In the largely extended house mentioned in an earlier post, there is of course the point about furnishing a newly built extension.  Do you go for more of the same that you’ve had for years or do you go mad and replace absolutely everything with vibrant new styling throughout.  Well having spent about 100K onContinue Reading Redistribute Furnishings Scales Down Costs

I have had dealings with a family who bought an already rather spacious Edwardian town villa just outside a midlands city.    The house was double fronted with four rooms each on the ground and upper floor.  This was changed over the years to knock through both dividing walls downstairs to make two massive long rooms,Continue Reading Edwardian Villa Extended Half As Much Again

I expect there are quite a few of us careful folk who veer away from anything that contains the word bespoke.  It used to mean very expensive clothes – designers for the royal family would have studios offering a bespoke service with unique designs and service to match.   Today the phrase  bespoke design can alsoContinue Reading Perfectly Bespoke Prefab Luxury

Many families have traditionally gone through a decorating and refurb frenzy in the quiet months between New Year and Easter.  It’s like a natural home/nest building phase in life we don’t really look forward to, or enjoy, but just has to be done.  These days however, I notice the tv adverts are imploring us toContinue Reading Interior Design Help Replaces Home Decor Frenzy

I love watching the odd daytime lifestyle programme on tv.  I particularly like the house programmes – there used to be one in the late 1990s called House Doctor, and american lady used to enter the homes of folk who had failed to sell their homes by conventional methods and she was brought in toContinue Reading How To Tidy Up That Unsellable House

I have two sets of friends each with four children – yes that is eight offspring between them.  These youngsters are all similar ages and the elest pairs of each are finisbing uni this year and the next set down strt their final years etc.  so we will have the excitement of several young folkContinue Reading When The Empty Nest Starts Refilling Again

It’s quite wonderful how a change of colour palette and one or two new soft furnishing updates can really make a room feel completely new and fresh.  The last few years have been rather drab for my liking.  Maybe it has something to do with the economic woes of this country and most of theContinue Reading Changing Up A Colourful Gear Raises Spirits

When you help out at a historic house, whatever size or importance, there will always be one person who shows their enthusiasm more than others in a group.  I was working with a chap who spreads his favours far and wide.  He belongs to the two major heritage fund raising charities as a steward andContinue Reading Volunteer One Upmanship Takes A Grip

There’s a nice small heritage property that I have recently taken to volunteering at.  Not huge in terms of rooms to wander round.  None of this green bedroom, yellow drawing room nonsense that bores in the bigger houses.  My little wonder is only from the early 1730s, replacing a larger tudor built manorial pile.  althoughContinue Reading Keeping Stately Home Ticking Rather Than Kicking

Time for collecting up the paint sample pots and fabric swatches always seems to fall between the search for perfect mothering sunday gifts and the search for the best value easter eggs.  This time of year is so invigorating and life affirming.  We have just sat through a seriously grim January and February, then thinkingContinue Reading Get Decorating To Kick Winter Blues Into Touch