Home Decor

The trick to renovating your bathroom is to carefully consider your budget before you start the project.

According to statistics, South African homeowners are less inclined to ‘house hop’ as they did prior to the recession, a trend which no doubt can be attributed to the costs involved with moving. In line with this long term outlook, renovations are on the rise as people refurbish and decorate their homes.

Says Debra Retief, marketing manager at Tile Africa: “One of the first areas of the home which inevitably gets a makeover is the bathroom. The trick to successfully revamping this room is to carefully consider your budget from the outset as this will guide you in terms of possible design ideas and materials you can afford.”

The Small Budget Bathroom:

Although you won’t be able to make any major structural changes, there are a number of things you can do to create a really impressive and appealing bathroom and improve the overall aesthetic says Retief.

·         Decorate the majority of your bathroom with affordable tiles and round them off with premium accents such as an attractive bullnose trim, cap tiles or pencil liner borders

·         If your shower has a cloudy door or a shower curtain, don’t waste your money on decorating the shower walls to the hilt because nobody will really be able to appreciate them unless they use the shower. Rather concentrate on the areas where your money will make a difference such as a nice backsplash

·         If your tiles are outdated and extend halfway up the wall, add a border in glass mosaics or similar to uplift the look and add a modern touch

·         Bathroom ware such as a new toilet, basin or vanity will immediately update the look of your bathroom into a modern and fresh space

Adds Retief:  “The price tag for a tiling project entails the materials plus labour.  If you’re confident about your tiling abilities or know a friend who can tile, consider asking them to assist you to save on costs.

“Also keep an eye out for clearance sales. Tile companies regularly clear out perfectly good end-of-line stock with a view to introducing new products. Some great tile and bathroom ware bargains can be picked up in this fashion.”

The Medium Budget Bathroom:

With a medium size budget, you can do more and start looking at better quality products.

·         In this category, you should be able to splurge on beautiful accent walls. This can take the form of a stone listelli shower wall or beautiful glass mosaic backsplashes behind the basin or bath

·         With a bigger budget, you should be able to afford good quality porcelain tiles which are typically more durable and less porous than ceramic tiles

·         Inkjet tiles can also be considered in this category. These tiles realistically mimic wood, slate, marble and travertine and are more affordable than the real thing

·         If you love mosaics but can’t afford to use them throughout your bathroom, consider adding a simple mosaic row or border. Most mosaic tiles come netted in packs of 30x30cm’s which can be cut in half to create a slim, yet striking row or border

Big Budget Bathrooms:

The sky is the limit if you’re lucky enough to have a large bathroom budget to play around with. In this category you can make structural changes and create a statement room which reflects your personality says Retief.

·         If money isn’t an issue, you can ‘go big’ in terms of the tiles you use. Natural stone tiles such as marble, granite, travertine and sandstone are amongst the most expensive and can be used to create an ultra-luxurious bathroom

·         With a big budget, you can tile the entire bathroom right up to the ceiling with premium tiles. Not only does this create a striking effect but it’s easy to maintain too

·         Indulge in mosaics. Mosaics are now available in a dazzling variety including marble, sandstone and travertine, glass and even steel. Although typically best used as accents, you can use mosaic throughout a bathroom to great effect

·         Go for a touch of glam and integrate tiles studded with crystal or glass beads. For a more distinctive look, consider metallic and three dimensional tiles

·         In this category, you can invest in some beautiful feature pieces such as a freestanding bath or spa bath. Consider pairing an impressive double vanity with a matching mirror for extra flair and tie it all together with the best quality fixtures and fittings you can buy

SOURCE: www.privateproperty.co.za

With gardens getting smaller and smaller, it’s important to choose trees that won’t outgrow your space.

In the old days it was all so easy: if you wanted to plant a tree, you planted a tree. No need to worry about whether it’d outgrow its space in a few years’ time. Sigh. How things have changed.

These days, it’s all small houses on small stands, sometimes with only a few square metres in which to work.

