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Since writing my first article, brick floors definitely seem to be a consideration for home floors, whether in a kitchen, bathrooms, or any room in a home. Clay brick is by far the most affordable flooring option and is available in a wide selection of colours, from light to dark. |
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So many of us aspire to the benefits that open plan layouts bring – light, flow, informality – but don’t understand the practicalities. Here's how to make it work. |
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As the summer days - and nights heat up - how are you going to keep the South African heat at bay? |
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In the midst of the joyful experience of merging your life with another, it is disconcertingly easy to fall into marital discord over issues of furniture and decor. Learn to navigate the potential conflicts of merging two households. |
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With the property market starting to pick up, many homeowners are now considering the move rather than improve option. But before calling in an estate agent, take the time to make a good impression and increase the selling potential of your property with a few quick and easy projects ... |
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You've just moved into a new flat and you love it. But what can you do about all those bare walls? Whilst most rental agreements won't allow you to drill into the walls, there are ways to decorate your new place without picking up a hammer. |
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If you're not sure how to place furniture in a lounge or open plan living area, here are a selection of designer tips on how to arrange furniture... |
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Maximise your decorating with the use of white and black to create stunning and dramatic rooms. Black and white are perfect accent colours for any decorating style. |
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If you've gone to the expense of buying a flat screen TV - why hide it! I don't see why a TV can't be the focal point, especially if you watch a lot of TV, and let's be honest - many do. So, here are some options for designing a room with the TV as a focal point - or not ! |
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Definitely not something new, animal prints have been around for some time and continue to be used 'sparingly' in interior decorating. There are those that love to use animal prints in their home, and those that hate them. And before anyone hits me over the head with a club, we are talking 'faux' animal prints! |
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Along with paint, carpet can be one of the easiest ways to personalise an environment. Its colour can be a neutral foundation or a vibrant focal point. Carpets are quick and easy to install, allowing a homeowner considerable scope for fashionable creativity - whether they are used in a wall-to-wall design or in combination with other flooring surfaces. |
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By introducing innovative ideas and support in presenting your property, and by looking carefully at current trends in the property market, home staging will help you to sell your home faster. |
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When decorating a home for sale - or staging a home - one of the most important rules of thumb is to view your home from a buyer's point of view. Apart from furnishing, the wall colours you choose have a big impact on how a room feels. |
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When you think modern living, the first thing that comes to mind is large open spaces.An open plan design offers efficient utilization of available space, with different areas blended together as a single space, and is the perfect solution for homes. |
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With hopes of an improved economy in the second half of this year, many young couples are going to be looking for their dream home. Designing your dream home with only the developer's floor plan for reference can be overwhelming. Here's a guide to making even the most difficult design decisions with all the confidence of a pro. |
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Mirrors are one of the most elegant, practical and affordable decorating tools. They blend well in any interior, whether your decor style is traditional or contemporary. Mirrors can give the illusion of depth to a flat wall, light to a dull corner, and space to a small room. |
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Give your home a bold injection of optimism with furniture and accessories in vivid colours. Set strong colours against a raw or neutral-coloured wall. Or why not mix and match accessories in strong colours? The trick is to group objects and not scatter them around. This way, it will feel uplifting. Not overwhelming. |
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I am sure that many of you have seen - or heard of - Colin and Justin's makeovers. With a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour, Colin and Justin transform homes or horror into divine dream homes. |
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Do your rooms feel small and dark? It's easy to cheat your space with mirrors. Simply hang them cleverly and your rooms will look bigger, brighter and a whole lot nicer. |
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Trying to accommodate a growing family in a compact townhouse, flat or apartment can be a paramount challenge. Here are some tips to create space. |
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Using white in interior decorating seems to come and go, but it remains the freshest and cleanest look around. If you’re looking to add white to your home to give it a fresh new feel, consider the following ideas. |
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We all need storage in a home and some need it more than others, especially if they enjoy reading or collecting. Bookcases can be used for more than storage. Today's modern bookcases are designed to be an integral part of any room, and can even become a feature of the room. |
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Luxurious fabrics, sparkly accessories and reflective surfaces can create a space that is nothing short of glamorous! |
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It’s not always a situation that is easy to accept, but by making the most of the available space you can transform any house into a home. Make use of a virtual planner such as FloorPlanner.com to assist in arranging furniture in your new space. |
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Adding a fireplace to a room not only create an architectural feature, it also warms up a home. With eco-friendly and green options on everyone's mind, natural gas and electrical heating is definitely at the bottom of the list. |
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There is nothing more cosy or romantic than snuggling up in front of an open fire on a cold winter’s day. It is no wonder then that fireplaces have become a key element in modern homes today – they can be used to generate heat, create an inviting ambience and set a romantic mood. |
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In a small space, everything counts! That’s the main idea behind this article, and how to make a small room look bigger - with some clever tricks. |
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Certain repairs, such as re-caned seats or new upholstery, won't necessarily degrade an antique. But pieces lose value when the wood has been refinished, and artificial patinas are undesirable. True patinas, built up through years of use and polishing, exhibit a warm and variable surface. |
