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Step 1 Begin by daring to dream
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Firstly, think about what your new house will look and feel like when you have finished all your refurbishment work and you can put your feet up and begin living in your dream home. It is time to let your imagination think freely here!
Diving in and enjoying creating a whole house interior design scheme is the best place to start if you want to achieve a stylish and cohesive interior with visual consistency throughout, or to put is simply: a unified home interior design that flows.
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 Cool garden outdoor living' sample board in progress for Hampshire townhouse by A.Howse
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A general overview of how to do this involves taking a ‘broad brush’ view of your favourite styles, colours, shapes, textures, lifestyle choices and home technology essentials. As the organising expert Marie Kondo would say, home furnishings trends that “spark joy” for you.
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Step 2 Gathering ideas and inspiration
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It is a good idea to commence by gathering together snips, torn out paper highlights and flyers from the best interiors magazines and glossy newspaper supplements that happen to catch your eye.
The paint department in DIY stores often have lovely leaflets, with many images of the latest fashionable paint pairings and techniques to try out when decorating this year.
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You don’t need to invest in an expensive portfolio or computer equipment. A cheap A4 folder with a few dozen plastic sleeve pockets is ideal. These lightweight files are really portable, if you are lucky enough to be travelling around for inspiration too.
A passport isn’t necessary either, for this fun research task, luckily. Most places around the United Kingdom and beyond have great cultural houses, museums and trendy hot spots that can be checked out locally. Many counties and regions in England and Europe are filled with visitor attractions. Here you will find unusual interior colour combinations, architectural features and handmade craft treasures that you can view, that could also look great in your space, in one form or another.
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 Pink bedroom, Arundel Castle, West Sussex, photo by A.Howse
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Experiencing interesting environments in person, can be a great way of finding treats for all the senses. Music, fragrances and textures are key to creating a whole home, that reflects a brilliant blend of the individuals that live within.
In addition, as most design projects are now posted online, the internet is a brilliant place to search and discover enticing interiors from all over the world.
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Taking photographs (smart phones are great for this) of the grand houses and unique buildings that you are able to visit and admire is very helpful as you can see how different rooms have been assembled by professionals.
Walking through these public abodes is valuable time spent in order to think about what suits you and your family and how it could be possible to adapt some of the inviting and sophisticated ensembles, into a more informal or simplified version, that would work well in your own personal pad.
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Visually ‘shopping’ room sets and commercial interiors (in hotels or restaurants for example) that you really like, will help you to build up a design direction for your scheme.
Watching films and documentaries that are set in the design periods that you prefer and that relate to your chosen architecture can be illuminating. Watching recent adverts on television and streaming lifestyle, design and travel programs can be a surprising source of contemporary inspiration too.
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Picking up samples of paints, fabrics, flooring and tiles that you find beautiful or exciting can be really useful at this stage.
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 Hampshire townhouse sitting room interior design by Amanda Howse. Photo by Adam for Cubbit & West Ltd.
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Chatting with your nearest and dearest about what they love about being at home is helpful to build your understanding about what to incorporate into your plan that is especially for them.
Finding out what current trends float their boat, will also positively involve them in your whole house interior design, from the beginning. It is a winning strategy to get everybody onboard. Your loved ones might surprise you with their creative wisdom and flair for finding fabulous home accessories and coordinating materials.
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If you are digitally minded, websites like the online Pinterest social media site is a handy free tool. Posting on Instagram and other messaging sites that include images, have the pleasurable benefit for enabling your creative interiors research to become a more social experience.
You can chat to friends and other home interiors enthusiasts about possibilities, colour combinations and so on. Exploring design pins on the web enables you to get feedback and encouragement about your emerging ideas from lots of different people if you wish.
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Step 3 Consider what you have and what you can borrow
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Considering what you have already to furnish your home and which items is special and what you love is a good idea at this stage. If you already own some great furniture, curtains, prints or handmade artwork pieces, now is the time to make sure that they are center stage, in your whole house design.
Choosing the perfect pieces of art and decorative textiles, that you would like to incorporate in a scheme for your home can be a delightful activity. It can also happen somewhat accidentally as you are given pieces to ‘look after’. Alternatively, your ‘anchor’ pieces may be something that can happily build up into a set, that happens randomly over time. These meaningful artworks and furnishings can evolve, as you build a collection that celebrates your households’ identities, good times, travels and interests.
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 Hampshire townhouse interior with 'Pink lily fantasy flowers' artwork by Amanda Howse.
Photo by A.Howse
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The colours, shapes, materials and styles that are in your art, antiques, sculptures and textiles (and more) can provide a starting point for an initial colour palette and also a mood. New (or vintage) pieces can be introduced to harmonise (or strikingly contrast if you are feeling confident) with the core items that you may already have within your possessions.
If you are excited about the creative direction that your pre-loved particulars are taking you already, you will be well on your way to building a unique home scheme that is both original and delightful.
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Step 4 Start by going back to the drawing (and sample) board
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It is a good idea to pin your saved images (and photos of any pieces you already own) onto a big board or paste them into a scrapbook. It is fun to experiment with arranging samples and try out all sorts of different combinations.
Don’t worry about being too careful about collating your samples or too precise about sticking together your selections neatly. There is plenty of time to consider all the options and add to what you have gathered already. You can always reprint or colour photocopy your cut outs, swatches and images again, or several times over if you need to.
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 Fabric design studio interior design in Hampshire townhouse by Amadna Howse. Photo by A.Howse
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Think of your scrapbooks, project wallet files and sample boards as a way of capturing and developing your ideas. Have fun grouping the things that you like best, as you go on your journey to discovering your own whole house interior design scheme.
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Step 5 Functional reality checklist
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Taking time to ponder (and measure up if appropriate) the existing size and proportions of your home is a useful part of the process. If you have plans of your home already to scale, print these out and look at your room shapes in a view drawn from above.
