Natural materials

To create a fresh and modern space, try using natural materials. One of the most timeless and versatile building materials is stone.

Interestingly shaped pebbles and stones can be displayed in decorative bowls on a chest of drawers or a dining table.

The Ralph stone doorstop with nickel hoop from Barker and Stonehouse is an unusual design. A large black stone with a nickel hoop for ease of lifting, its solid weight will hold the door and give your home an earthy quality without any rough edges.

Marble dining tables

Marble is a kind of metamorphosed limestone, whose name loosely translates as ‘shining stone’ in Greek. It is this natural high shine, and the fact that marble is soft enough to carve which has kept it in demand for sculptures and in the production of furniture for centuries.

The Galicia from Barker and Stonehouse is a stunning dining table, fashioned from gorgeous travertine marble in a rich walnut shade. The square topped dining table is perfectly complimented by the embossed alligator leather bench and chairs, to create a stunning contemporary dining experience. And each piece is unique as anomalies in pattern and colour occur naturally through the marble.

Similarly, the Lusaka sideboard has simple lines and a classic style that would not look out of place in any contemporary home. The richness of the dark wood is picked up in the marble inserts and a marble top. A matching dining table, lamp table, console table and coffee table are also available in the same high gloss dark mocha Emperador finish.

Natural textiles

Barker and Stonehouse also has the Stones rug, a luxury rug woven from wool and art silk. Heavily textured with a very thick pile it’s warm and soft, with a quirky pebble design. Place it next to a contemporary sofa or under a dining table to instantly update your look.

So, is renting the new owning? Do you agree? Will you be looking for a new house this year or staying put in the rental market?

The claim

According to one leading UK law firm, increasing consumer nervousness, unemployment, a squeeze on purchasing power triggered by the economic downturn, and fears over the Eurozone debt crisis are factors which could force many of us to turn our backs on prospective home ownership.[1]

The claim is that renting has always been a necessity in the UK, only done while individuals save up to afford to buy their own home. However, the thinking is that now this is becoming a lifestyle choice rather than a stopgap solution.

When renting a property, people can be given more of an opportunity to plan their spending more accurately and also have the flexibility to relocate and follow job offers. It’s thought that these factors are currently gaining increasing importance in the current financial climate.

Homeownership is a valuable investment

You may like the freedom that renting gives you. Yes you can move jobs and spend time living in other areas of the UK, but it still rings true that renting is effectively dead money. Your monthly outgoings will simply be falling into the hole that is the rental market. When owning your own property everything you spend will go towards the eventual goal of owning your home out right. Is there anything freer than one day cutting out monthly payments all together?

The landlord is king

With more and more people renting, the market is booming and those that bought to let are reigning supreme. With more demand, price can potentially increase. If value for money in the market starts to drop will your quality of life be any better renting?

In the economic downturn house prices have dropped. Rather than holding on in the rental market, now could be the time to move.

It could be closer than you think

There are schemes that can help you. As the current Government continues its aims to boost the property market and provide assistance to creditworthy first time buyers, there may not be a better time to jump ship from your current rental.

You’ll get help with the deposit – remember there’s no one helping you meet those rental payments. With that, you’re on your own!

This all adds up to create a quality of life in a certain place. After all it’s not just your home that makes you feel happy. Your surroundings always have an effect. If this could be a “deal breaker” for you when moving home, take a look at the UK’s top locations for a better quality of life.

Hart

Located in the northeast of Hampshire, the district of Hart has been found to be the best place to live in the UK. According to a 2011 survey measuring the quality of life throughout Britain it was found that residents of Hart are healthier, better paid and better educated than our nation’s average.[1]

Included in the region are the towns of Fleet and Yateley which continue to prosper amid a struggling British economy. The River Hart flows through the rural area which has 1,000 buildings that are listed as being of special architectural or historical interest, as well as having over 30 conservation areas.[2]

Location is key here, with plenty of green space all around and being only an hour’s drive from both London and the South Coast you couldn’t be better placed.

