Modern life is rubbish

All the stuff that make today’s lifestyles so convenient can easily be distracting, especially in the bedroom. The very first stage of making your beautiful boudoir is to get rid of any traces of technology and practicality. Ban the TV and relocate the hair-straighteners since there’s no glamour in gizmos and gadgets. Hide as much of the clutter as possible with bedroom storage that will go in drawers or cupboards but display your most prized perfumes and place your rings and necklaces on show with a jewellery tree.

The essence of boudoir

This style evokes an opulent, sensual and rich lifestyle so colours such as purple, pink, gold and black give the perfect look. Your room can be as flamboyant as you desire, but wall coverings will give the most striking change so use pink and purple wallpaper with a strong pattern. Using bold floral prints and stunning damask will give your room a feeling of femininity and extravagance.

Materials play an significant role in the boudoir bedroom. Diverse textures and finishes produce an intimate feel so incorporate plenty of colourful cushions with mixed fabrics created from rich and heavy materials. For an air of sensuality, floaty materials like silks and organza can be draped throughout the room.

If you like the Moulin Rouge style of boudoir, opt for bohemian elegance by including vintage furniture pieces and elegant swagging around the windows. Dress your bed in silk and satin and place candles round the room to spark the romance. Colours to go for include scarlet, gold and black. For a 60s style boudoir, synthetic animal skins with deep pile carpets and fun cartoon’ish furnishings will establish a naughty, fantasy themed room. Choose a blend of black, white and red colours throughout the room.

Lighting the passion

Light plays an important role in creating a sultry ambiance. The boudoir look embraces extravagance and so should your lighting fixtures. Vintage crystal-drop chandeliers are perfect for the dramatic centre piece while antique brass and crystal wall lights controlled by dimmer switch will create the right mood.

Beanbags

Still consider beanbags as overblown floor cushions that are manufactured from cheap material and difficult to get out of? Obviously you have not been introduced to the Fatboy range.

Beanbags aren’t just additional seating options for the living room, they can be used as a sofa replacement in student digs, a chill-out chair for a teenager’s bedroom or even a spare bed if you want to put up your mate overnight. Have one or two of these cool seating options convenient for impromptu events or any time you’ve got more visitors than your permanent seating can cope with.

Hammocks

The simple mention of the word conjures up images of hazy summer days, swinging between two trees beneath the shade of branches while enjoying a long, cool drink. Yet isn’t a hammock just for the warmer months? In fact, it’s not. And before you ask, no you won’t need two trees to tie it to either – at least not with modern hammock technology because a steel-frame manages things.

A hammock can easily be placed in the house as out and should you be short of furniture in your conservatory it’s ideal. When you do need to take it easy in the great outdoors, or when you need something a bit more comfortable than the standard bistro chair and table set in your garden, then a hammock is a good substitute.

Gaming seat

Okay, this one may appear like it’s simply for the gamers and geeks but as a substitute seating choice it’s as adaptable as they come. Should you be of the Playstation or Xbox generation then you may be all too familiar with sitting forward on the sofa, straining to get nearer to the action. Instead of attempting to drag your sofa a couple of inches closer to the box, pull up a gaming seat.

Not only will a gaming chair take care of your comfort while challenging the latest level of Halo, it’s versatile enough to turn into a footstool or an occasional seat for social events if you require further places for friends to park their bums.

Arriving at the decision to do a little reorganisation, redecoration or remodelling of your kitchen can sometimes seem like you are cooking up a storm of problems. If you’ve ever felt too overwhelmed to try an overhaul of the kitchen, this approach to the challenge might help.

Rather than contemplating the kitchen as one big project, break it down into small, manageable and practical mini-projects. Trying to do everything at once is a sure-fire way to get you hot under the collar without being anywhere near an oven.

To begin with, have a plan. Focus on what you want to achieve with certain aspects of the kitchen by answering a few basic questions.

What do you need to improve?

It’s not always the case that each part of your kitchen calls for improvement. You have thoughts of what you’d like done but occasionally financial constraints won’t allow it therefore be honest and realistic about what has to change. A quick reorganisation of the kitchen will usually enable you to understand what’s lacking or what needs adding to.