Assessing the total space that you have available and the number of people who are using each space may be important in deciding where to allocate precious resources. The aim is choosing the most suitable design solution in order to meet all your functional and aesthetic needs, whilst staying within your financial limitations.
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 Kitchen with arches in Hampshire townhouse. Interior design by Amanda Howse.
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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Wondering how ‘busy’ or ‘minimalist’ you would like your abode to appear, will really help you ‘max out’ or ‘pare back’ the number and quantity of interior elements that you want to introduce.
At this stage list down on paper, or a digital device, all the occupants and all the visitors that will likely spend time in your home. Then note what activities and entertainments that you and they regularly like to do, as well as all the practical facilities that your home essentially needs to accommodate them welcomely.
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This is a really useful exercise to help you define a set brief of things that your overall design has to include, to comfortably provide for you and your family’s (or housemates) needs.
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Step 6 Compare the options and know your priorities
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Take time to compare your dream pinboard of ideas and your wish list of luxury interior design features with your more practical brief of spaces and equipment and furnishings that you definitely need to incorporate into your scheme. Hopefully you can see how these different aspects can work together and that gives you a really good place to start when developing your own individual house design options.
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Don’t be afraid to drop and forget specific ideas and creative directions that do not chime well with your own personal vibe, your chosen activities and your homes age, state of repair, atmosphere and location.
For example, it is best to avoid embracing any very high maintenance decorative fashions such as sumptuous velvet or silk fabric wallcoverings if you have children, boisterous teenagers, pets, lodgers or regularly rather lively house guests.
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 Low maintenance garden design for Hampshire townhouse by Amand Howse.
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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On the plus side energetic home occupants and four legged friends can add tons of character and healthy joyful energy to any place, so nobody will ever notice your final design scheme is on the ‘keep it practical’ side.
If your property is listed get advice from your local council about suitable specialists to guide you about what you can and cannot do when refurbishing your house. Each local council website in England has an advice section online with lots of information regarding the official building standards you must follow, the planning permissions you must obtain and the certificates that you need to get from professional planning specialists, if you are doing anything major and/or any structural changes as a homeowner.
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The local council planning website is also the place to check what you can do without needing to contact the county’s planning department. The good news is that many popular home upgrades and interior refurbishment projects are well within ‘permitted development’ and don’t need any special applications to be administered.
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Step 7 Think about proportions, architecture and moderation
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Sometimes ‘less is more’ and ‘keeping it simple’ can mean going with a style and colour palette that reflects you own personal taste without ‘throwing the kitchen sink’ of trendy options into your room decoration choices. This is especially true in a relatively modest sized home like our first Create Display complete town house refurbishment project.
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Highlighting any excellent architectural features that you would like to keep early on in the project, can really help to identify and anchor your scheme. In this example we celebrated a lot of exposed brickwork which formed a large fireplace and full-length shelving and alcove surrounds which were added by previous homeowners who moved in, not long after the house was built in 1960.
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Sitting room with exposed brickwork feature in Hampshire townhouse (also see fireplace image) interior design by Amanda Howse.
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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The existing brick fireplace feature and accompanying storage structures were very solid and functional but felt dated rather than trendily ‘mid-century retro’. However, when we applied a ‘limewash’ effect to the brick, the sitting room was instantly updated into a contemporary blush pink and cream haven. Lots of warm lilacs and buff neutrals with a soft and warm texture that provided the impact that any beautiful home interior needs, as well as a cosy focal point to the heart of this family home.
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If existing interior elements are of good quality and in fair condition think about how to update them with additional layers of the latest new finishes such as: adding the latest vogue in paint tints, extra paneling and carpentry, beautiful decorative fabric, gorgeous patterned wallpaper, wonderful upholstery materials or pretty mosaic tiles, to keep your look fresh.
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Keep the scheme flowing throughout your home and include every room. Incorporating the bedrooms, study’s, bathrooms, garden and any storage spaces in a consistent way is pleasing to the eye and affects optimistically how you and your guests will perceive the house as a whole.
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A rare exception to this general rule is if you have a very large residence like a farmhouse or manor house and you want to surprise your visitors with the fantastically exotic feel of experiencing many different rooms full of treasures from different lands. Usually, a large budget and very confident interior design decoration is required to pull off this kind of more dramatic scheme successfully.
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Visiting National Trust, English Heritage or other historic homes around the world can be very helpful if you are considering an elaborate and very imaginative home interior scheme of this sort. For our less theatrical castles these complicated schemes would not be recommended. One harmonious interior design scheme executed really well is the way to go for the majority of our more ‘small is beautiful’ addresses.
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For most folks with modest budgets and less than half a dozen bedrooms in their homes, a plan that incorporates mainly simple complimentary colours and styles, with a few more luxurious pieces, featured in the most used rooms, will be more than enough design magic to create a really special custom designed living environment that can be enjoyed by all.
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Adding enough curves and circles into home interior schemes that naturally come with lots of boxy right-angled spaces, is a straightforward way to create a softer more inviting appearance and pleasing visual balance in your home.
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Step 8 Time to go shopping, visit suppliers and check out potential tradespeople
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Once you have your sample boards collated in some sort of organised fashion and you are fairly happy with them, then it is time to visit more suppliers, stores and second-hand emporiums. Considering which retailers, websites and fairs can likely fulfill your visual design recipe in the most affordable, sustainable and timely fashion is a worthwhile task, at this point in the process.
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Clarifying exactly what your price range and timescales are and choosing suppliers that can meet your specific requirements easily, can help you complete a successful whole house design project.
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Concentrating on the larger areas to cover within your scheme and any bigger and more pricy sized pieces that need to be sourced, will assist with making your budget go as far as possible.
So that means focusing on any of the following first: building work, windows and doors, plumbing, electrical, plastering or major landscaping work, any heating upgrades, kitchen units and equipment, bathroom installations, flooring, wall coverings and large furniture items.