Elmbridge

Topping the survey for the previous three years, Elmbridge in Surrey just missed out on top spot in 2011. Home to many Premier League stars due to the close proximity to the Chelsea training ground in Cobham, residents here benefit from some of the largest homes in the UK with 6.1 bedrooms being the average[3]. School results are high and there’s supposedly two hours more sunshine enjoyed than the UK’s average – second place doesn’t sound too bad does it?

Shetland Islands

For those living north of the border, the Shetland Islands have been named as the best place to settle in a separate study focussing solely on Scotland.

The employment rate here is the highest in the country – close to 84% – with many residents earning weekly incomes above the nation’s average. Most who call the Shetlands home are fit and in good health with life expectancy over 77 years. Crime is low and education standards high, but perhaps the biggest difference with the top scorers in England is the house prices compared to residents earnings.

The average house price is 4.2 times average gross annual local earnings – below the average for Scotland of 4.7[4]. Great quality of life – and affordable!

[2] BBC News, Hart in Hampshire named as UK’s most desirable place (2011), http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-16324562

[3] The Telegraph, Elmbridge tops survey of best place to live (2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3497033/Elmbridge-tops-survey-of-best-place-to-live.html

[4] BBC News, Shetland tops ‘Bank of Scotland Quality of Life’ List (2011), at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-16318940

To rejuvenate your lacklustre cabinets turn to paint, or wallpaper. As either will be capable of bringing your kitchen’s appearance into this decade, or which ever one strikes your fancy for that matter. Should you want to make things even simpler, only paint, or paper front panels of the doors. You could be finished with this venture in the length of the morning.

Get started by taking off all of the hardware, and if the panels are not framed by a raised edge, mark off the area you are working on with painter’s tape. Also, only select glossy paint  as they will be easier to wash when accidents occur, and remember it is the kitchen so those will take place from time to time. To seal the deal, apply a few coats of clear polyacrylic atop of the wallpaper so you can salvage those too in case of a spill, or mishap caused by you are another member of your household.

Oh I had the best of intentions, but in my defence it was just not the right time. Really I am not relying on excuses to make me feel better, the timing was off, considering many factors. With that said, I think making that little admission has made me feel a bit more willing to let it go. But, don’t think for a second that means take it off the list; nope it means put it on the top of the list for 2012.

You see I keep every one of these lists, and have done since I was given that book back in 2001. They help me to see where I have been and all that I did or did not accomplish. So, when I look at 2011, I will see that I did quite a bit, just not the bathrooms. And then, when I read through 2012 I can see I redeemed myself by putting in two bathroom suites, which is leaps and bounds over the original plan. Maybe this is how it was meant to play out all along. Here’s to 2012, may it be all that we plan on and more.

1. One idea is to hang snowflakes from the ceiling in front of the windows. If you have window blinds raise them about half way up, and then let the snowflakes show through the bottom half of the window. One idea is to decorate the snowflakes with small, white lights to make them shine through the glass. Another idea is to sprinkle gold or silver glitter to make them shine and glisten.

2. Set up a display on a table in front of the window. For example by placing three or four red vases of various heights in front of the window open the window blinds or curtains so that passers-by can easily view the display. To add further visual interest, place some large Christmas ornaments in the vases. Using gold or silver ornaments works particularly well.

3. Kids love looking at Christmas decorations. Imagine a child’s surprise and delight when he looks into a window and sees someone looking back at him! For this idea, pull a small table in front of the window, so you can create the display. Purchase or make a large snowman to sit on the table and look out of the window. Other possibilities are a large Santa Claus, a large reindeer, or a tall gingerbread man. Place a spotlight under the window to bring attention to the display, or hang Christmas lights around the window to highlight the display.

4. Another Christmas decoration that kids love to use is window paint. Use window paint to create a festive window scene on each window. Paint simple scenes of snowy meadows or festive scenes of happy elves dancing in Santa’s workshop.

5. One simple and beautiful idea is to place a single candle in each window of the house. Place the candle in a gorgeous candleholder. Then, hang a wreath on the top half of each window. Placing small lights in each wreath further enhances this elegant look.

