Valentine’s Day is approaching! We always love doing heart-shaped activities at this time of year so we’ve put some ideas together in a Pinterest board to share with you. Have a look – we love the paper plate yarn activity and the disco necklace!
If you’re thinking of moving house, please call the team on 0800 337670.
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With the popularity of large kitchen diner extensions, comes the often tricky task of decorating such a large and diverse space to create an area that is truly the heart of the home. Interior Designer Jackie Smith of Homesmiths in Lindfield has kindly put her thoughts to paper for us:
Being faced with decorating a small space is often seen as the biggest challenge in interior design yet there are a number of challenges presented when working with a multi-functional larger space. The trend for kitchen diners and informal dining continues; it suits modern living. The single storey kitchen extension is something many people consider before moving comforted by the fact that good sized family spaces will always add value to a home. However decorating larger living areas can be tricky. In the quest to extend I have met a number of clients who have gone as large as they can with a kitchen diner extension only to be at a loss as to how to furnish it or what to use it for. In some cases this has resulted in them not really using the space and feeling disappointed every time they walk into it.
For a scheme to work it needs to be functional, practical and comfortable and it all starts with purpose. Considering the function of a space is the very first thing you need to do when designing a room. It’s vital. Without knowing what the space is to be used for how can you hope to end up with one that works? Taking kitchen diners as an example you need to think about how often you entertain, do you prefer dinners to parties, will the space be used for homework, is garden access important, do the needs of any pets need to be accommodated and how might all these needs change for those using the space over the coming years.
Next up is structure. If you get this right then everything else comes together so much more easily. The driving force of many extensions is to provide a well proportioned room for family living. It might be that an internal wall needs to be removed before you have the shell you need or that you need to increase the amount of natural light in the space. Glazed internal doors are great way of introducing light into darker corners of rooms and roof lanterns are good in larger single storey extensions, especially over kitchen areas.
With the function and structure considered then you will need to think about the furniture you need. Taking the example of the kitchen diner again, are you working with an existing table or are you investing in new? If part of the function of the space is relaxation then you will need to accommodate a sofa or some occasional chairs. Perhaps some storage for school books is a requirement of the design so that homework can be carried out at the dining table then cleared away before dinner? In larger areas zoning is important if you want to avoid the waiting room look. Sofas can make great partitions in larger spaces and if space allows, backed with a console table or a side board to stop the sofa back looking like a barrier.
When it comes to making open plan spaces work lighting is your best friend. Great structure, well chosen furniture and a stunning colour scheme will all be let down without a well thought through lighting plan. The trick is to first, consider the layout of the furniture and ensure that there is adequate light to meet the needs of the people using the space and secondly create a scheme which includes a variety of differing light sources. The former is vital for the room to work. A lovely comfortable chair overlooking the garden and ideal for perusing the weekend papers will not really meet the brief without the appropriate lighting for reading. Similarly the amount of light required for home work will be quite different from the amount which you would want for a relaxed dining experience. The latter, layering of various light sources, adds texture and interest to a scheme. You will need general light from pendants or down lights as well as task lighting for specific areas of the room for instance food preparation or reading. Table lamps provide an altogether different level of light and allow you to create mood and warmth in a space. Lighting can also be decorative and provide a statement in a design. The combination of the right light for the task and different types of light operated on a range of circuits and where possible fitted with a dimmer will allow you to create the different moods for the varied uses and then you have an open plan space which really works for you.
Whilst I would not say that colour is the least important consideration, it’s certainly true to say that if the colour scheme is perfect for you yet the other elements of the design have not been considered then the whole space is unlikely to meet your brief. We all have different responses to colour. How we respond can be at a conscious and unconscious level yet it will make a massive difference to how you feel about spending time in an environment. The scheme in an open plan living area needs to appeal to those people using it but at the same time work with the orientation of the building. Colours behave differently in differing lights. Paint a north facing room a blue based hue and you will make it feel cold and uninviting. Yellow based tones will work much better. And conversely a south facing room decorated with a yellow based palette is likely to feel unbearably hot in the summer so cooler blue based tones will be more suitable.
To me interior design is all about creating spaces you want to spend time in, ones which are easy and uplifting to live in. It’s not about the latest fashion it’s about practicality and style, neither of which will ever date.
Jacqui and her husband David run HomeSmiths, an interior design practice based In Lindfield, West Sussex. Working in both residential and commercial design, Jacqui and her team have worked with many homeowners in the South east and designed show homes for Barratt David Wilson. Projects also include dementia care homes and assisted living schemes.