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Certain repairs, such as re-caned seats or new upholstery, won't necessarily degrade an antique. But pieces lose value when the wood has been refinished, and artificial patinas are undesirable. True patinas, built up through years of use and polishing, exhibit a warm and variable surface. |
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Where you place your furniture in a room sets the tone for how you’ll live in that room. Here are tips for arranging spaces for chatting, watching TV or relaxing. |
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Got low ceilings? Chances are, you’ve got low spirits too. After all, there are few design problems as confounding as how to make a room feel bright, spacious and inviting when ceilings are low and oppressive. So what steps can you take to improve the look and feel of a room with ceilings so low you can touch them? |
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Ever larger screens, a multitude of wires and cables we’d rather keep out of sight, more and more electronics – whether in the living room or home theatre, properly integrating a television and audio video equipment presents a definite challenge. |
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Even small doses of colour can make a huge difference to a room, if it's done with style and pizzazz! |
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These days, higher property prices could mean that you may have to start your climb up the property ladder with a relatively small space to come home to. With some organization, however, you can survive (and even thrive) - no matter how small your new home. |
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If you find that your living spaces are feeling a bit down in the dumps, perhaps it's time to freshen up with subtle colours. There is a growing trend for our living spaces to be simpler, pared down and offering relief from the pressures and anxieties of the outside world. |
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Inject personality, colour and style into your home with the wide range of textiles, wallcoverings and decorating options available to South African homeowners. |
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If the words "nature-inspired decor" make you think of muted wall hues or overwrought floral fabrics, it's time to rethink your take on this hot design trend. |
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Although comfort is one of the most important factors when buying a new sofa, there are many other things to consider. Read on for some practical tips on how to find the perfect sofa for you and your home! |
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To reupholster, or not to reupholster - that is often the question when thinking about redecorating, buying new furniture, or poking around antique stores. Is it worth it to put money and time into giving an old sofa or chair a fresh outlook? If all springs point to yes, where do you go from there? |
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Instead of getting out the dusters and cleaning equipment, why not use the time to give your home a makeover instead. Spring is just around the corner and you can combine decorating with spring cleaning - and get the two tasks done at the same time! |
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It may be winter, with the windy snapping at the trees and the cold chill through doors and windows, but that doesn't mean you can't have a beautiful display of fresh, colourful flowers in a home. In fact, there's even more reason to... |
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Mounting a flat screen TV onto the wall is one way to free up valuable floors space in a room. It's also a great way to hang the TV out of the way when you have young children - it provides a sense of safety, as heavy and expensive electronics are up and out of the way. |
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If shopping early makes the holidays less stressful, then planning early for decorating your home brightens the family's mood and makes this time of year more fun. |
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It's nice to know that there are ways to decorate a rental home and, while this can be a challenge, the idea is to spend the least amount of money on items that get left behind when you move. Here are some ideas to put to good use when renting a home... |
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Every centimetre of this home has been transformed into an elegant living area with enough storage - and even display space! |
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Three quick and easy ways to add colour to a room - the same room - using different colour combinations. Try this trick the next time you want to add a new look to your lounge or living space. |
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Many homeowners foregoing the usual annual vacation will be looking for ways to have a holiday at home. They say that, "A change is as good as a holiday", so here are some affordable and quick makeovers you can do for that "holiday' feeling. |
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As you can see from the before image (top right), the staircase was natural oak. Dated and dreadful. NOT the first impression I ever wanted to give my guests. Replacing it with European style iron railing was the cost of an new car. What was a girl to do? |
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A home can never have enough storage – it always seems that the number of possessions we have in our homes is slightly more than there is room for in our cupboards. |
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Your front door is more than practical, it's also a first impression. Make sure that you front door gives the right impression! |
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Turn the style you have into the style you want. Check out our ideas on how to create a stunning room by making the most of the furniture and accessories you already own. |
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I recently came across an environmentally friendly open fireplace. What makes this fireplace so user-friendly and easy to install is the fact that it does not even require any installation or utility connection for fuel supply, as it runs on Denatured Ethanol - a renewable energy that burns clean. |
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Carpets add comfort and warmth to your home, providing a luxurious, yet durable foundation for your décor and lifestyle. |
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Many homeowners are looking at antiques as investment pieces that offer their home a one-of-a kind look. Some are stepping out of the box by using special pieces beyond their original intention. And more and more are incorporating antiques into their modern-style homes, creating a more eclectic look by mixing the old and new. |
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There are so many wonderful ways to add storage to a living room. The only problem that we are faced with here in SA, is to find a local supplier. Ah well, if all else fails you could always make some of these yourself. |
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If you'd rather watch movies at home than go to the theatre, you're not alone. If the idea of having your own home theatre is appealing, you don't have to pay pros to do the job for you. You can enjoy a home theatre experience without the expense of professional installation by doing it yourself. |
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There's more to these doors than meets the eye. If you need to create extra privacy in your home, look at inspiring ways to incorporate doors - without hinges! |