6. Silver bells are also great window decorations. These can be hung from the ceiling in front of the window using heavy wire, or they can be placed in the windowsill. They can be placed at various heights. Place the bells on stacks of Christmas books in the window.

7. One final idea is to raise the window blinds and cover the windows with beautiful Christmas wrapping paper. There are endless looks that can be achieved using wrapping paper. For example, candy cane striped paper can be colourful and vibrant on the windows while blue paper featuring white snowflakes looks pretty, too.

Creating stunning Christmas window displays can help a house feel joyful for the holidays. Decorate each window with a similar theme, or vary the decorations in each window to create unique presentations. Passers-by will definitely enjoy looking at the Christmas window decorations.

I recommend that you buy a template, or templates for the design you would like to make on the stockings. Free hand sounds good, until you attempt it, trust me on this one. This is especially true if you are doing names, or letters of any sort.

Place the template on the side of the stocking that you would like the pattern to appear. Trace the design onto it with disappearing ink and punch till your hearts content. I must warn you that there is a strong chance that you will get punch happy, so have other things on hand to move on to so you do not get carried away on the stockings.

When all those details have been ironed out, you’re good to go. But don’t rush in and paint the walls mint-green because that’s your favourite colour! Remember that the property isn’t for you and there are certain considerations to take when you decorate.
Preparation and planning are the key to success, so early on set a decorating budget and a time frame for when you want to be finished and stick to it. It might be tempting to cut corners and save money by doing a lot of the work yourself but be honest – in the long run it may be more cost effective and less stressful to employ a contractor, especially if you will be renovating in your spare time.

When it comes to style, simply put the more stylish your property is the more rent you can charge. So you want to make sure the decor is a high standard and well maintained, as well as tailoring the layout of the property to the type of tenant you wish to attract. Psychological tricks such as painting with light colours to make rooms appear larger and brighter helps but also encourages cleanliness in your prospective tenants.
Paint is preferable to wallpaper in your property for the simple fact it is easier to maintain – you want to use a durable acrylic paint that can withstand wear and tear from furniture as well as items like pushchairs, bikes etc. A mold/water-resistant paint in the bathroom and kitchen is a must and it’s a good idea to make a note of the colour and brand of paint you have used for when you need to do any redecoration or touch-ups.

There are plenty of questions to ask when it comes to furnishing your rental property and these depend on the type of tenants you wish to attract – this can depend on factors such as where the property is situated and what the market is like. Providing furniture may increase your rental income but if it doesn’t then it might not be worth your while. As stated earlier you need to consider your tenants requirements – students will need a desk, bed and storage space for example. It’s a given that supplying key appliances such as a cooker, washing machine and fridge-freezer is more likely to attract tenants too.

If your property is decorated and maintained regularly then the sky’s the limit for you as a property owner – you’ll increase your chances of attracting and keeping tenants which ensures a regular rental income for you.

This can be taken a step further, and an entire office can be situated in a chest. This miniature office can be equipped with all the fixings. Attach a bulletin board to the interior side of the cabinet top, files lining the bottom, and have custom removable containers made from matching wood to lie on top of the hanging files. This will give you a place for supplies, and all the rest of it. This is one of our all time favourite ideas for masking the unsightly; the fact that it hides, functions, and looks great makes it absolutely brilliant in our book.

This means one thing, have a master list of chores, and things to be completed. Otherwise when you get willing assistant you might be to flustered by the gesture to know what to give them to do. This would be nothing less than a nightmare, so avoid it. Because at some point young Ethan will want to get on your good side before asking to borrow the car on Saturday night, and little Melissa will be very eager to doing something nice before you catch a glimpse at her most recent report cards, and well as for Tony your spouse, he just bought another fishing pole, or flatscreen, or other thing he promised not to.

Ultimately, something untoward is probably headed your way, and at the very least you have something pleasant to reflect on to soften that blow. I know this all to well, and therefore keep a three page, front and back list of all the things that need attention, or cleaning. And, on occasion, when the favour is so big, or the blunder so great, I have been known to just hand over the entire list to the beggar/offender. Don’t get caught without one of your own.