Do you have adequate storage?

Most people will answer ‘no’ to this question since we generally all want additional places to store things. Nevertheless, despite an entire redesign you might find space is tight (particularly in smaller galley kitchens) so consider what extra kind of storage you need – more space for kitchen appliances? Extra storage for food? Extra wine storage? Spice racks?

New units?

In a perfect world it would be nice to have totally new kitchen units however the time and cost involved may be prohibitive to some people. Fear not, a major overhaul of your cupboards isn’t always necessary and you are able to produce a dramatic transformation simply by painting existing units or by replacing doors or door furniture. Of course, if money and time is not the issue, new units can set the style and tone of the kitchen – just consider how the new look integrates with the rest of your home.

What do you do in your kitchen?

Not such an unusual question to ask but maybe it requires breaking down into parts:

Do you like to cook? In which event you need a good food preparation area and all your appliances within a practical distance. If cooking a large meal is currently a major hassle then maybe it’s time for a more substantial range cooker and some more work surface space. If space is tight take full advantage of what you have with extra worktop storage.

Is it the family hub? For many families, the kitchen is where everybody congregates so perhaps a central island can be built to give you additional countertop space, storage and somewhere for everybody to sit and stay out of the way!

Does the kitchen have a dual purpose? In some homes the kitchen is also a place to study or entertain. If that’s the case you’ll want a larger area for eating or even a separate desk for working at.

Have you thought about the walls?

One of the dramatic modifications you can make to any room in your home is a change of wall colour and the same applies to the kitchen. Kitchen wallpaper goes one step further than mere colour by adding textures if you wish. Wallpapering is a cost-effective way to create a new design but with the least effort. You’ll be amazed how much difference it makes when the walls are redone.

Hopefully these tips will go some way to making the process of redoing the kitchen slightly easier. Go to it with a positive attitude and a plan and you’ll have a new look faster than you think!

Colours and coverings

Selecting the most appropriate colours can help make the entrance to your home as light and attractive as possible. Dark hallways can be a bad idea in smaller homes so heavy and strong colours on the wall need to be avoided. On the other hand, should you live in a period property that has far more space, then classic colours that are in keeping with the general décor (like greens and reds) can enrich the look. For narrow spaces, select neutral colours on the wall.

Changing the colour on the walls will make a significant impact on the sense of space. Some people like to continue the colour scheme used in connecting rooms while others select a colour that complements and gives a different look. Wallpaper has undergone a huge design revolution recently and wallcoverings with neutral colours and embossed designs look fantastic. If you’d rather paint but need a cool feel, wall stickers can bring some interest to the walls.

Adding to the walls

With many hallways being narrow and long there’s usually a premium on floor space so utilise the walls to create your design statement. A properly placed mirror reflects light and helps to make your hallway look bigger – given the space is the entrance/exit point of the home, a mirror also allows everyone to check how they look when coming or going.

Photos are also a great idea to give your home an individual touch. Black and white prints offer a real chic appearance while a selection of different sized photo frames give your hallway a gallery feel. If you’re going to add a piece of art to the walls, make sure it will be lit correctly to benefit from the full effect – a long, narrow picture light will provide you with the right look.

Get the right light

As with other spaces in your house, natural light is always preferable so if possible use glazing in interior doors to permit light to enter the hallway from other rooms. For artificial light you’ll want to consider the height of your ceilings. For people with low ceilings, wall uplighters will give the impression of height while for taller hallways you can install feature lighting like pendant lights or a luxurious chandelier.

Storage space

As you enter and exit the home you will need a place to hang up your coat, pick up your keys and grab your shoes and bags so a few hallway storage pieces can make life easier, keep everything tidy and look great too.

For your hats and coats, wall hooks are ideal for compact spaces while a coat stand looks great if you have more floor space to play with. Keep all your keys, letters and small items to hand with a wall storage unit and prevent people tripping over discarded shoes with a shoe storage unit

Range cookers

Modern range cookers are built with the latest intelligent technology to make sure your cooking experience is as easy and functional as possible. Advances in the systems used to operate range cookers means your oven will be convenient, versatile and economic.