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 First floor landing with electric piano and Lloyd Loom armchair in Hampshire townhouse. Interior design by Amanda Howse. Photo by A. Howse
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When calculating price ranges and timescales for each part of your scheme don’t forget to include miscellaneous personal items. These home highlights might be individually very important to you or your family members. Items such as a movie screen TV, cocktail bar, gym equipment, a sculpture or an artwork by your favourite artist or perhaps a musical instrument like a grand piano or vintage guitar.
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Depending on how much custom made and renovation work needs to be done, labour is often the biggest cost when overseeing a whole house interior design project. Getting several quotes from different tradespeople can help you build up a picture of what is possible to achieve within your maximum budget and timeframes.
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Purchasing flooring, furniture and furnishings from companies that can fulfill your access and installation needs is worth thinking about in advance. Measuring up where you can and being as specific as possible about what your requirements are makes sense.
Asking the store managers in advance carefully if they can delivery to your property conveniently for you, is crucial. Some residential properties have rural addresses or unusually small entryways, low ceilings and winding staircases for example and this can lead to unexpected delivery problems if not preempted.
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Some forethought in this regard will help you enjoy unpacking your new materials and homeware and mean that you can say goodbye to the tradespeople, put away the DIY tools and pack away your painting kit within your allocated calendar weeks or months. Then you can all set about living and relaxing in your perfectly decorated property after a smooth and timely transition to ticking off everything on your list of interior design and renovation ‘to do’s’.
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It is a sensible moment to decide whether having formed your whole house interior design strategy and scheme concept, it might be a good idea to split the refurbishment works into two or more phases to allow for aspects like budgeting, household work and holiday schedules, prebooked personal commitments and also allowing for seasonal weather considerations.
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Step 9 Shop local if you can and support your local businesses
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Talking with close friends and colleagues is an excellent way to find out about art and antiques fairs, second-hand sales and fantastic boutiques that are near where you live or that are worth a visit.
The local press is also a source of thrifty sales and antiques auctions near you over the coming weeks. Local estate sales or vintage fairs and car boot sales can be a way of shopping for some fine quality second hand items on your list, plus it is better for conserving the environment too.
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 Single bedroom with vintage pine bed, chest of drawers and J P Baker bird and berry curtains. Interior design and 'Motorsailors' textile artwork by Aamdna Howse. Photo by A. Howse
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If you know people in your neighborhood (or you are looking for a nice way to introduce yourself) then asking for personal opinions and recommendations on who are the best tradespeople and who are the top building merchants and decorators etc. in the area, as this is very valuable information to know.
Builders will often know other tradespeople who they regularly work with on projects. Flooring, building and tiling merchants etc. usually have fitters and delivery services they can arrange easily and sometimes at no extra cost.
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Step 10 Sell, donate and loose what is unsuitable
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It can be really tempting if you are furnishing your first whole home and/or you are on a very tight budget to accept any kindly meant donations or free ‘hand me downs’ to help craft your own oasis and ‘machine for living in’.
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Sometimes you can find yourself with unexpected gems after being very grateful to accept excellent furniture and furnishing heirlooms that are no longer needed by those travelling abroad or downsizing, however some caution is required in this regard.
Although the ‘waste not want not’ saying has its place, it is clever to be a bit hesitant in accepting all freebies that are kindly offered by well-meaning friends and family, to avoid becoming inundated with ‘do for now’ homeware compromises and suddenly finding you can’t see the ‘wood from the trees’.
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It is much better to be very selective when bringing pieces, especially large furniture items into your new abode, so you can live with the space and then gradually introduce the right good quality pieces from the beginning. If in doubt, just look again at your brief (the list of the things that you definitely want to be included in your design) and don’t stray too far from this guide.
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Similarly, if your instincts are that any kitchen equipment, bathroom, furniture or antique pieces that are found in your new home are either not blending with the architectural period or adding positively to your lifestyle and favoured design look, then it is probably best to ‘clear the decks’.
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 Multifunctional patio garden with studio in Hampshire townhouse.
Design by Amanda Howse
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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Sell online, in your local antiques auction, in your local online marketplace or just take and donate to charity any unwanted or ‘odd one out’ interior pieces. If you live in the UK, do let charities know if you are eligible (pay UK tax) as this can enable them to claim ‘gift aid’ on your donations as this gives the charity an extra 25% in value in a government scheme.
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Step 11 Variety is the spice of life
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A basic 2,3 or 4 colour palette which is chosen along with a couple of selected decorative prints and an idea of period references or modern looks, is enough on which to base an entire whole house scheme that looks upbeat, polished and elegant.
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The chosen colours and prints can flow from the front driveway through the entrance and be carried consistently around the whole house and out into the garden and also any workshop, hobby studios, home offices or outdoor lodges.
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It is worth remembering that textures are important to add interest to simple colour schemes. Choosing real wood flooring (or engineered wood or laminate alternatives) carpets, metallic fittings, interesting ceramic tiles, stone or marble tabletops and lots of different glass and mirrored finishes (safety glass were necessary) can really add understated glamour and everyday luxury to your home.
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 Master bedroom with round cherry side tables in Hampshire townhouse. Interior design and art by Amanda Howse.
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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Different lighting solutions in coordinating tones can add further interest and create flexible moods for different times of day and seasons of the year. Using LED lightbulbs ensures that your property meets the highest environmental rating possible.
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Step 12 Go solar and consider adding extra backup power systems
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Do you know the current environmental rating for your existing home? It costs less than £100 in England to have an environmental assessment and this will give you valuable information about how to minimize your carbon footprint and heating and utility bills and maximise the efficiency of your entire building.
Look out for government schemes that can enable home upgrades like extra loft insulation and heat pumps to become more affordable. Your local council website will have more information on any green home promotions and programs that are available in your area.
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 Kitchen with LED lighting in Hampshire townhouse. Interior Design by Amanda Howse.
Photo by Adam for Cubitt and West Ltd.
