Start Painting

When trying to make your new-build feel like home, it’s always a good idea to add some personality to different rooms. Why not start by adding a lick of colour to your walls? Remember, adding style to home interiors can be as easy.

When buying a new-build house it’s standard that they come with white walls which can act as a blank canvas, so adding some life of your own to your new home will make you feel much more comfortable too. Be bold and go for strong colours to really make a mark on your home, and if you are a little hesitant to start with, go for the smaller rooms in your home first like the downstairs toilet or main bathroom.

To make an easy start, why not focus on a feature wall to make your home decor feel more designed? Adding texture or something that stands out can draw the eye and make a room more welcoming right away. Pick bold colours or a combination that gives your room a unique spin.

Before you start painting and decide on your colour scheme from one tester pot, brush up on your colour psychology which can help you to create the right vibe for each room. Creating a mood for your home décor can release the inner interior designer in you.

To stay on trend, seek out inspiration from the latest TV shows, fashion and wider culture. You can find really absorbing ideas in the strangest of places. Take photos wherever you go and try and visualise colours that spark your creativity for rooms in your house.

Start Adding Furniture

Newly build homes rarely ever come with enough storage space, so if you find yours lacking take the opportunity to add furniture that you really love to add your personal taste. You should slowly start to feel at home once you’ve started to fill out all of the dead space. Your new build once looked like many others on the estate now has its own unique look and feel. 

Lighting can also have a pronounced effect on your home. Add subtle pendant lights for an unusual option and make use of table and standard lamps to create a more textured look. If you are using room lights, consider diffusers or shades that break down light so as not to be so harsh. Softening a new build home is easy and can make it seem less angular and boxy.

Houseplants 

Bring the outdoors in, and add character to your home using houseplants and flowers. Whether you choose to use real plants or fake plants, brightening up your new build is the first thing you want to be doing to add that feeling of home.

There are so many options when it comes to houseplants. Simple, low-maintenance cacti or succulents need little in terms of water for a solid, unchanging look.

Big, bushy ferns or climbing options are also a great way to add flavour to a room. For those who want to make a feature out of a plant, big leaves have been popular in recent years, look out for the ever-reliable monstera or cheese plant, its iconic leaves with natural holes are a great way to add greenery to your home without too much expense.

Hang Your Curtains

Invest in some good quality curtains, they’ll add warmth to your home and give it that ‘lived-in’ feel. Not only will they help make your new-build feel like home, but they will regulate the temperature in your home, adding to the cosy atmosphere you are trying to create. Hanging your curtains can be great for showcasing your style in your home. Here are some of the curtains we’d recommend to make your new-build feel a little more like home. 

If you need a room darkening, then consider blackout curtains. Need a sleek, feature window? Try pencil pleat curtains or a classic eyelet curtain for the style you want to capture.

The Mill Shop have a wide variety of different curtains you can choose to make your new-build feel like home. Take a look at our recent post about our top tips for finding the perfect curtains for your home. 

Cushions

There’s a whole host of ways you can decorate and get your house feeling like a home. Finishing touches to your home furnishings like cushions can make all the difference. Whether it’s a touch of class with velvet cushions, a dash of faux fur or daring cushion covers, a bit of variety can go a long way.

Try and match design choices, so pair your home accessories with your cushions. For example, got a table lamp in a burnished metal? Match it with art deco-style soft furnishings.

Do you have some daring wall art? Subtly blend your sofa’s theme to it with contrasting colours. The limits really are endless and the deftest touches can be the most affecting.

Artwork 

If your new home doesn’t quite feel like yours, then why not add artwork and photos? There’s nothing more personal and homely than photos of your friends and family on the wall. Make your mark and add some more colour through decorative pieces. Get creative with your home décor, filling your space with whatever you like – mirrors, books, ornament, plants and more. 

If you’ve got your move-in date and want some advice on the best curtains to buy to make your new-build feel like home, get in touch with The Mill Shop’s expert team who can offer you top tips and advice. If you know the correct measurements and your colour scheme, jump right in and have a look at their range of curtains.

