1. Think floor space

We usually perceive “space” as having more floor space to put things and move around. Because of this, you’ll want to try and lift as many things off the ground as possible such as removing any floor clutter and tucking away furniture when possible.

2. Use floating when possible

Floating furniture takes up less visual space and ultimately makes a room feel more spacious. From a floating steps staircase to floating shelves, there are plenty of options to get creative.

3. Don’t clutter too much

Having lots of space and storage doesn’t mean you need to use it. Keep some shelves empty to give the illusion that your room is more spacious than it really is.

4. Use your walls

Think vertical when possible. Use more wall shelves as opposed to free-standing ones, get rid of large paintings on the wall if they’re taking up space and in general avoid anything freestanding when possible.

5. Multifunctional is the way to go

Any furniture that you have in your home should be multifunctional whenever possible. For instance, you could use an ottoman as a seat, footstool and even for storage. Similarly, You could have a tiered coffee table that can be tucked into itself for more functionality and space.

6. Let the light in

Keep the windows clear to let in as much light as possible. This will bounce off reflective surfaces and brighten up your room to make it feel more spacious.

7. Don’t think too small

A few large pieces of furniture is ultimately better than lots of small pieces. This is because they’re easier to move around and they’re visually cleaner which means it gives an illusion of a more spacious room.

8. User lighter colours

Light colours are a great way to make rooms feel a little more spacious. Avoid dark colours when possible and think of natural tones such as a light beige staircase in wood, green potted plants on shelves and light browns.

9. Use the ceilings

If you have tall ceilings then they’re the perfect place to add a few useful things. This can include a ceiling fan so you can get rid of your standing fan when it comes to summer, or hanging potted plants in certain areas of the room to avoid using floor planters.

10. Add reflective surfaces

Whether it’s a large wall mirror or metal shelving and furniture pieces, adding more reflective surfaces is a fantastic way to bounce light around the room to make it brighter and feel more spacious.

The post 10 Ways To Transform a Tiny Home Into a Spacious Retreat appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

The thought of ever leaving this 2 bedroom house breaks my heart because I worked SO hard to purchase and furnish it on my own when I was 23. Scanning the market, we have an idea on what type of property our next move might be. We’re not going anywhere soon… so until then, we’ve decided to make some tweaks to the house so we can squeeze a couple more years out of it so that when we eventually do move we’ll have a bigger budget. This, coupled with the fact, I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet.

Lounge

I spend the majority of my time in the lounge when I’m at home – it’s my favourite room in the house. Last year we shuffled the furniture around which made the room feel bigger, and it feels much more social when we have guests over. I’m really glad we did it because the rooms so much better this way.

We’ve recently inherited a bigger television and cleared out the cupboard under the stairs (such a relief!). We’ve moved our large grey DFS armchair back to the bedroom and replaced it with a gigantic fur beanbag.

It’s the comfiest thing in the world, not to mention the room weirdly feels BIGGER having it in here. Hanging behind it on the wall is a stunning Moroccan rug that I picked up in Marrakech on my hen do last month.

Kitchen

Our house isn’t big but we’re lucky that we’ve got a decent size kitchen that opens onto decking with stairs into a garden, giving the illusion of space. The illusion of space isn’t much good in reality though…

We can comfortably get a dining table and chairs in our kitchen and there’s enough room for us to both cook in there, but it was limiting. We couldn’t put in a dishwasher because there wasn’t enough under-counter space.

We stuck a condenser tumble dryer in the corner of the room, plumbed our washing machine in under the sink and cleaned our dishes by hand – not the end of the world.

Someone then gave us the idea to convert our downstairs bathroom into a utility room, freeing up space in our kitchen for a dishwasher and space where the tumble dryer was stuck in the corner of the room behind the dining table. Considering we don’t even use our downstairs bathroom, this seemed like a genius idea.

The rug is a new addition, too! I picked this beauty up when I went to Jordan in December with my best friend (another blog post I NEED to write). It’s handmade by the local Jordanians near Petra. 

We picked up a cheap dishwasher, called a plumber, and a couple of hundred quid later we had a utility room, one less bathroom to clean and a lot more space! The best bit was, we don’t have to spend our evening scrubbing dishes. I can’t believe we didn’t think of this before.

It’s so much better being able to keep our laundry basket, bin and other cleaning products tucked away in a cupboard. We managed to keep our sink in there, too which is good for when we need to empty the water tank from the tumble dryer. It’s not particularly beautiful but it makes life way easier.

Bathroom

We’ve lost one of our toilets but honestly, we never used it! It was so small and we have a family bathroom upstairs, so we always used that one anyway. One less room to buy flowers for, too…

There’s only so much you can do when decorating a bathroom, especially when you just like everything to be white, like me! We bought a new bin, some fancy new soaps and got a bath caddy. But the most exciting thing is actually very sad… We finally got our heated towel rail fitted and I’m so happy.

We bought it literally two years ago and never got around to having it plumbed in. TA-DA! 