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Solar power is great for powering residential house circuits like indoor and outdoor lighting. Considering a new installation of a solar panel system in your garden, carport or outhouses is a super way to minimize your home running costs. Make sure that you consult your utility company and have an electrician oversee and certify any electrical projects as you will need the certificates for your home owner’s files.
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Look out for future posts about alternative and more environmentally friendly energy that may be suitable for installing in your home…coming soon.
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Shall I lead my whole house interior design project, get some more help or opt to delegate it?
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We hope this feature helps you to feel confident to try tackling a whole house interior design project. Some people have limited funds and may lead very busy lives and therefore prefer to decorate one room at a time.
If ‘room by room’ is what you feel comfortable doing that is of course fine and do let us know how you get on and share your interior design gems.
There are still advantages to taking an overall approach with a whole home scheme and often this is the most appropriate way forward if you are moving house, for example.
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Life is about learning and developing don’t be afraid to take risks, get stuck in and try something new. Usually with interior design whatever you do is not completely permanent and can be changed, altered, redone, repainted or recovered if you wish to. Expect your home to evolve organically as you do and your family does, over time.
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Don’t worry if you feel that you are unable to ever agree how to decorate with your spouse or fellow household partners this is very normal and it would be a very boring world if we all liked the same thing and we never disagreed.
Perhaps you struggle to see colours clearly or you need help to understand how to handle tricky home layouts or architectural styles? Maybe putting things together and interior design is just ‘not your thing’?
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If for whatever reason this all sounds like too much like hard work for an already busy person or you feel overwhelmed, or you simply would like to work with a professional to complete your whole house interior, do get in touch.
Send us a message admin@createdisplay.com and we can talk about your individual residential design project and how our services may be able to help you realise your perfect home dreams one step at a time. https://www.createdisplay.com/?page_id=528
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Create Display Etsy Shop
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https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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Arundel Castle
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https://www.arundelcastle.org/
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Cubitt and West
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https://www.cubittandwest.co.uk/
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B and Q
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https://www.diy.com/
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Dulux
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https://www.dulux.co.uk/
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 Amanda H in the studio with unfinished landscape painting (detail) Image by Create Display Amanda H in the studio with unfinished landscape painting (detail) Image by Create Display team [/caption]
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It is mid-April in England and the gardens and landscapes of Sussex are green and bursting with colourful flowers at last. We have had enormous amounts of rain since Christmas all along the southern counties which has caused some flooding. This has meant Hampshire and Sussex have been on the news again this year, especially in the coastal villages and along the river Arun which has burst its banks.
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Consequently, we are all just emerging outside and assessing the best projects to tackle first in order to brighten up our homes and business premises this season. It has been a good time to get organised with our favourite white painted baskets which are ideal for fabrics. The wet weather has also been a good opportunity to do some water-based painting sessions in the studio. More details on our latest pieces to follow…in the meantime check out our finished items on sale in our Etsy shop:
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https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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 'noughties' pink MaxMara waisted jacket with custom matching cordroy hat cuffs and leather tassle bag. Alteration and photo by Amanda Howse
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We have also enjoyed taking care of some thrifty alterations to our outdoor kit for cooler days. This wool hat and down filled coat have been enhanced using rose quartz pink corduroy fabric from Hobbycraft. A matching leather bag has been updated with a felt heart applique and some toning ribbons also from the crafty outlet emporium.
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 John Lewis bedlinen in Create Display country cottage interior bedroom with custom made headboard and cushiion and upcycled furniture. Photo and interior by Amanda Howse
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April is a perfect time to spruce up your bedding ready for the sunny mornings and long evenings, when I personally love to read something inspiring to round off the day. This 100% cotton set pictured here is from John Lewis. Here is a link for a similar botanical print that will certainly get you ready to start the day embracing spring:
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https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-botany-duvet-cover-set/p6326504
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 A pair of intertwined pink orchids brighten window cill in white kitchen in Sussex country cottage. Photo by Amanda Howse
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Bringing nature indoors is an easy and affordable way to style neutral interiors this season. Shades of fuchsia and rose are uplifting and perfect for softening a white and monochrome kitchen and adding a splash of brighter colour.
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 Three painted pots of pink orchids with cream china fruit bowl add colour to white country kitchen
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At Create Display we wish you a happy and healthy spring wherever you like to live. Many thanks for dropping by to our blog. To talk with us about refreshiong your interior scheme or any other project or idea contact us:
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https://www.createdisplay.com/?page_id=528
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B&Q white baskets
https://https://www.diy.com/search?term=white+baskets
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Weekend MaxMara ladies padded coats
https://gb.weekendmaxmara.com/outerwear/padded-coats
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 Amanda Howse with watercolour art interior Denmark January 2024
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The Scandinavians are expert at creating cosy yuletide interiors and it has been a pleasure to see my hand painted watercolours displayed in a special Danish home setting. The Old Norse term hygge means ‘to comfort’ and comes from the Icelandic word hugr which means ‘mind’.
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 Moonlit tabby mixed media art by A.Howse
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This winter we were inspired by the magical Coronation and the Crown light show event at the Tower of London. Light overcoming darkness and colour beaming through the night sky was also a favourite idea as we enjoyed the many festive lights brightening up what has otherwise been a rather dark and bleak winter for us all for many reasons.
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 Chichester City Tree Lights (detail) Photo by A. Howse
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We were cheered by all the splendid displays of traditional fir trees and many other varieties of foliage festooned with strings of twinkling stars. The Petworth House Christmas tree dressing displays were traditional and beautiful. The Ideal Home Show entrance at Kensington Olympia surprised and delighted us with a sparkling snowy scene featuring a dozen life-size reindeer.
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 Fir tree display with pastel snow scene at Petworth House Sussex. Photo by A. Howse
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The ability for technology to transform and help us mend and create solutions is perfectly encapsulated by the wonderful 3D printers now available to small businesses and craft folk. We have embraced learning more about this way of creating and we combined photography and a 3D printed ‘bauble’ in our handmade Christmas and Happy New Year cards for those we met over the festive season.