The post How To Make Your New Build Feel Like Home appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Here are some natural materials you can incorporate into your kitchen to add a little sparkle:

Table linens

Never underestimate small touches… Protect your surfaces and get the Instagram-look with round rattan placemats and accompany them with washed linen napkins. Napkins are not only more environmentally friendly, but they also look better, too. If you regularly host dinners at your house (when we’re not in a lockdown!), you can invest in a natural table runner too, to protect your table jugs of water, and whatever else, you’d place in the middle of your table.

White quartz worktop

Choosing a natural work surface can be tricky but white quartz worktop is quickly becoming a popular kitchen choice. Quartz is a non-porous material, its texture does not allow bacteria to grow and resists stains, protecting your family and making kitchen clean-up easy. It’s one of the earth’s hardest minerals at only three levels below the hardness of diamond, so it won’t chip or crack either, making it a great investment. This means you can get the white gloss kitchen without the hassle.

Marble chopping board

Marble cutting boards are known for being one of the most hygienic forms of cutting boards. Thanks to their non-porous material, they’re able to keep the bacteria and germs from penetrating through the surface. Another of their advantages is the ease of cleaning, in part due to this non-porous quality. Invest in large slab of marble to instantly elevate your kitchen, it’s a worthy investment and will stand the test of time.

Handcrafted tiles

Nothing compares to the beauty of a true handmade clay tile. The slight imperfections and textures on the surface of the tile will add an element of class and sophistication, elevating your kitchen. Handmade tiles can offer the warmth of a traditional style, whilst remaining contemporary in a modern kitchen. Bespoke tiles can also mean you have the option to design your kitchen exactly how you want it, from the size, shape and colour. This is exactly what I’m doing in my ceramics class at the moment and it’s so therapeutic – see this tutorial.

Artisan serving planks

Adding wood to a kitchen is another way to add warmth to a kitchen, quickly and easily without spending much money. Oversized acacia wood serving planks serve as both practical and decorative kitchen additions, without taking up much space for even the smallest spaces. Buying individually crafted serving planks has ended up becoming something of an obsession. There’s so many on Etsy!

Garden kitchen

Growing herbs in your kitchen is a cost-effective and simple way to have a steady supply of herbs for cooking. They don’t require much effort, and they look great, too. Even if you aren’t very green-fingered, or if you’ve got a dark kitchen, you can buy a grow kit online (like this one)! You’ll never have to buy herbs again, and it’ll add some extra flavour to your dishes. Not to mention they look really cool, too.

What’s your favourite natural material hacks to elevate your kitchen?

The post 5 Eco-Friendly Ways To Elevate Your Kitchen Using Natural Materials appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

I found myself researching different styles and designs until I found organic modern design, and instantly fell in love. Whilst the inspiration you’ll find on Pinterest is a little different to our 4 bedroom family home, THIS is how we incorporated the fundamentals into our real home:

Swap plastic storage for natural baskets

Plastic isn’t only bad for the environment but it’s pretty offensive-looking, too. Storage doesn’t have to be ugly, though. Swap out your plastic storage for beautiful rattan, rope, or seagrass baskets. They’ll add warmth and texture to your room, whilst also being practical. 

We have far more storage now that we’re happy to have beautiful baskets on display, rather than trying to always hide away plastic boxes with broken lids. It’s become a bit of an obsession finding different textures, shapes, and style baskets but there’s never anything wrong with too much storage!

Natural woven storage trunk with lid available at TK Maxx online here.

Opt for solid wood furniture over MFD

Investing in hardwood furniture may feel like an expensive venture, but it’s worth it in the long run. Cheap flat-pack furniture is a false economy and doesn’t last anywhere near as long, so you’ll be running to the shops again in a couple of years. Hardwood furniture looks better and feels nicer to use (partially because you’re not worried about a drawer collapsing every time you use it!). 

If you’re on a budget but you want long-lasting furniture with grains and textures, then consider looking at second-hand furniture. Personally, I love mid-century and rattan furniture so whilst it’s not necessarily cheap, I can sometimes pick up a bargain online. 