Which is why it’s worth spending some time learning and reading about the different species – and choosing with care, because trees form the backbones of most gardens (although they’re also potentially the most troublesome in terms of blocking drains, lifting foundations, and cracking paving!).

The right tree, though, planted in the right place, is bound to reward you forever. It’ll give shade in summer, and it’ll mark the changing of the seasons with its flowers, its autumn colours, and its fruit.

EVERGREEN OR DECIDUOUS?

Beware! Here are traps!

Many people think they should plant only evergreen trees because “they don’t mess.” But here’s the thing: evergreen trees are messier than deciduous trees because they lose their leaves throughout year, while deciduous trees shed only in autumn. So rather choose the right tree for the right place (remembering that deciduous trees let the light in in winter…).

The choice between indigenous and exotic trees, on the other hand, is much easier: as a rule, you shouldn’t go for the exotic. Rather choose a tree that grows naturally in your area: it’ll be most likely to need the least amount of water, to be the most disease resistant, and to be the most attractive to a variety of birds and insects that always bring your garden to life.

WHAT SPECIES?

South Africa has almost a thousand species of indigenous trees (although only a small number of them will occur naturally in your area) – so it’s best to consult your nurseryman or a good book or two before you decide. But here’s a list of top performers that’ll grow happily in most parts of the country (and which you can grow in the open ground, or in pots if space is a real issue):

·         Cheesewood (Pittosporum viridiflorum) – evergreen, a medium-paced grower, with lovely yellowish flowers and fruit. Cheesewoods are fairly drought hardy, and do withstand light frost. (Beware, though: make sure you’re buying Pittosporum viridiflorum – because its Australian cousin, Pittosporum undulatum, is listed as a Category 1 Invasive Plant. And you don’t want to be responsible for destroying the natural landscape now, do you?)

·         False olive (Buddleja saligna) – a fast grower that produces wonderful trusses of cream-coloured flowers. But beware: fast growth means weak branches, so keep them pruned (they like that: they like it so much, in fact, that the false olive is excellent as a hedge plant). Although they do get bigger elsewhere, false olives usually reach a height of about 5 metres on the Highveld.

·         Lavender tree (Heteropyxis natalensis) – pale of bark, and elegant of shape, this semi-deciduous tree deserves a bigger fan base. It’s a little large for the smallest garden, though: it can reach 10 metres in height. But it’s a slow grower, so it might do. It tolerates frost, so it’s a good choice for the Highveld.

·         Parsley tree (Heteromorpha arborescens) – small or medium-sized tree with distinctive smooth, papery bark that peels off in horizontal bands. The flowers are visually quite insignificant – but they give off a heavenly fragrance when they appear in mid-summer.

·         Pompom tree (Dais cotinifolia) – possibly the best tree for small gardens. Ever. Anywhere. A compact grower to 6 metres, with a classic, rounded crown, it bears masses of showy, pink flowers in mid-summer. It’s got a light root system, and its leaves are small and easily gathered when they fall.

·         River indigo (Indigofera jacunda) – a good choice for the very smallest gardens, River indigo rarely reaches more than 4 metres in height. Like the tree wisteria, it often grows as a multi-stemmed shrub, but you can easily prune it if you prefer a single stem. The sweetly-scented, pink and white flowers are borne in mid- to late summer.

·         Tree wisteria (Bolusanthus speciosus) – this is a real stunner. It’s a medium-paced grower, it’s deciduous, and it bears masses of mauve-to-blue, pea-shaped flowers in spring and early summer. It usually grows as a multi-stemmed shrub, but it takes to pruning well, so it’s easily shaped into a single-stemmed tree if that’s your fancy.

·         Wild pear (Dombeya rotundifolia) – this deciduous beauty bears massive trusses of white or creamy-coloured flowers in spring. And – bonus! – it’s known for having a non-invasive root system.

For a great resource of information about South Africa’s indigenous plants, please visit the www.plantzafrica.com – an initiative of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

SOURCE: www.privateproperty.co.za

For many, the kitchen is the most essential room in the home, a place where families gather around the table to chat about the day’s events and share some good-old-fashioned family time.