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It has been fun to discover the possibilities of printing in colour in three dimensions and we look forward to being able to combine this modern tool with more traditional methods of creating and upcycling in the near future.
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 A selection of festive 3D prints using Bamboo colour printer. Photo by A. Howse
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More details about our latest interior design, home make-over projects and Easter ideas coming soon, in the meantime keep cosy and happy spring!
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Here is an article with more details about The Coronation and The Crown at The Tower of London and other Winter 23/24 creative events:
https://www.hotenough.com/2024/01/11/more-modest-festive-parties-rounded-off-2023-as-a-traditional-christmas-was-celebrated/
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For more spring 2024 interior design ideas check out our online shop:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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For more information about 3D printing see manufacturers website:
https://bambulab.com/en-gb
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Also see this article on 3D printing at home:
https://www.hotenough.com/2024/02/07/what-are-3d-printers-and-why-would-you-want-one-in-your-home/
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 Pink petunias in the garden at sunset.
Photo by A.Howse
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Summer 2023 has flown by and we will talk more about our creative and nautical adventures in another post celebrating the ‘blues and beyond’ soon. The next project to talk about is our recent playful rose tinted interior.
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We painted the hall, stairs and landings of this typically English brick mid-century modern terraced house to reflect soft warm light and sweet sunsets. The walls are painted in Farrow and Ball’s Middleton Pink and finished off with Create Display original nautical and floral textile artwork, which is hung on the matt painted walls.
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 Photo by A. Howse
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The staircase in this property is a statement that connects the three floors and it is fitting that it deserves to be highlighted carefully, as a central piece of the home’s design. As this solid pine balustrade had only previously been varnished, we sanded down the wood and applied primer and two coats of good quality paint, to achieve a new and up to date look.
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A few coats of B&Q’s durable silk emulsion in white ensures that the paintwork will stand up to a lot of wear over the next couple of years, from the family and friends who enjoy living and visiting the property. This durable silk emulsion is designed to be wipeable, a really useful benefit, especially with young people (or children) at home
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 Pink, white and green first floor landing and stairs to ground floor.
Photo by A.Howse
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The good quality mint green wool carpet is at least a decade old and still going strong thanks to regular steam cleaning. The freshly added rose curtains are a good quality vintage pair, purchased in the picturesque town of Midhurst in West Sussex and given an extra wash using the hand wash cycle of the home’s washing machine. Choosing cool pastels in modern residential interiors is ideal for creating a calm, relaxing and spacious vibe throughout any home with relatively modest sized spaces.
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The most challenging part of achieving this makeover was painting the second-floor ceiling on top of the stairway owing to its approximately 2.5 metre height. Adding a small brush and then a roller to a B&Q GoodHome telescopic extension pole made this job easy and convenient. (1)
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English aristocracy have been using the warmest soft hues in the design of their stylish abodes for hundreds of years. Along the coast at Arundel Castle in West Sussex there is a beautiful shell pink and old gold bedroom fit for a queen. More about visiting English country interiors in our recent article here:
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https://www.hotenough.com/2023/08/19/english-country-house-interiors-to-see-in-the-south-of-england-this-summer
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This Spring the Ideal Home Show in London featured a tempting handful of marshmallow pink interiors including the cosy bedroom pictured in the review article here https://www.hotenough.com/2023/04/02/2355/
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 First floor landing looking up to second floor in pink, white and green interior.
Photo by A. Howse Pink home office with sofa room set display by IKEA Southampton.
Photo by A.Howse
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This autumn the clever folks at IKEA also chose to present their informal ‘pink home office with blue seating area’ room set display. The striking contemporary furniture ensemble and geometric painted walls also feature stencilling proclaiming ‘Live Colour Fully’ in graphic wall art. Several large framed boldly printed posters in coordinating colourways complete this fashionable pastel look.
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 Photo by A.Howse
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(1) GoodHome Telescopic Extension pole, 2000mm-3000mm, B&Q Home Improvement Superstore, 6 November 2023 https://www.diy.com/departments/painting-decorating/DIY779142.cat
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(2) Retail and Eco Style Update: Much Needed Pastels Bring Spring Cheer https://www.hotenough.com/2023/06/19/retail-eco-style-update-much-needed-pastels-bring-spring-cheer/
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(3) English Country House Interiors to See in the South of England this Summer, A. Howse, HotEnough.com, 4 November 2023 https://www.hotenough.com/2023/08/19/english-country-house-interiors-to-see-in-the-south-of-england-this-summer/
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(4) Last Call for Andy Warhol: The Textiles at London’s Fashion and Textile Museum A. Howse, HotEnough.com, 4 November 2023 https://www.hotenough.com/2023/09/08/last-call-for-andy-warhol-the-textiles-at-londons-fashion-and-textile-museum/
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(5) Last Day for London’s Inspiring and Entertaining Ideal Home Show 2023, HotEnough.com, 2 April 2023 https://www.hotenough.com/2023/04/02/2355/
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 Selsey penisular sunset, West Sussex, photo by Amanda Howse
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It is the second week of March and it is meteorological spring already but it seems nobody has told the snowy weather in England! Therefore, as it has been a while, it seems the perfect timing for a wintry roundup, with lots of sunny day wishes for 2023, from us at Create Display.
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It has been a busy season with everyone back in full swing this year, at last. There has been lots of local creative community meetings and exhibitions in Sussex and Hampshire and some exciting artistic events in and around London. Happily, there has also been time for some interior design, writing, painting, making and sewing too.
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Some excellent walks at this time of year are a great opportunity for getting out in nature and enjoying the crisp cool light. We are fortunate to live on the Solent coast of England and I have been inspired by both the colourful sunsets and the watercolour pastels of our often-icy countryside.
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 Warm Light Vibes original collage painting by Amanda Howse
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Here is a recent ‘Warm Light Vibes’ collage painting from my studio which I hope will give you a peaceful feeling. ‘Light, love and good energy will overcome the darkness’ is a theme that applies to our unexpectedly long cold beginning to the year and a lot of things that are happening in the world right now. I am using upcycled paper and Pebeo acrylic paints along with some leftover Dulux interior emulsion for this piece, which is painted on a deep canvas, from our local Hobbycraft.