Bring the outdoors in with greenery

When you’re decorating a blank canvas, it’s too easy to find yourself in a shopping hole online, designing a bedroom from scratch. This can work well to bring together a cohesive design, but sometimes you need to take a step back and take an organic approach. 

Look at how you can integrate things into your bedroom to add freshness and personality. 

One of the best ways to add life and colour to a room, without upsetting the peace, is by introducing plants. Green foliage sits perfectly in our organic and natural design, so I try and add leafy friends wherever possible. 

Embrace textures and raw materials 

Inject interest and depth by using raw materials and texture to your space. Different grains of wood, marble, and porcelain, all offer varying textures and colours, without being too overwhelming. Each item is a dream to use (I’ve even got a bit of a chopping board collection going on because I’m just obsessed with all the shapes and imperfections!). 

The kitchen is a great place to experiment with different materials, and from a hygiene perspective, it beats plastic and looks beautiful, too. But don’t forget that raw materials and rough textures can work really nicely when set against a soft sheepskin in the bedroom. 

The post Organic Modern: 4 Ways To Bring Natural Elements Into Your Home appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Add a splash of colour

Painting walls and buying bright furniture isn’t the only way to add some colour to your interior design. Wall decorations are less of a commitment than painting and they can add a burst of colour without taking up any floor space (perfect for brightening up small, dark corners!).

Find prints that compliment your existing style and pair them with frames to add interest. There are lots of different types of prints, from nature prints and botanicals, photography, and typography prints . We personally fill our home with mostly abstract art, as it’s timeless and adds colour without being overwhelming.

Create a gallery wall

Gallery walls are a hot trend sweeping across Instagram, Houzz, and Pinterest. It’s an affordable way to inject personality on a blank wall in an affordable way. Finding collections of art or choosing a theme can help when planning a gallery wall. Matching frames offer a cohesive, classic look.

Blending wall art with your own images is a great way to add your part of the story to an interesting and attractive piece of wall art. For example, select 6 posters and add 3 of your own images with matching picture frames to create a stunning gallery wall.

Consider different frames

Depending on the print and the style of the room it’s being displayed in, consider switching up different frame types to add interest. We opted for white wooden frames for some of the calming pieces around our home on the third floor where the bedrooms are, but we’ve gone for black metal frames downstairs.

I’m especially in love with this cute wooden magnetic frame that we’ll be hanging up in the nursery. It’s perfect for a small print, easy to install, and super affordable. The wood finish matches the furniture we have planned for the nursery and the frame design is just a bit more playful.

Get the look

The majority of the frames and prints in our home are from the Poster Store . They stock a large poster selection of different themes and categories and release a new poster collection every Tuesday. There are endless options whatever your style and it’s easy to mix and match collections.

Use voucher code STRAWBERRYSQUEEZE40 to get 40% off your order (except Selection Posters and frames). Not combinable with other discount campaigns. Valid from 26th of October to 9th of November.

Our home has a slight Scandinavian design to it, so the posters and frames available fit our style perfectly, as well as being good quality and affordable. The Poster Store has great eco-credentials, too, which is one of the reasons it’s our preferred place to purchase art

Think sustainability

Buying from sustainable brands is more important than ever right now.

All the prints and frames from the Poster Store are eco-friendly. The posters are printed on sustainably produced high-quality paper, and their frames are made from wood that comes from responsibly managed forests that meet the highest environmental and social standards.

Their sustainability ethos extends beyond their products, as they are mindful of their environmental impact from a delivery perspective. To minimize their carbon footprint on the environment, they use the shortest transport routes and smart logistics.

The post How To Use Prints To Add Colour & Elevate Your Home appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Before You Start: Choose The Correct Size For Your Windows

The first thing you need to do when looking at any kind of window blind is to decide which size fits best into your windows.

There are two main sizing options available –

Standard Width – This choice will work well for most window types, however, if you have an unusual shaped window, an example being one where there is less than 1/2 inch from the top edge of the glass to the bottom ledge, then choosing a custom creation will work best.