In many ways, open-plan living has completely changed the way we view kitchens. Cooking has become a far more social activity and the days of slaving over a hot stove behind closed doors have, to a large extent, become a thing of the past.

Kitchens in newer homes have been designed with living spaces in mind – the room has become bigger in order to accommodate friends and family and very often features additional space for entertaining. Forget the old melamine look, these types of kitchens have become showpieces and generally follow the design trend of the home concerned – and guess what, gorgeous kitchens help to sell homes faster.

The Great Renovate

The location and functionality of this area is vital, and is regarded by many as the most important room in the home. Buyers of older homes that feature small kitchens will often start planning to alter the space even before they have signed the offer to purchase.

Kitchens need to be functional as well as beautiful, which is why the design and layout are so important. While the style may be of great importance, the wants and needs of the chef must also be taken into consideration. Cooking is hard work and the job can become that little bit more challenging if the kitchen is poorly laid out. Big kitchens may look fantastic, but cooking can be a nightmare if the distance between essential kitchen features such as the hob, fridge and sink is too great.

The space in any kitchen, big or small, needs to be utilised to its full potential. Ideally, work-tops should not be cluttered with gadgets – they should rather stored in cupboards. And while we are talking about cupboard space, it’s worth noting that many modern kitchens feature far more drawers than cupboards. Deep drawers are ideal for storing items such as pots and pans, oven dishes, plastic containers, and the like.

Sculleries

Sculleries have also started to play a more important role. Having an open-plan kitchen with the sink in full view of visitors means that everything has to look spotless – even after you’ve cooked a meal for 10 guests. An area that is out of sight, which contains a space to stack dirty dishes and houses the dishwasher, has become a must-have in many homes.

Don’t forget to plan ventilation. There’s nothing worse than having cooking smells permeate the home. Again open-plan living can aggravate this problem and in many cases an extractor fan is a must.

And here’s perhaps the most important piece of advice we can give you regards the expertise needed to design and kit out the perfect kitchen: a reputable kitchen company not only has the right tools for creating the ideal look, they are also generally experts in functional kitchen design and will build something that isn’t just beautiful, but practical too.

SOURCE: www.privateproperty.co.za

Having finished its job in the Cape provinces, the rainy season is upon the northern provinces, and homeowners may find that their tiled balconies, decks or roof slabs have not been waterproofed correctly.

It is essential to carry out the correct background preparation and to waterproof exterior suspended areas before tiling commences, to prevent water seeping through the grout and adhesive into the substrate, and consequently into the levels below,” says Sharon Margon, technical adviser at TAL.

Water leaks or damage shown on the ceilings and walls of levels below a waterproofed and tiled balcony or terrace could be as a result of either the area not being waterproofed prior to tiling; that the waterproofing compound was incorrectly applied or damaged; or that the floor water outlet is not draining properly and is flooding the balcony.

Some tiles, particularly porous natural stone tiles, and even light-coloured ceramic tiles, may change colour when the tile installation is experiencing moisture ingress from the surface of the installation.

To determine the problem, Margon says it is best to consult a professional tiling contractor who’ll be able to establish if the problem is related to failed waterproofing or cracked grout. If the waterproofing system has failed, it’s recommended to remove the tiles and start the waterproofing and tiling process from scratch.

It is possible to waterproof and tile over existing tiles, provided the existing tiles are in good condition and firmly attached to the substrate. Make sure that the tiles are not cracked, loose or hollow sounding, and that the level of the current floor allows for a height increase, especially concerning door entrances.

It is possible to waterproof and tile over existing tiles, provided the existing tiles are in good condition and firmly attached to the substrate.

“Attend to the water damage as soon as possible as water leaks will cause damp patches on the ceilings of rooms below the installation and this leads to peeling paint and costly repairs,” she says.

Keep in mind that the tile installation is an aesthetic finish and doesn’t act as a complete moisture barrier.

Here are the steps to follow when waterproofing and tiling an area exposed to the elements:

Waterproofing

Waterproof the substrate with a waterproofing compound, such as an acrylic based liquid waterproofing system, readily available from tile and home improvement retailers.