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We are delighted to be able to visit our favourite textile supplier The Eternal Maker at their wonderful new premises in Sidlesham, West Sussex. The Eternal Maker’s smart new barn store is complete with super new studio for classes and makers meet-ups.
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 A Howse outside studio with 'Warm Light Vibes' collage painting.
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I was able to make holiday cards for special people I saw over the holidays. I like to buy simple message charity cards, turn them inside out and ‘wrap’ my own designs on the fronts. This technique works well for crafting all kinds of greetings cards too.
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Here I am using a Hewitt Packard colour laser jet professional MFP M477fnw printer and scanner to print my images. I have owned this workhorse for a few years and it is an excellent piece of equipment. I just use PVA glue to carefully layer the cut sections onto cards I have painted with leftover multipurpose decorating paint (B&Q own brand).
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 Handmade new year 2023 cards featuring Warm Light Vibes painting by Amadna Howse
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This sunset painting on a deep canvas is inspired by the Sussex coastline. My office walls are painted in Dulux ‘natural calico’ paint which is a good neutral background hue for our colourful wall hanging collection. I have really enjoyed having this shoreline picture in my office over the last few weeks to remind us that brighter days are on the way. So, roll on spring!
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 'Sunset Sussex Shoreline' original painting by Amanda Howse
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For more information about interesting art, design and textile related shows follow the links below to these articles and more at https://www.hotenough.com/
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Create Display Etsy shop
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https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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Instagram
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@amandajhowse
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Eternal Maker website
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https://eternalmaker.com/
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Hobbycraft website
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https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/
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Pebeo Paints website
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https://en.pebeo.com/
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Faffe Fassett show article
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https://www.hotenough.com/2023/03/09/kaffe-fassett-power-of-pattern-show-is-a-kaleidoscope-of-colour/
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Butterick Vogue Pattern Factory show article
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https://www.hotenough.com/2023/03/02/johansons-show-celebrates-butterick-pattern-factory/
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Objects of Desire Surrealism show article
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https://www.hotenough.com/2023/02/12/expand-your-imagination-visiting-objects-of-desire-at-the-design-museum/
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 Jubilee Window Display Barnardo's Chichester, West Sussex
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Millions of people all around the world joined in to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. On June 2nd 1952 at just 25 years old, Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation was seen globally. Our Queen holds the record for the longest serving monarch so the country has been determined to honour all her achievements in high style. Since 1953 Queen Elizabeth has been Head of the Commonwealth which covers 14 ‘realms’ and 54 countries.
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 Queen Stamp Collages, Jubilee Street Party, Camberwell Green, London
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During the long Bank Holiday weekend there were several official galas which commenced with the Trooping of the Colour which is a tradition on the Queen’s official birthday annually.
More details about the celebrations in London can be found in our article #Londoners Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with Free Street Parties’
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Although the major processions were initially formally organised back in the Autumn of 2021, public organisations and businesses everywhere in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland began to decorate and prepare for this memorable weekend before and during May 2022. By the time June began the Union Jack bunting was everywhere and there were reports that most jubilee trimmings have sold out.
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 Library Jubilee Display Camberwell Green, London
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Small independent retailers and big chain stores all took up the theme and used their window displays to thank the Queen for her service in hundreds of creative ways. There were mannequins dressed like the Queen and lots of vintage inspired collections with the revival of 1950’s style and music being enjoyed as particularly appropriate. Corgis were frequently featured as the Queen’s favoured breed which made for fun promotions. Red, white and blue presentations which included posters, cut-outs, books and images of the royals were everywhere from libraries and museums to bars and restaurants.
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 Queens Jubilee window display Vintage Rose, Chichester, West Sussex
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The combination of free outdoor market fairs with entertainments for all the family and commercial promotional displays created a vibrant visual feast, in most towns and cities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. More details about how counties outside the capitol like Sussex celebrated 70 years of her Majesty’s reign, can be found in our article #(2) ‘UK Towns and Cities Get the Flags Out for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee’
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 Jubilee 'yarn bombed' post box, Bosham, West Sussex
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In many towns nationwide the campaign chairs, tablecloths and colourful flags were prepared ready for an afternoon on Sunday of toasting the Queen, in colourful Jubilee outfits and hats. A variety of ‘afternoon tea’ inspired foods and drinks and some favourite international cuisine dishes graced the decorated outdoor banquets.
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 Queen's Jubilee window display poster, West Sussex
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In many towns nationwide the campaign chairs, tablecloths and colourful flags were prepared ready for an afternoon on Sunday of toasting the Queen, in colourful Jubilee outfits and hats. A variety of ‘afternoon tea’ inspired foods and drinks and some favourite international cuisine dishes graced the decorated outdoor banquets. ‘What a weekend’ was the verdict from most citizens. The four-day national holiday with hundreds of regional uplifting events to thank the Queen for her work, was declared a delightful and lavish success.
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 Bosham Walk Art and Craft Centre Platinum Jubilee display
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 Sussex Sunset Original Art by Amanda Howse
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Spring well-being outdoors together again
In England we have all been very happy to see the warmer weather and longer days to cheer us up. For creative folk Spring is a time to be inspired by nature and the blossoming and blooming of our gardens, countryside and coastlines. On the south coast our environment is a joy during the spring and summer months.
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Just spending a little time outside looking at the bees, butterflies and other miniature insects, chicks and other new-born animals brings us comfort and pleasure. Smelling the grass and plants after the rain and listening to the birdsong and the sound of families enjoying a day at the beach is delightful.
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It is possible to paint outside, or inside with all the doors and windows open, on most days. The extended hours of daylight make drawing, crafts, gardening and all sort of other creative pastimes possible. Sports and socialising can be enjoyed well into the evening and outside music and campfire songs become an option once more, during this special time of year.