One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is the amount of flexibility you’ll require from your oven and hob. Consider what your cooking habits are likely to be and then choose a range cooker that will provide enough burner types, sizes and numbers as well as enough ovens to cope with the demands placed on it. Make sure that the size of range cooker you buy can fit in the space allocated in your kitchen.

Once you know how big your range cooker needs to be, you’ll have to make a decision on fuel type. In many respects this will be dictated by the supply to your home but you should also consider what best suits your cooking needs. Gas and electric cookers – known as dual fuel range cookers – are the most common type with gas burners on the hob and electric ovens. Gas offers the best controlled heat when cooking on the hob and electric ovens are best for speed and multi-functionality. If you go for a four oven range cooker you’ll have the option of using a conventional oven, fan oven, simmering oven and ceramic grill.

Your range cooker should have a variety of systems to aid your cooking experience. One of the most practical pieces of technology fitted into modern ovens is the electronic programmer. This is of great benefit to people with busy lifestyles or families as you have the option to program when the oven is to start and finish cooking. Features such as fast pre-heat can bring the oven up to cooking temperature quicker than conventional ovens saving you both time and money.

Aga – king of the range cookers

There’s one name that is synonymous with quality kitchen appliances and that is Aga. Aga range cookers are the modern extension of the iconic heat storing Aga offering the same classic looks and build quality but with all the options you’d find on a range cooker.

Aga have refined the control systems for their range cookers to give you total confidence that you’re cooking food at its best. The easy to clean surfaces, dye-cast solid doors and multiple ovens provide the ultimate cooking appliance for any kitchen.

The timeless design of an Aga range cooker will become the focal point of your kitchen. The models available have been designed to match the size of standard kitchen units and there is a range of colours to suit most tastes. Investing in an Aga will provide you with a cooker that has longevity and one that offers perfect cooking results.

There are many people that knit to make money and then there are those that knit for their family members and to give as gifts to either family or friends. The most wonderful kind of knitting comes from the heart, and each year, thousands of enthusiasts knit babies booties, shawls and gorgeous cardigans that they then donate to raffles, maternity wards in hospitals and for local charities.

If knitting has been your hobby for a long time, chances are you are familiar and confident with all types of knitting patterns, knitting accessories, knitting kits, and have worked with various types of wool knitting yarn.

Over the years you will have developed your own personal taste when it comes to choosing the type of wool knitting yarn that you find the most enjoyable to work with. This could also be true in regards to the knitting patterns that you use, as once you are really happy with one particular brand of pattern, chances are you will look for future patterns by shopping with this brand in mind.

For beginners that can’t wait to get their hands on a pair of needles to enjoy this wonderful hobby and start creating, you might find it worthwhile to start searching for your knitting patterns, wools and accessories online. A lot of information is currently available on the web, so you will not only be able to gather your supplies for the best price, you will also have access to tips and tricks as well.

These suggestions can often be invaluable to a beginner, as they are the result of many years of trial and error. Instead of making those mistakes as you go, you will have been pre-warned! You will of course still make mistakes, such as dropping a stitch or misreading the pattern, but hopefully this will only be occasionally and dwindle to rarely, as you become more experienced.

When selecting your wool knitting yarn, it is important to have a look around at some of the latest trends in knitting, even though you may already have a favourite. Choosing something different such as alpaca wool yarn, could really add a whole other dimension to your future projects. The possibilities of Alpaca knitwear is really only limited to your own creativity! Beginners could start with an alpaca scarf, or a pair of alpaca socks. For the more advanced knitters, there are some really new and fresh patterns around, and very soon you could be looking extremely snug and cosy in your hand knitted alpaca coat!

Searching online will provide you with the greatest range of top quality alpaca wool yarn, or any yarn for that matter, and it will also ensure you see the widest range of colours and ply’s available. The worlds oldest hobby just keeps on getting better and better as the years go by.