You will need: A primer, waterproofing system, reinforcing membrane, block brush, roller and silicone sealant.

Step 1: Priming

– The substrate must be in good condition, clean and dry.

– Prime rough, porous surfaces with TAL floor primer and smooth, dense surfaces with a TAL floorkey slurry coat (one part TAL floorkey to two parts tile adhesive powder or 1.5 parts ordinary Portland cement, by volume).

– Paint the primer onto the surface using a block brush, and allow to dry completely before proceeding.

Step 2: Application

Make sure that the tiles are not cracked, loose or hollow sounding, and that the level of the current floor allows for a height increase, especially concerning door entrances.

– To allow for movement, apply a 10mm silicone bead in all internal corners and interfaces. Due care must be taken to ensure that the silicone bead is not flattened out. Allow the silicone to cure for approximately 12 to 24 hours.

– For the corner and interface applications, apply the first coat of TAL superflex1. Immediately bed the TAL superflex1 membrane, 200mm wide, into the wet TAL superlex1, ensuring that there are no wrinkles or air bubbles trapped beneath the membrane.

The membrane must be pushed into the corners, ensuring that the entire interface is covered with TAL superflex1 membrane. Apply a second coat of TAL superflex1 to completely saturate the membrane before the first coat dries.

–  For the main area application, apply the first coat of TAL superflex1 over the clean, primed surface. Immediately bed the TAL superflex1 membrane into the wet TAL superflex1.

Ensure that there are no wrinkles or air bubbles trapped beneath the membrane and that the membrane is adhered to the substrate by rolling out the membrane with the roller in two different directions. Apply a heavy coat of TAL superflex1 over the membrane to completely saturate it before the first coat dries.

– Ensure that the main application overlaps the corner applications by at least 50mm.

– Allow the TAL superflex1 system to dry completely (at least three days, depending on ambient conditions) before commencing with tiling.

Keep in mind that the tile installation is an aesthetic finish and doesn’t act as a complete moisture barrier.

– Don’t start the waterproofing application if it is about to rain, as rain will dilute uncured TAL superflex1 and cause run-off. Protect the system from rain or water immersion for at least three days after application.

Tiling

Step 1: Tile selection

– Use slip-resistant and textured tiles when tiling an exposed and wet area. Avoid smooth and polished tiles. Remember that natural stone tiles require sealing after installation.

Step 2: Adhesive and grout system

– It is recommended to always use rapid or quick-setting adhesives as, due to the impervious nature of the waterproofed substrate, standard-setting adhesives will take longer to set.

– The adhesive and grout system has to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction in the installation to withstand temperature fluctuations and frost. The tile installation also has to be water resistant as it will be exposed to rain.

– Use a water-resistant, flexible adhesive and grout system to install the tiles. This system is achieved by mixing the adhesive and grout with a latex additive.

– When using a latex-based additive in the adhesive or grout mixture, it is important to use the full amount of additive as stipulated in the instructions on the packaging. The latex additive should be used as a total water replacement in the mix.

Do not dilute the latex-based additive with water as this will weaken the mix strength, and the adhesive and grout will not perform to their designed specifications in terms of enhanced flexibility and water resistance.

“Keep in mind that a latex-based additive improves the water resistance of the adhesive and grout, but doesn’t make the installation waterproof,” says Margon.

– Seal the grout and porous tiles after installation.

SOURCE: www.property24.com

Did you know that in the 15^th Century it was traditional to get married in a green wedding dress? That’s because green was the colour of fertility. Today the bride is almost always in white, which connotes purity.

While traditions change over the years, what remains constant is that we attribute certain meanings to specific colours. Even if it’s subconscious, colour has a psychological effect on us. So if you’re choosing out colours for your wall paint, furniture or linen, it wouldn’t hurt to put a little thought into the colour you choose and the mood you want to create.

GREEN

Seeing as we were on the topic of green, we’ll start there. Green is connected with tranquillity, health and money. All lovely things to have, so feel free to be generous with your use of green. It’s even been suggested that those who work in green environments suffer fewer stomach aches.