When the plumber came over to sort out the utility room, we got him to pop the radiator in too. It looks so much nicer than before and it’s a much better use of space. Goodbye towels hanging on the landing.

Overall, it doesn’t look much different in the bathroom because I try and keep it clear from bottles etc. We do have some new scales that sync up to your phone and track your weight, which is pretty cool!

Bedroom

We’ve made some small changes to the bedroom but nothing major. Our bedroom has a large G-Plan sideboard at the end of the room opposite the bed with 2 matching bedside tables. I love midcentury furniture and would probably decorate the entire house with it if I could afford to. Watch this space…

I’d been on the hunt for some artwork to go above the bed for a little while. We don’t have a headboard and I didn’t really want one. Instead, I wanted a statement piece. That exactly what I found when I came across this beach oil painting print. I couldn’t resist it, and it looks so beautiful with our bamboo lampshade.

The print has a hint of pink in and we’ve got a lovely new (to us) vintage pink ottoman, which compliments our pink and grey contrast bedcovers nicely. The DFS chair being in the bedroom works really nicely with the grey already in the room, too. Happy accidents and all that.

Midcentury teak and bamboo probably don’t go together but I’m totally in love with how it looks – even S is impressed with the pink. We’re currently working on the office and I’m so excited to share it with you xxx

The post Home Edit: We’re Giving Our Home a Lil TLC 💞 appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

That said, sometimes time isn’t always on our side when these moments of creativity hit us. Whether it’s careers to pursuit or kids to raise, there isn’t always the leeway to make a good start on some quality home improvement. Home improvement firms are closing down too, bottlenecking the options available to people who want to overhaul their homes without spending a fortune.

So here you have it… 3 low-cost home improvement ideas that you can do over the weekend without having to splash your savings on expensive furniture (**psst** it won’t take all day either!).

Incorporate Plants Indoors

Plants are cheap, but they conversely have great value when incorporated into the home. For example, they circulate a great amount of oxygen around every room they feature. What better way to liven up the home than to fill it with more life? There’ll be a vivid injection of colour and greenery, and overall elevate the home beyond the typical and bland furniture and decorations.

For example, companies like Coopers of Stortford can help greatly here. They cover plant care supplies alongside many other niches, so if you’re aiming for a flare of green originality in your home, use their services. In the end, it’s never a bad idea to add some natural greenery into your home!

Update Lighting

Your indoor lighting scheme can communicate a lot about your home. They can emphasise certain areas or objects in the home, emphasise a formal or informal space, and overall illuminate any room so that it’s easier on the eye. Often, it’s the lighting that adds those final ‘homely touches’ that make a house feel warm and welcoming, having a diverse range of effects on things here.

Whether it’s desk lamps or overhanging fair lights in the doorway, there’s obviously a lot of room here for customisation and decoration. It takes no time at all to update a home’s lighting arrangement, so consider doing this if it appeals to you. For example, you could purchase multi-coloured lamps that change shade at the press of a button or invest in some high-end LED wall lights that brighten up the room! In the end, your homes aesthetic could change at the flick of a switch.

Paint Walls

Obvious but underestimated, sometimes all a room needs are a new coat of paint. After all, over time paint chips and fades away, and the walls need a bit of a makeover every few years or so. Of course, it could be that you’re just bored of the colour scheme you’ve had for a while now; no matter the reason, painting the walls in a room can easily be done in one weekend!

Consider sprucing things up a bit and going for a fresh update where the walls are concerned. Perhaps it could match the furniture better, or follow a particular theme you’ve already set out elsewhere in your house? Don’t shy away from mixing and matching and seeing what works and what doesn’t; you’ve got all weekend!

The post Low-Cost Home Improvement Ideas You Can Do Over The Weekend appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

The problem with having an interior design addiction is the cost. You are well aware that decorating any area of your house costs a lot of money. So, to keep the cost down and upgrade your property, you need to concentrate on the little details like lighting.

Here are the lighting hacks that you need to know if you want to revamp any room and not spend a fortune.

Choose The Right Fixtures

The obvious choice is to install a ‘big light’ in the middle of the roof to take care of all of your lighting needs. However, one big light is not the only choice at your disposal. In fact, if you want to transform a room and complement a particular style, you will need to consider your options. For example, if you don’t want a bright room you should use a variety of lamps. Lamps provide a softer light that makes a room look much cosier and warmer. Stuck for ideas? Festive Lights have tons of inspiration on their website. 

Task Versus Ambient

Although you should go with your preferred style, you should also mix up the type of light in any room. So, if you prefer ambient lighting, it is always a good idea to have at least one task lighting fixture to add contrast. ‘Wait a minute. What are ambient and task lighting?’ Task lighting is bright, bold light that dominates a room whereas ambient is soft, mood lighting. Regardless of the tone, you should mix and match to get the tone exactly right.