All of these appliances drain electric, gas and water which ultimately costs money and has a major impact on the environment. Here are some tips to make your kitchen more ‘green’ plus some Ethical and fair trade kitchen products for cooking and serving your food.

Ethical cooking tips

• Cook several dishes in one go – If cooking vegetables on the hob, use a tiered steamer rather than lots of pans. If using the oven, use all the shelves.
• When using the oven, try to avoid opening the door too often as the temperature drops by 15°C each time making your oven work harder.
• If cooking with pans, keep the lids on as this will use less gas. When bringing the pan to the boil, adjust the flame to the pan’s diameter to avoid heat wastage.
• Use a microwave to save time and energy.
• Don’t buy too many gadgets – Labour saving devices may look like a good idea but six million end up in landfill each year. If you don’t really need it, don’t buy it.

One product every kitchen needs is a chopping board to prevent damaging your kitchen surfaces when preparing food. The best boards are made from wood but as a natural resource, wood is depleting fast so buy fairtrade bamboo chopping boards. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world and therefore endlessly renewable.

Medium Bambu Cutting Board

For tasting, stirring, serving and eating, ethical kitchen utensils made from organic bamboo look great and will serve the amateur cook in your house for many years. Fairtrade serving bowls made from lacquered coiled bamboo are a stylish and colourful way to present salads and pasta dishes.

‘Give It A Rest’ Utensil Collection

Ethical washing tips

• Wash clothes on cooler settings – For most people that’s 40°C although newer machines will now wash at 15°C. A 40°C wash will use a third less power than one at 60°C.
• Prewash settings are not necessary so don’t use them.
• If you need to buy a new washing machine, choose the smallest one possible for your needs and make sure it has a hot water inlet.
• Dishwashers can be economical if used correctly. A full load on an economy setting can use less water than hand washing although bear in mind the electrical usage. If you’re considering buying dishwasher ask yourself if you really do need one.
• Rather than buying expensive and chemical-laden cleaning products to remove scale from your dishwasher or washing machine, use a cupful of vinegar on a full cycle (without any clothes or dishes inside though!).

Ethical appliance tips

• All new appliances by law must display an energy rating. This is displayed on a scale of A-G with A being the most energy efficient (an ‘energy plus’ model is even more efficient still). If you’re buying a new appliance, always make sure you’re aware of the rating and the materials used in the manufacturing process. Look for CFC and HFC free fridge/freezers and ones with an "R600a" hydrocarbon coolant label.
• When disposing of old appliances, check with your local council for a disposal depot which will reuse, recycle or recondition certain parts. This reduces the amount going to landfill.

Another area you can save money is by cutting back on the amount of maintenance you do around your property. Imagine simply enjoying your home and not planning the next painting job – and who actually likes taking doors off their hinges, painting them, and then the arguments as you try to re-hang them, lining up the screw holes and the attempts keeping the door exactly this many inches off the floor while you do it. UPVC (or unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, as opposed to PVC, or polyvinyl chloride), is gaining popularity in the construction industry, particularly UPVC doors and windows, especially when double glazed windows are installed (or, in older buildings, when single glazed windows are replaced with double glazed). UPVC is also being used in the production of fascias and soffits, meaning less upkeep. And the big plus is that they won’t warp, rot or flake, so what you get is what you’ll have in many years’ time.

You can get quotes to have your older fascias and soffits replaced with newer UPVC, and they come in a range of colours and finishes. Ensure that when you call for a quote, though, the company sources their products locally and not from overseas (especially the states) as this will help keep costs down. And the time and place has to be convenient to you. It would be best, and it would make sense, if the sales person came to you, so they can measure up and give the best price – not something they make up on the phone. They will also be able to answer any questions you have on the spot, which only goes to demonstrate their expertise!

Whether it’s to theme a nursery, update a child’s room or enhance a living space, you can have any style or design, tailored to suit your specific taste and budget.

