, woodwork, skirting and ceilings for an "all over" look.

• Terracota (orange based) colours = warm
   

• Pink based colours = vibrant and dramatic
   

• Yellow for dull rooms which lack sunlight
   

• Green = calming
   

• Blue = cool and restful

*  Mix wall paint with clear varnish to use on woodwork.

*  Eggshell finish paint on woodwork does not show imperfections like gloss paint does.

*  Use car spray paint to revitalise light fittings.

*  To cut costs, use wallpaper on the top half of the walls then a border with a bold paint colour on the bottom half of the walls.

*  When painting corridors remember dark colours will shorten.

*  Music, newspaper or brown paper make a change to wallpaper.

*  To see how much room a piece of furniture will take up before buying, take a piece of newspaper and a tape measure and make a template the same size as the item in question.  Place paper on floor to give some idea as to the amount of space needed.

*  To save on costly trimming when finishing off a table cloth.  Cover table with a larger untrimmed cloth.  Put a decorative trim around the edge of a smaller cloth which is then placed over the top.

*  Hang decorative baskets from hooks to provide extra storage.

*  To liven up kitchen cupboard doors just change the knobs and handles.  Old cutlery can be bent and wired to the doors as handles.

*  To get more light into a room, replace the top of the door with glass.

*  Clever use of mirrors can give the illusion of more space.

*  Colourful sheeting fitted to broom handles make cheap and cheerful cafe style curtains.

*  Plain fabric trimmed with fringing make expensive looking curtains for doors or stairs.

*  Make an unusual and cheap shower curtain by using bubble wrap fitted on key rings.

*  Blankets and pieces of material can be made into attractive and unusual curtains without sewing by using special clips which can be purchased in most good haberdashery shops.