For those of you thinking of selling or letting your home, our teams would love to hear from you:
REDHILL & REIGATE: 01737 888220
CATERHAM & OXTED: 01883 708388
LINGFIELD & EAST GRINSTEAD: 01342 888450
CRAWLEY & HORSHAM: 01293 127620
HAYWARDS HEATH & BURGESS HILL: 01444 657657
CROYDON, COULSDON & PURLEY 0208 819 3272
SEVENOAKS AND TONBRIDGE 01732 617617
TUNBRIDGE WELLS 01892 300600
BRIGHTON 01273 921500
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If you’re anything like us you’ll be starting to think about February half term and what you might do with the little ones. The weeks are now flying by and it will be upon us in no time!
Due to the exciting growth of Move Revolution we now have more offices covering Surrey, Sussex and Kent, so this time we’ve written about activities in counties so you can more easily choose where and what you want to do.
These are mainly outdoor actitvities, so get those wellies and the wet weather gear on, pack a picnic and a flask and get out there for lots of fun!
Surrey
The British Wildlife Centre near Lingfield is a great place to go on a chilly morning, where the children can explore the different areas and see lots of native animals. With a mission of ‘conservation through education’, the centre is the home of Pip the Squirrel and you can go on keeper tours to learn lots of facts about many native species.
Gatton Park just north of Reigate, is a beautiful spot and is part run between the National Trust and Gatton Trust. The parkland which was designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown covers 260 acres. During half term you can visit and look at the beautiful snowdrops, and the children will have a great time on the Wild Things Play Trail.
We love Hampton Court palace and whilst their new attraction the Magic Garden is closed until 1st April, there are still plenty of things to see and do. The maze is probably what springs to mind and the 2 metre tall hedged puzzle is known as the most famous maze in the world! For older children, if you download the app The Time Explorers before you go, you can go on an interactive adventure around the grounds which should like some boxes with your “tweens”. Aside from this there are kitchens to explore, family trails and costumed tours where you can meet characters from the court of King Henry VIII, so plenty to keep you all entertained without losing your head…. See what we did there?!
Leith Hill is an old favourite of ours and as our children get slightly older, it’s somewhere we have started to return to as they can cope with the gradient! There are numerous trails to suit most legs and also a play area hidden in the woods. We love going up to the top of the tower as the view is amazing on a clear day, plus there is a small kiosk at the bottom for those all important refreshments.
Sussex
Wilderness Woods is an amazing gem of a place for those who really love the great outdoors. Based at Hadlow Down, it has a wonderful Forest School on site, plus camping (perhaps when it’s warmer!) and great fun to be had on trails. They have plenty of activities in place over half term, and they welcome adults to get stuck in too so make sure you’ve got some waterproofs!
The Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux is perfect for budding scientists and offers tonnes of hands on exhibits. During half term there will be daily telescope tours and spectacular science shows too, included in the ticket price.
Arundel Wetlands Centre have a new experience arriving in time for half term. Called the Celebrity Dusty Duck trail, these 6 foot models have been created in conjunction woth Aardman Studios and it looks like great fun. In addition to this, the centre is hosting the Southeast Puddle Jumping Championships over half term and prizes will be awarded – sounds like child heaven if ever we’ve heard of it! There will be spots to practice in before they complete their entry and efforts are judged on style, creativity, enthusiasm and size of splash. I think this one gets our vote!
Kent
Hever Castle is always a winner with our lot and over half term they have a snowdrop walk and in conjunction with RSPB, a Living with Birds event, where visitors can learn how to help birds nest, survive and thrive in their gardens at home.
A great way to visit Bodiam Castle is via the Kent and East Sussex Railway from Tenterden and on the weekends of 11/12 and 19/20 February, Thomas the Tank Engine will be in residence at Tenterden which is always the pinnacle of excitement for those young train lovers! At Bodiam over half term there is the chance to take part in weaving and dyeing with natural materials as they would have done in the 14th century which sounds amazing for slightly older children.
Hop Farm at Paddock Wood has lots of rides and inflatables to have fun on along with in-door soft play, 4D Cinema , Driving School, Animal Farm and Giant Jumping Pillows. A perfect place for when the weather isn’t quite so good!
So there we have it, that’s our round up of highlights for each county, but we wanted to finish with GoApe who now have centres across all 3 counties and having had a recent birthday experience at the Tilgate Park one, we would highly recommend checking them out! The Junior courses are for children of 1 metre tall or more, and ours had an absolute ball! Their other locations in our region are Alice Holt, Bedgebury and Leeds Castle.
Whatever you do over half term we hope you have a fantastic time – we look forward to hearing from you and seeing photos of your mucky tribe!