YELLOW

Yellow is the colour of a radiant sun and cheerful daffodils. It conveys energy, optimism and happiness. However, even though it’s a popular choice as a gender-neutral colour, don’t paint your entire nursery yellow because apparently it makes babies cry. Perhaps yellow is a stimulating colour, and overly-stimulated babies cry more.

It seems that while yellow is fun and uplifting in small doses, it’s not something you want too much of. Keep yellow as an accent colour, rather than dousing a whole room in the cheery hue.

BLUE

For some reason, blue is for boys and pink is for girls. This is a bit strange, because blue isn’t particularly associated with masculinity, but with serenity and peace – perhaps because of its association with calm waters (never mind the fact that water can also be stormy).

Feel free to defy gender stereotypes and paint your little girl’s room blue. When she’s older she’ll probably resent a girly pink room anyway. Blue is the most popular colour choice for offices, because it apparently facilitates productivity.

RED

On the other hand, red would be the worst colour to have in the office. It can stir up anxiety and hinder performance. Best keep it to a minimum in the bedroom as well then. Red is passionate and explosive, the colour of cupid hearts and warning signs.

Like yellow, red is best kept as an accent colour. If you like the idea of a romantic bedroom, you could have a soft cream wall colour, with accent pieces like red blankets or pillows.

A place where red is often used though is in chain restaurants – think of MacDonald’s and KFC. This is because red apparently raises your pulse, thus making you want to eat faster and hence more.

That’s odd …

As interesting as this colour psychology is, different cultures attribute different, even contradictory meanings to colours. For instance, while in the West we think of yellow as being bright and cheerful, in Greek culture it reflects sadness.

Therefore, the meaning we attribute to colour isn’t inherent to the colour itself, but more to our backgrounds and even just hearsay. This basically means that if you like a colour, don’t worry too much about what it apparently signifies. The meaning you personally get from it is enough. Colour psychology is however a good place to start if you’re completely clueless about what colour schemes to choose for your décor needs.

SOURCE: www.privateproperty.co.za

  Here’s a great way to plant up a delightful display of succulents, whether for your own home or as a gift for family and friends. Although we used an offcut of PAR pine, you can buy an 1800mm length and cut this into quite a few planters.

We found plenty of ideas for our planter on etsy and there are various style ideas for making rustic and modern planters.

Using PAR pine you can make a planter in any length, with one, two or three holes for planting a variety of succulents or air plants (Tillandsia). Because both of these plants require very little water and only a small quantity of soil, they are ideal for these containers. However, do give succulents a dose of organic fertiliser every three to four months.

YOU WILL NEED:
69 x 69mm length of PAR pine cut to 200mm lengths
50mm hole saw
Corded drill, no less than 500W
Screwdriver or wood chisel
Hammer
Workbench
Couple of quick clamps
120- and 240-grit sandpaper
Woodoc gel stain – we use imbuia
Disposable gloves
Sponge or cloth
Safety goggles
Tape measure and pencil

HERE’S HOW:

1. Measure and mark the location for drilling the holes and then clamp the piece of pine firmly to your workbench using quick clamps.

2. Insert the hole-saw into your drill and secure. Pop on your safety goggles before starting to drill. Make sure that the hole-saw is positioned in the centre of your piece of pine before you start drilling.

GOOD TO KNOW

Having previously used a spade bit for this type of project, using a hole-saw is far easier and safer. The hole-saw cuts easily through the various bands of thickness you find in pine. DO hold the drill firmly when starting the hole.

3. PAR pine is actually two piece of pine laminated (glued) together. If you drill to the depth of the lamination, removing the top section of pine is fairly easy. Use a flathead screwdriver or wood chisel and hammer to chip out the wood inside the cut out.

4. Continue chipping away until you reach the part where the two pieces are glued together. You don’t need to remove everything, since you will be filling the holes with soil, but if you are a perfectionist, continue until all the wood is removed and the base of your hole is nice and smooth.