Custom Sized – If you require a size-specific window blind, then this option would be a much better fit, as they allow more flexibility within the dimensions of the window itself.

When selecting a new set of blinds for your windows, try these tips:

Don’t Forget About Your Existing Décor 

If you already have décor on your walls or ceilings, then they should be considered when picking out shades and colours for your new blinds. This way you won’t clash with anything else that may already exist in your house

When focusing on colour, in particular, some colours can complement or contrast with each other. Certain combinations can create a beautiful effect. For example, soft pastel blues paired with dark wood furniture creates a calming atmosphere while bolder hues like red and green make rooms feel energised and brighten up spaces.

Materials And Fabrics

Most people prefer lightweight materials such as cotton fabrics and linen due to their breathability and ease of cleaning. However, heavier textiles tend to offer greater insulation properties which can help keep energy costs down during colder months.

You also need to think about how much light gets through each fabric, so choose accordingly depending upon whether you live in a sunny climate or somewhere darker.

Be Inspired Before Buying

Many homeowners use social media sites like Pinterest to share photos of rooms they love.

Try browsing through images posted online and see whether anything catches your eye. If you’re unsure about how a particular style looks in real life, then simply get in touch with an expert who can guide you through the decision process.

Choose Shades That Fit With Your Lighting 

Lighting fixtures in your living space should be taken into consideration when buying new blinds.

For instance, recessed lighting usually has a very narrow beam angle meaning that the amount of light coming through the shade might be limited. It is therefore advisable to select a blackout fabric to block all light getting through. On the other hand, overhead lights often project a wider illumination pattern so it makes sense to purchase lighter weight fabrics to avoid blocking too much light.

Manual Or Electric Blinds? 

Electric blinds are generally easier to operate and adjust, compared to manually operated ones. They come equipped with sensors that automatically open or close according to conditions outside the home. You don’t even have to lift them! But manual options do give you full control over opening and closing times and positions.

The main difference between both styles lies in how easy it is to change settings; electric models typically feature remote controls whereas manual versions rely on buttons located at the side of the slats themselves.

Choosing an electric option provides ease especially for homeowners who want to control their blinds but have high ceilings that are inaccessible. 

Having an expert help you with your roof window blind choices is important. The knowledgeable team at YARD Direct are available to help you with your next choice when it comes to deciding on the perfect Roto Roof Window blinds for your living space

The post Choosing The Right Roof Window Blinds To Compliment Your Home’s Aesthetics appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

They increase the value of your home

Whether you’re looking to sell in the next year or the next ten years, there’s never a bad time to increase the value of your home. One way that you can increase the value of your home is to create a more usable living space.

Traditional, brick-and-mortar home extensions are one option, but they often require planning permission, take months to complete, and dramatically reduce your garden space too. For a lot of homeowners, the cost and time involved in a home extension make them quite unappealing.

A garden room is an excellent alternative if you want to increase the value of your home. Not only are they generally cheaper than traditional extensions, but they also take less time to install and rarely require planning permission. Better yet, you won’t be taking away from the beauty of your garden because garden rooms feature large glass panels rather than solid walls.

If or when you put your house on the market, a garden room will be an attractive feature that increases the value of your home – so they’re definitely worth the initial investment.

They can be used all year round

One of the main benefits of a garden room is that they allow you to use your garden space all year round. Here in the UK, we know that the weather isn’t the most reliable. One minute it can be bright sunshine and the next it can be blowing a gale.

Garden rooms are worth the money if you’re looking to make better use of your garden, whatever the weather. They provide ample shelter and protection from the elements without distracting your garden. You can accessorize your garden room with heaters, lights, and Bluetooth speaker systems to really make the most of the additional space.

They enhance your garden design

Another big bonus of adding a garden room to your property is that it enhances your garden design. Long gone are the days where you need to install a clunky conservatory, a garden room will complement a modern garden space and will be an eye-catching feature that you’re bound to get tons of compliments on!

So, if you’ve been wondering whether you should add a garden room to your property, I would highly recommend it. They’re a great investment and help you make the most of your garden space.

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