Styling tips to get you started
Get Green With It!
There's a 99% chance there will be a plant or flowers in just about every insta home pic you scroll across now. Plants and flowers are an easy way to add colour to a room and don’t always have to cost a fortune. You can get fresh flowers from the likes of Lidl or Aldi for as little as €2.99 Succulents are also a great way to add some texture and colour into your room and, if your like me they are hard wearing because I ALWAYS forget to Water them! If in doubt fake it out , Ikea, JYSK & Homehub have some gorgeous faux plants that wont break the bank.
TOP TIP: For fresh flowers make sure you cut stems at a 45 degree angle and add a capful of bleach to the water! This helps them stay fresh for longer!
Clear The Clutter
We are all OBSESSED with space ! You know it, I know it so why do we clutter!! Fear not, we all have that drawer that you would never show to someone!! Everything should have a place in your home and this is the main start to your clutter free house! Your dinner fork lives in the cutlery drawer and I’m sure you don’t leave them lying around the house so why do we have bits all over the house that don’t belong where they are! Tackle each room at a time don’t go for more, don’t go for less this will help start your clutter free life.
TOP TIP: If you haven’t touched it in 6 months, you really don’t need it so rehome/ recycle or upcycle it!
Test The Paint
Paint colours can be an absolute minefield when you start looking. I have 3 tips on painting your home.
Buy tester pots of everything
Leave the tester strips in every room you are planning the colour for.
Preparation is key and painters masking tape is a necessity
The reason I say try and test your paint strips in each room is because light in every room is different. The combination of artificial and natural light in can bring out different hues in the same paint.
TOP TIP: If you tinfoil your paint tray it reduces your clean up at the end and also your paint will stay fresh overnight by cling filming or storing in the fridge.
Upcycle Your Bits
You read that right! Sometimes we don’t always have to buy new, all it takes is a coat of paint and you are laughing. My kitchen is a perfect example! It started with spraying the kitchen itself when we moved in! This cost us €750 and 4 years on its still perfect! Last year I decided to paint the tiles an off white to lighten it up again! Make sure you sand your tiles beforehand, naturally I forgot! You can click here to see the process!
My most recent discovery is DCFix. It’s like a really heavy duty wallpaper that goes onto most surfaces! I’ve tried countertops, floors and walls. Its super affordable and comes in different lengths so you can reduce cutting it. You can pick up DCFix in your local woodies or Textile Home Warehouse. You can click here to see the process!
TOP TIP: If you are DC Fixing make sure you buy the kit, allow yourself time and use a hairdryer to get the corners perfect!
Mirrors
Hello, I am Paul and I am a serial mirror hanger, I find it very difficult to throw out old Mirrors. They are like the biggest secret weapon in transforming spaces! Mirrors double your light source and the bigger the mirror the brighter the room will be. This is a great addition to rooms that have window / light challenges as they make the room feel more spacious. . Make sure you know where you want to hang the mirror, with approximate dimensions before purchasing. You can also work mirrors into gallery walls as a working element of depth. Don’t forget about the frames, these can add an extra layer of detail to your styling. I recently changed my mirror in the living room. You can click here to see the process!
TOP TIP: Generally work with mirrors in odd numbers if in the same style. Hung above drawers, console tables or fireplaces can really help ‘anchor’ them.