5. Now you can continue drilling more holes, depending on how many you want to have in your pine block.

6. Sand the block with 120- and then 240-grit sandpaper, sanding with the grain of the wood for a nice smooth finish.

7. Use Woodoc gel stain if you want to add colour to the pine block. We used imbuia gel stain. Pop on a pair of disposable gloves to keep your hands free from stains and apply with a sponge or cloth.

8. If you have a Dremel VersaFlame or blowtorch you can use this to add even more depth and detail to the pine block simply by scorching the wood. As you do this you will notice that only the softwood turns a darker colour, which leaves an interesting zebrano wood finish.

Finish off by applying Woodoc antique wax and buffing to a satin sheen. Now you are ready to add some potting soil and planting your succulents.

SOURCE: www.home-dzine.co.za

The trend for painted kitchens continues as products and tools are introduced to make the process far easier. We asked Tanya from Dans Le Townhouse to share her amazing kitchen transformation with us, and if you are looking at ways to update a boring wood kitchen, you are sure to be inspired by this incredible makeover.

The style is very similar to the look that our very own Tanya Joel achieved with her magic kitchen makeover, and shows just how easy you can make changes to a kitchen without spending a fortune to have a new kitchen fitted.

We take you step-by-step through how the amazing transformation was achieved, and I have taken the liberty to add or amend details to make it more relevant for South African readers.

The first step in the process was to paint the cabinet doors and frames. All the doors were taken off and the hardware removed. I good scrubbing was needed to remove built up grime, and Tanya used a sponge scrubber and soapy water to clean.

All the doors and frames were lightly sanded with 180-grit sandpaper and a coat of universal primer applied with a paintbrush and foam roller. Be sure to let the primer dry for the specified amount of time.

The cabinet frames were given three coats of paint, applied with a paintbrush and foam roller and, while applied thickly, it still allowed the texture of the wood grain to show through once finished.

The colour used for the kitchen cabinets is Plascon Wonder Lake [B2-A1-3], which has a slightly turquoise tint, but be sure to check out the colour swatches at your local paint store or Builders before buying any colour. Take the colour swatches home and view them in the room under different light conditions before selecting the right colour for you!

The cabinet doors were taken into the garage and sprayed with a spray gun, such as the Bosch PFS spray system. Using a spray system makes the process far easier and much faster, and allows the paint to get into all the nooks and crannies for a brush-free finish. Here’s a link on how Tanya painted the cabinet doors.

If you place the doors on scrap timber it allows you to paint the top and sides in one go, before allowing to dry and turning over to paint the back.

GOOD TO KNOW

If you are using Plascon Double Velvet for painting the doors, make sure the paint is completely dry before turning over and use new scrap timber. I like to apply a thin coat of wax polish over the strips, as this prevents the paint from sticking to the strips. As an alternative, you could paint both the cabinet frames and doors with Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel spray. While this takes longer to dry, it offers a durable and tough finish to your doors.

The wall cabinets were removed in favour of open shelving. Tanya has an extensive collection of Pyrex-ware that she wanted to put out on display and open shelving provided an affordable and easy solution.

Rather than tile the walls, beadboard panels were glued in place and then painted. Since we don’t have beadboard panels in this country – make your own using 3mm Masonite or MDF. Both materials are fairly reasonably priced and you can cut and fit without too much fuss. The panels can be glued onto the wall with Pattex No More Nails adhesive.

Pine moulding was installed around the window frame to cover up where the panels meet the window. You will find a selection of pine strips and moulding at your local Builders store.

Simple brackets and laminated pine shelves were mounted onto the walls. You can paint steel brackets with a coat or two of Rust-Oleum Gloss Enamel spray.

A simple shelving unit was built to fit down one side of the fridge to provide more storage after removing all the wall cupboards. Another reason for fitting the shelf unit – after removing the cabinets it was discovered that the floor tiles didn’t extend underneath and this would have left an untiled area in the corner.

While Tanya used plywood for the shelf unit, the quality of our local plywood is so bad, I would recommend using laminated pine as a substitute. You will need to apply wood primer before painting.