The Design

As an experienced muralist, all of my murals are drawn free hand with no stencilling or projections involved. This allows me to transfer your ideas directly onto the wall with no scale or design restriction. I can work to all scales and budgets, producing either simple colourful wall murals to enhance a style of room – or completely theme a room in intricate detail. No project is too large or too small, and every project is treated with the same personal care and attention. When producing an interior scheme I can either translate your specific ideas directly or if you would prefer I can produce imaginative design creations for you. You may already have a room decorated and decide you want to take details from a border, curtains or duvet cover and create a mural to finish the room off.

The Price

There are a number of factors to consider that will determine the price of any given mural. The size of the mural, the detail, the wall texture and whether or not there is a ceiling involved – all have an impact on the costs. Prices start from as little as £65.00, so please use my contact page or phone me directly to arrange for a free consultation or guide price over the phone.

I am a fully qualified designer specialising in hand painted murals for interiors. I have always been creative and started painting murals when I was 14 in my own bedroom and then I found all of my friends wanted one. I went on to University and qualified with a Ba Hons in Design – Surface Pattern.

I worked as a designer for commercial companies but when I had my first child I decided that the nursery just had to have a Winnie The Pooh themed mural. As friends started to see my son’s room – my mural business began and it is the most rewarding and satisfying of jobs I have ever done.

As well as painting murals in people homes I have also been commissioned to produce murals for the National Health Service and other commercial properties, which have been featured in the local press.

Following our initial contact by phone, I would arrange to come and meet with you to view the room you intend to have the mural painted in. We would talk through your ideas, and at this stage if you needed inspiration I would also bring along ideas, pictures, and books to look at. For children’s rooms, every child has a favourite cartoon character, theme, TV character or book so this would be our starting point. If your child is old enough I always like to ask what they would like to see in their room so we make sure the mural makes everyone happy.

Once you have decided on the size and design of the mural that’s when I can provide you with an exact cost. My price is always inclusive of all materials and time – so no matter how long it takes me to complete the mural – the price will remain exactly as quoted (prices start from as little as £65).

When I come to paint the mural – the whole design is sketched out on the wall, ceiling or cupboard etc. in pencil first, and it is at this stage that I always make sure the client is completely happy with how the design looks before any painting begins – as once the design is painted changes are hard to make!

Your custom hand painted mural can usually be finished within a few days depending on size and detail level. The paints I use are waterproof and non-toxic and are therefore ideal to be used around children and babies.

Geopathic stress is natural radiation from the Earth that comes to the surface, but is altered along the way by electromagnetic fields caused by underground water, collections of certain minerals or fault lines. This radiation can be responsible for conditions ranging from infertility, cancer, migraines, joint pain, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and insomnia. The World Health Organisation also recognises Sick Building Syndrome is a result of geopathic stress.

Practitioners are available that can rid buildings of this radiation, or alter the building or its contents in such a way that the radiation is longer an issue. One such method is ‘dowsing’. In dowsing, a dowser uses tools and intuition to seek something (for example a water source, in ‘water dowsing’) – in this instance, the unconscious mind seeks the radiation that is infiltrating a building or room. Once the streams of radiation are found, methods are used to rid the radiation or move it, or alter the room or building so that the geopathic stress is no longer an issue. For example, if someone is suffering from insomnia, a dowser locates any geopathic stress and may find that the bed is lying on a geopathic stress line. By simply moving the bed, the sufferer will find they not only sleep better, but they have increased energy levels and become headache free. Another method that can be used in healing sick buildings utilises channelled energy to eliminate the negative energy (this can also be used on a person). This is known as ‘vortex healing’.

Another healing method is the ‘Alexander Technique‘. This is used to treat people, usually suffering from physical pain and/or stress caused by poor posture. By gaining awareness of how we stand, walk, sit and move in general, we can prevent issues that may arise as a result of poor habits, such as slouching. With this technique, the patient is taught to ‘treat themselves’ by monitoring their posture with a view to curing and preventing problems caused by it. It has been said that after learning how to use this method, patients not only find their pains have decreased (or disappeared), their overall posture is improved and they find more energy and suppleness. This then extrapolates to all areas of their lives.

These healing properties – the Alexander Technique, dowsing and vortex healing – can all work together to help heal sick minds, bodies and buildings. In the fast-paced world we live in today, we need all the help we can get!