Those finishing touches

Setting up a new home for your family is one of the biggest jobs you are likely to take on because for many of us it’s a very personal journey.  Simply deciding on whether to build, buy established, or renovate can be tricky enough.  Finding the right property and making sure it fits your lifestyle can be an exercise in endless patience and persistence.

A lot of thought must be given to how the space will be used.  How much space will you need and what will it be used for?  Then you need to consider the size of the yard, how much of a play area you want for the kids, whether you like to entertain and if so, do you prefer formal or casual entertainment; or both?  Inside the home there is the number of bedrooms, the size and functionality of the kitchen and bathrooms, the living area and whether you want a home theatre, study, gym, parents retreat, children’s play room… the list is extensive and for some it is an absolute labour of love, for others it can be quite the nightmare.

But take heart; when all of these things are in place and your colour schemes and soft furnishings are decided, you can play with the finishing touches which bring all that hard work together to create your dream home.  Once your paint colours, tiles, carpet and flooring choices are made, you can add the furniture you love, to give the exact character you want to each and every room.  This part of the process is often the most enjoyable and with good planning and a balanced budget you can keep the stress to a minimum, which will go a long way to ensuring you remain sane and happy throughout the process.

It seems to make perfect sense that the initial phases of creating your ideal home usually are on the larger side in terms of sheer physical size and scale; while the finishing touches are usually quite small in size.  Items such as lamps, objects of art, side tables, books, rugs, throw rugs and simply cushions may all be small items but they are fun to shop for and will tie all the individual items together to finish off the story.  Cushions are a winning item to add colour and charm to any sofa or bed or just your favourite comfy chair.  Rugs can define a room and can create separate spaces within a larger room, while lamps create ambiance and highlight paintings and ornaments as well as create light where it’s needed.

Let’s not forget the children’s rooms!  Decorating these rooms can be so enjoyable and you can really put your imagination to work creating a room that is fun and functional as well as somewhere safe and comforting for your little ones to enjoy.  It is often the smallest of items that make the biggest difference in a child’s room, so getting the detail right is important.  You can choose themed wall art and soft furnishings for the windows and bed and team those with book cases, lamps and cushions in fun designs for kids that will complete the perfect picture and a place of joy for your children as they grow.

So enjoy the journey and congratulate yourself at the end of your project when you wander from room to room and see how brilliantly it has come together.