The design is a simple frame with battens mounted on the sides to hold the shelves, and battens at the back to give the cabinet support.

The solid maple kitchen countertops were handmade and you will find details on the cutting and installation process here. Because of the high cost of imported timbers, you may want to look at substitutes such as Formica, Caesarstone or other alternatives for more affordable countertops. If you want to go the wood route, get in touch with your local timber merchant and discuss the option available.

The solid maple countertops were painted to give them a whitewashed effect and lighter finish that would complement the colours used in the kitchen

Tanya used a spray gun to apply a light coat of white paint over the surface of the maple countertops. Have some test pieces available and water down the paint until you are happy with the finished colour. If you need to, you can have a cloth on hand to wipe back the paint before it has time to dry.

Two to three coats of polyurethane varnish applied over the top will provide a durable finish and you and choose from satin or gloss.

Goes to show… you can turn a drab kitchen into a wonderful light and airy space on a budget and as a do-it-yourself project. Take the time to plan what you need to do, look at the various alternatives and options available and make sure you allow for the kitchen being out of action for a few days here and there.

– SOURCE: www.home-dzine.co.za

It’s the little things that make a house a home, and décor accessories, soft furnishings and personal touches are what make a big difference.

Put together a collection of accessories to create the perfect tablescape. Not to mention the fact that, when mixed with a few of your favourite collectibles and treasured pieces, a few additional décor items allow you to set the scene, lift the mood, or just add some colour to a room.

Your current favourite read and a potted plant or two are really all that are needed for a coffee table that gets used by the family, but in a formal setting you can use a coffee table to display a vignette of items brought back from travel or pieces that mean something special to you.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to create a dressed coffee table. A visit to your local home décor store, or keep an eye out for special offers and end-of-season bargains, and you are sure to pick up a few select accessories that will add to the finishing touch.

Bookcases and display shelves require just as much personal attention.

If not hidden behind closed doors, style your bookcase or display shelves to match the rest of the room. Keep books neatly arranged and include one or two décor accessories that blend with the existing décor in the room.

Art is the perfect way to inject a dose of personality into a home.

In small living spaces make full use of mirrors and reflective surfaces as part of your décor. Whether you create a gallery of kids’ paintings, love to collect posters, or frame your family photographs, art is a versatile way to add interest and individuality. If you’re not sure what frames to add, mix it up for an eclectic wall gallery.

For a more formal setting keep the frames in one colour, be it black, white or metal, and if you’re looking to add a dash of casual style, gather together a collection of picture frames in different styles and sizes, and paint them in a single colour. With the trend towards recycling continuing to increase, there’s nothing wrong with finding a piece of reclaimed timber or a piece of board and creating your own work of art.

In small living spaces make full use of mirrors and reflective surfaces as part of your décor.

Mirrored, glass or perspex don’t intrude on the space but still provide a way for you to add your own personal touch. Crystal, glass and mirrored accessories bounce light around a room, so incorporate these as much as possible in rooms that don’t have lots of natural light or where you want to up the glamour level.

With the trend towards recycling continuing to increase, there’s nothing wrong with finding a piece of reclaimed timber or a piece of board and creating your own work of art. Table lamps and floor lamps can be considered as décor if they look good. Don’t just think in terms of practicality, but rather shop for table and floor lamps that stand on their own in terms of design.

Dramatic lighting can be the focus point in any room, requiring that only a few small décor accessories be added for that personal touch. Cut a couple of Philodendron leaves and place these in a vase of water. They not only look good – they last for ages, adding a touch of fresh greenery wherever they are placed.

Adding personal touches to make a house a home doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to dig deep into your wallet. Shop around for best buys and bargains, or even make your own home décor accessories allows you to keep the look fresh and trendy, by simply swapping around for seasonal changes or when you want a new look.

At the end of the day, décor accessories reflect who you are and add character to a home, so don’t be afraid to proudly display your collectibles and treasured grandma’s china.

SOURCE:  www.home-dzine.co.za