Double Up

One tip that all lighting design specialists will recommend is doubling up. In layman’s terms, to double up means adding an extra fixture to the room so that there is always more than one fixture in any room. A singular light fixture will struggle to illuminate a room on its own, which means it won’t have the desired effect. By giving it a mate, every room in the house will gleam and look its best at all times of the day.

Natural Light Is King

Yes, synthetic light is a good alternative, and it will do the job. But, natural light is better because it makes everything look more appealing. Obviously, you want as much natural light as possible, which is why you have to exploit the windows as much as possible. The best way to do it is to use curtains instead of blinds. Then, all you have to do is draw the curtains during the day to let in all of the light. At night you still get your privacy, but during the day you can take advantage of the sun’s rays to great effect.

Add Mirrors

‘What do mirrors have to do with light?’ The answer is a lot because mirrors reflect light at different angles. These reflections help to make the room look bigger and roomier, which is one way to revamp a room. When it comes to lighting, there is a variety of options that can turn a dull room into a lively one.

The post Transform Any Room With These Lighting Hacks appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Invest in Statement Pieces

For a country inspired office, the key to achieving this look is in selecting statement pieces. From an extravagant accessory to a large item of furniture, a statement piece will act as a focal point within a room and help to pull the overarching theme together.

In your office, make sure your statement items are timeless and fit with the surrounding space. If you have an entire room, this could mean finding the perfect desk. Alternatively, if your office is within another area, such as the dining room, consider storage that complements the interior, such as an oak country style sideboard.

Aim for a Lived-In Look

How would you describe a country home? Words like warm, welcoming, cosy, charming and comfortable may come to mind. As such, when designing a country-inspired office, forgo perfectly finished and polished pieces in favour of items with a raw, authentic feel. These will give that lived-in, rural style while also being sophisticated and chic for years to come.

Consider Finishing Touches

When trying to achieve any look within a home, the finishing touches are vital. For example, if trying to create a boutique hotel bedroom, upscale lighting and luxury fabrics are essential. When creating an office with a country design, the accessories can help to define the space, too.

In a charming country home, accessories are often abundant, with books, ornaments and items adorning every surface. So, when finalising your office, think about how you can emulate this. You could choose a vintage desk lamp, display wild flowers or select a raw wooden letter holder.

Make it Feel Inviting

Lastly, while an office must be practical above all, with space to complete tasks, an ergonomic chair and adequate storage. However, to achieve country style, your workspace must also be inviting. There are many ways to achieve this, including lazily draping a woven throw over your chair or enhancing the ambience by placing lighting at different levels.

Whether you have the space to dedicate an entire room to your office, or you are repurposing an unloved alcove, consider these tips to create a workable, charming and country-styled home office.

The post Chic Country Charm: Décor Inspiration For Your Home Office appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Three Different Types of Lights

The general rule is that a room as large as the living room requires three different types of lighting, which are categorised as ambient lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. While you can get away with skipping the accent lights (especially when the space is quite small), ambient and task lighting are essential.

Ambient lighting 

This refers to the general lighting in any living room that acts as the primary source of illumination. There are many ways to go about it, but pendant lighting works particularly well for ambient lighting, given how many widely varying options you get with the ceiling fixtures here. There are tube LED lights, pyramids, cubes, birdcages, disco balls, chandeliers, cluster lights, classic round bulbs and so many other options that it is easy to get spoiled for choice, irrespective of the décor you have going on in your living room.

The ambient lights in a living room are responsible for creating the primary atmosphere, so choose carefully and in the right numbers. What this implies is that a particularly large living room may benefit more from multiple smaller pendant lights, than just one big chandelier, while one small chandelier with a mirror on one wall could actually make a small room look bigger than it is.

Task Lighting 

Just as the name suggests, task lighting refers to specialised light sources that serve to aid in a particular function. For example, a reading lamp or a recessed cabinet light meant for lighting up the kitchen counter is known as a task light because it helps the inhabitants of the home in performing certain specific tasks better.

Accent Lighting 

The job of accent lights is to highlight points of interest in the room. If you have ever seen cove lighting or tray ceilings, you know what accent lighting is. Alternatively, you can use sconces to accentuate a photo wall or a piece of art that you proudly own and would like to show off to your guests.

Dimmer Switches are EVERYTHING!

The brightness control which dimmer switches allow are a game-changer and until the days come when we can use smart lights everywhere, they are a must for any living room. Not only do dimmer switches allow for perfect ambience control by enabling people to adjust the brightness in accordance with the available natural light, as well as the occasion at hand, they also help in bringing down the power consumption quite a bit over time.

Consider Colour Temperature

It may not look like it at the time of the purchase, but rest assured that unless every lightbulb that you are buying is of the same kelvin colour temperature, the whites and the yellows will differ from each other once you fit them into the fixtures and turn them on. Since a mixture could look quite clumsy, make sure that every bulb you buy has the same rating as the others, especially when dealing with pendant lights.

Making a living room shine isn’t about making it as bright as possible, but more about filling the entire room with just the perfect amount of light which it needs to look bright, inviting and cosy at the same time.

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