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 Chichester Pride flag and red roses
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We have been (as safely as possible) meeting up with family, friends and work colleagues once again. On the whole for most young people and adults returning to workplaces and attending events is really uplifting.
Millions of people completed their DIY to do list during the lockdowns last year and the year before. Moving into bigger homes in more rural ‘out of the city’ locations has also been a key trend in England. Market towns and coastal areas have received in many cases a much-needed tourism boost with increased year-round local custom and visitors from all over Britain and the rest of the UK.
Online shopping is part of life for nearly everyone now and you can see our online store and many other unique makers at
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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Adults and young people took up new creative hobbies and tried new skills during the unexpected ‘work from home if you can’ weeks. Guitars were played, hats were crocheted, vegetables were grown, online courses were achieved, languages were learnt and sewing stash projects were accomplished.
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 Bosham Walk Art and Craft Centre Platinum Jubilee display
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In London, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey the tourism websites and social event listings are full with Pride carnivals, theatre performances, art exhibitions, musical performances, summer fetes, community and market shows. In addition, all manner of contests and street party related ‘knees ups’ are currently being promoted with red, white and blue bunting displays to advertise the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, this extended bank holiday weekend.
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Going forward it will be interesting to see what creative work directions and new hobbies become a permanent part of daily living in the future, as most people find time to visit friends, take minibreaks, commute and go to meetings and conferences ‘in real life’ once again.
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 Original art collage in progress by Amanda Howse
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We have several massive challenges in our society, along with some excellent opportunities to improve the quality of life for our fellow citizens, which we will look at in more detail in future posts and you can read more of our articles at https://www.hotenough.com/.
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As a country the people of the United Kingdom are known for innovation and creativity in solving problems and creating solutions. This is definitely a time to use our positive energy to help others in our community locally and globally, to be able to live a better life.
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 Galley kitchen interior park garden home Hampshire
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Recently we helped complete a home interior makeover in order to accommodate welcoming the lodgers moving into a delightful mid-century house in Hampshire in England, for the first time.
We kept the walls and furniture light and bright in order to give the cottage a feeling of freshness and space. The effect means touching up with white paint in the future is a breeze and the views over the park remain the star feature of this cool modern pad.
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 Kitchen interior ready for lodgers
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The galley kitchen is clean and functional with units, furniture and furnishings from Ikea all expertly fitted and tiled by Mr Golding from Kent. All our projects together have worked out superbly due to Mr Golding's attention to detail and extensive experience. (Contact us for more details) Large tiles were sourced from online suppliers and used both on the worktops and the floor. The light white marble effect tiles are particularly stunning as a heatproof work surface and their large size makes keeping the kitchen spotless very easy.
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 First floor double bedroom ready for lady lodger
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If you are considering letting your spare room in order to welcome a professional lodger, see our article on what to think about before you advertise your houseshare:
https://www.hotenough.com/2021/07/12/what-to-think-about-when-considering-letting-rooms-to-lodgers/
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 Bedroom interior ready for a lady lodger
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This year we have also designed a 1960's home to appeal just to female lodgers in this townhouse which is also in Hampshire in England. This property has the benefit of an attic bedroom which has a wonderful cosy feel to it. In this scheme we paid particular attention to the details. This is because the new educated female in the household was arriving from overseas.
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 Attic bedroom interior with desk that doubles as dressing table
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We wanted our lovely lady to feel instantly at home so we redecorated and added lots of textures. We have shopped locally for our second-hand items from local charities and upcycled pieces throughout the home. We have also chosen local retailers for all our furnishings pictured here.
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The views over pretty gardens are highlighted by the durable and cosy CarpetRight silver carpet, ivory lace painted walls by Dulux at B&Q and coordinating accessories in a soft pink accent colour. The unusual bedside tables are reproduction cherry wood pieces from Europe, which add character to the inviting boudoir.
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 Attic bedroom interior with vintage chest of drawers and metal B&Q chair
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Most of the bought accessories and 100% cotton bedding is from Asda. The jewellery hanger is handmade and the Irish linen tablecloth, curtains and the white chest of drawers are all vintage. The metal double bed and mattress are from Ikea and the chair and desk which doubles as a dressing table is from B&Q. The outdoor chair matches a set that is used in the garden for outdoor dining, so this chair can be easily used as extra seating for guests if needed.
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We like to add a TV with a firestick in each bedroom to enable most channels and streaming services to be available. This system can be used with the fast broadband connection which is all included for our hard-working home sharers to relax with at the end of the day. We have also taken care to design the sitting rooms and gardens to make sure everyone can enjoy living in a smart contemporary home together.
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For advice on designing bedroom specifically for female lodgers contact us at Create Display or more information see our article here:
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https://www.hotenough.com/2021/07/04/how-to-design-a-lodger-ladies-bedroom-for-an-ideal-house-sharing-experience
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https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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Create Display Handmade Etsy Shop
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https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/
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Ikea
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https://www.diy.com/
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B&Q
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https://www.dulux.co.uk/en
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Dulux
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https://www.carpetright.co.uk/store/
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CarpetRight
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https://direct.asda.com/george/home/D26,default,sc.html
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Asda
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 Garden planters with tulips
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This spring we have been making the most of our outdoor spaces especially since the gradual lifting of the regulations has allowed for us to walk and meet outside together once again. Inspired by wonderful Mediterranean design we have created a new ceramic stone coloured patio where some old decking used to be.
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We have chosen an area of the garden in a mid century terrace in Hampshire, England which faces west and enjoys lots of sunshine. This design could be scaled up by adding more panels and planters or scaled down by just building one planter with a single trellis panel. This method is suitable for a large property or a small balcony. Alternatively installing a trellis planter of this type at the side or front of a property might make a pretty focal point so a tiny outdoor space can still look special.