If you are thinking of selling or letting your home, please contact our team on 0330 223 1000.
If you live in the Reigate area, visit our Reigate Estate Agency page, and if you are looking for houses for sale in Lingfield then contact our Lingfield branch on 01342 888450
This blog claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.
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We love this time of year as things feel new, it’s an opportunity to have a fresh start with various things, health, hobbies, whatever they might be, but we have to say, after Christmas was such a fruitful time for our children, we are struggling with our clutter at the moment, and feel we’re not alone! We’ve had many a conversation with friends about Lego strewn everywhere, craft kits open on every available surface, Shopkins laid out on the floor and have got to a point where we feel enough is enough, we just have to do something! And especially for those of you thinking of moving house this year, we turned to our friends at Please Organise Me who are a team of professional organisers and all round fountains of knowledge. Based in South East London, they are led by Rachel, who is the most incredibly energetic person you could meet and has a real knack for getting things done. She has put together some thoughts for us to help inspire us on our tidying and decluttering mission for the new year.
“Have you noticed how words beginning with ‘re’ become very popular as we move towards Spring? Every newspaper and magazine article starts telling us to refresh, revamp, renew, remodel and, of course, the dreaded Spring Clean tips and lists pop up everywhere.
Last year I had the pleasure of helping a client get out of a pickle. She had a fantastic cleaner who was employed weekly for a couple of hours. After each session, although the house was clean, it just didn’t look like the cleaner had actually been! My client longed for that amazing feeling she used to get. She’d come home after the cleaner had been and felt so calm and able to really enjoy her home.
She thought maybe she needed the cleaner for more hours. So she doubled her cleaning hours but it didn’t make any difference. This is when I got the call. Cue my entrance and the sound of the calvary. Apparently that’s the sound effect I come with!!!
Anyway, cleaners are amazing and do a fantastic job, but they are not magicians. They can’t magic stuff away – if there’s lots of stuff in your house, it makes it harder to clean and things will never look organised or give you that calm feeling of space.
There’s no getting away from it, the basic principle to getting clean, is that you have to declutter first. By doing this there’s less stuff to get in the way.
With my client, we attacked the piles of clutter together and donated numerous things to charity. In two sessions we managed to create the home she longed for. Not only did we find some long-forgotten birthday vouchers in one of those piles but, importantly, she got that ‘just cleaned feeling’ back in her house – without the cleaner!
So get cracking! Please don’t stress over Spring cleaning or magazine lists of how to create perfection! Reduce your stuff and you will reduce your stress.
See this as an opportunity to refresh the space you have. If you think like this, sorting your stuff will be relatively easy. If you only have a limited amount of time don’t panic, just do a bit. Choose a category or area of stuff and get stuck in. This could be your clothes or maybe your magazines. Maybe it’s a room you could tackle or, if that freaks you out, it could be just be a drawer – just get going!”
Thanks Rachel, that is a great way to approach things, and we think it’s really helpful.
Some top tips for kids clutter is to get them involved in supporting your local family charity. Locally to us in Redhill & Reigate we have the wonderful Stripey Stork who publish their wish list on a regular basis so there is generally always a place to take outgrown clothes and footwear, as well as equipment such as buggies and highchairs. The latter take up so much space, you’ll be glad to get them out of the house! The struggle of storing Lego is always a top one we see talked about on Facebook and there are loads of different ways to tackle it – you don’t necessarily have to resort to supergluing the play sets together! From fabric lego mats that allow you to pull all the bricks together with a drawstring, to lego walls, there are options for all. And you can even hide a train set under a bed on a board, ready to be pulled out and played with whenever the children want. Do head over and look at our Pinterest board as there are ideas there for toy storage and many other rooms in the home too. Definitely worth a look when you have a couple of minutes. We hope this has helped and if you have any great ideas for managing the toys and general clutter, please do share them with us.
If you are thinking of selling or letting your home, please contact our team on 0330 223 1000.
If you’d like to look at what Rachel does, please see her website.
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We hope you had a fabulous Christmas and New Year! We wonder if your house is like ours: groaning under the weight of new toys (or presents for you if you’re really lucky?!) and you’re wondering where on earth to put them all! Do not fear, we have had a good think about what we need help with and created a Pinterest board to give us all some inspiration. We love the idea of an “Epic Lego Wall”! Have a look! And we’ve used the idea for storing puzzles in zipped wallets ourselves – try it, it makes such a huge difference!
Do you have any clever storage tricks? Please share with us if you do!
Have a look at the Pinterest board….
If you are thinking of selling or letting your home, please contact our team on 0330 223 1000.
This blog claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.
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