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How to make the raised planters with trellis back panels
1. Firstly to create both impact and privacy in the garden we have built a high fence at least 2.3 metres high using thick wooden posts to make a large frame. The hardest part of this project was connecting the large OSB panels onto an existing rendered brick wall standing around 1.2 metres high.
2. Using timber posts and a masonry drill we screwed right angled brackets at regular intervals onto both the existing wall and the posts. Then once the structure was ready we screwed the vertical OSB panels closely butted together into place.
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 Detail of tulip planters
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3. The outdoor treated timber lengths now support the orientated strand board (OSB) panels to form a large flat wall. We then painted the new textured wooden surface with dark green fence paint from B&Q’s own brand range. It is a good idea to save time by not cutting the OSB boards and securing them in a portrait orientation gives us the height we wanted.
4. The supports for the planters were constructed using thick finished spruce timber from B&Q left over from building our studio cabin. It is important to raise the planters up off the patio to help make the space feel as spacious as possible and allow for drainage when watering. Another benefit is being closer to the flowers to make the most of their beauty and plus it makes watering the plants easier. The durable black plastic containers are from B&Q and are a bargain at £6.30 each.
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5. It was easy to fill the planters with fresh soil and pop in the tulip bulbs ready for the warmer weather. We have already grown some climbing clematis and there are more wallflowers planned to continue the vertical planting theme.
6. We attached eight vertical pieces of trellis from Covers to add interest and support climbing plants. We painted the trellis with Cuprinol from B&Q in the country cream colourway to match our new design studio.
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 Clematis and palms in raised bed
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Introducing Meditteranean elements throughout the garden
In another area of the garden a simple bamboo lattice is easy to create using twine and bamboo sticks. The bamboo arches from Hillier work really well for supporting growing plants like tomatoes.
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When we laid the new patio we also added a curving raised bed to soften the edges of the space an provide an area for growing lots of different shrubs and flowers. So far the jasmine has done well and some small palms add texture and interest too. We are adding lots of circular shapes to this otherwise rectangular residential plot to give a much more attractive 'relaxing on holiday' terrace feel to what was previously a bland backyard.
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 Pink roses in terracotta pot
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No Mediterranean garden would be complete without terracotta pots of flowers. This outdoor haven features pink roses in a large glazed terracotta urn from our local Hillier garden center. The ceramic container sits on top of a circular brick raised bed with rounded grey stones that used to be an old water feature. Now the planted circle is a pretty botanical focal point that looks great all year round through the patio windows in the kitchen.
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In the summer months get ready for guests by adding outdoor furniture and textiles in natural materials. Hang up colourful floral wreaths like these handmade pieces from Create Display to decorate the walls of your continental style entertaining area and compliment the colours of your foliage. Enjoy the delights of al fresco dining with friends in a fresh and neat open air oasis or just some well earned time relaxing outside on the patio.
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More posts to follow about this project as the different sections of the space are completed. Check out our Etsy shop for lots of ideas for brightening up your home and garden. Enjoy the sunshine and the joy of working outdoors again this season. Keep well and keep creative!
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Thanks to Tina C for her contribution to the construction of the planters for this project.
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Create Display Etsy shop
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https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CreateDisplay
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B&Q home improvement superstore
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https://www.diy.com
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Hillier garden centers
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https://www.hillier.co.uk/
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Covers building merchants
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https://www.coversmerchants.co.uk/
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 Large rainbow flower wreath by A Howse
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This spring rainbow flower wreath, wall hanging door decor, floral decoration is ideal for adding a vibrant touch to any home and would be a great gift for Valentines Day or Mothers day.
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If you have some extra time because of lockdown you can try out a new craft. This is a fun project to try and recreate for yourself. You may like to entertain some young people and it is easy to have a go and fashion a special circular rainbow wreath out of old or extra materials you may already have in storage. If you only have plain wools you could easily use paints to achieve a selection of primary hues.
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 Large flower wreath by A Howse (detail)
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I used a standard plain twine wreath as a base. I constructed a extra layer of rolled up materials, by tacking them together, in the shape of a long sausage. Then I twisted the larger element around this central frame of woven twigs.
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Using a large embroidery needle and a variety of threads I wrapped and sewed the rings in place, binding the decoration together. Then I added the tassels.
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I made the flowers using a flower loom and vintage fabrics and wools and hand sewed pretty old buttons in the middle of the blooms. I sewed on the flowers and crafted a bow out of two layers of cotton and voile to go at the top of this unique wreath.
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Lastly I attached a ribbon loop and some extra embellishments carefully sewing all the pieces together securely.
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 Back of large rainbow wreath
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Here are some more details about this spring wreath
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Handmade in Chichester harbour in West Sussex this original wall art piece is made using recycled and vintage wools, threads, curtain tassels and ribbons. A natural twine base was used to fashion the circular centre and multi coloured fabrics and threads have been layered to make a unique textile artwork.
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Celebrating the hope that comes with spring this cheery hanging decoration will brighten up any porch, office space or room in the house. You will enjoy the uplifting vibes that come from this floral wreath that features hand sewn blooms in a variety of textured threads with vintage button centres. The style is modern pretty and 'cottage core'. This rainbow wreath will add a splash of colour and creativity to your space in an instant.
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 Large flower wreath side
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Easy to hang on any hook or with a simple nail attachment as the basket weave construction and upcycled fabric materials are not heavy. There is a wool and ribbon loop for simple display on your wall or door.
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This multi hued textile artwork would be ideal for a birthday celebration or new home. The spring wreath will brighten up any room and is for stylish interior decoration and not a toy.
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 Large flower wreath with medium flower wreaths
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The floral hanging is designed to be used under cover or on sunny days in a sheltered area. This super circular piece can withstand a little moisture and can be kept dust free by wiping clean with a damp cloth when necessary .
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To see the range or to purchase this piece or similar items in our etsy shop follow this link
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/942567174/spring-rainbow-flower-wreath-wall?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1
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We hope you are enjoying a sunny Friday and that spring is now definitely on the way. Keep safe, keep calm and keep creative!
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