Home & Interiors

I’ve been charting my renovation projects on the blog for some time, we are almost there. Its been a tough and at times incredibly stressful project but I know at the end ill have a house exactly as I want (within financial constraints of course!).  This post is was inspired by an ebook produced by Chill Home Insurance which looks at weird and wonderful home around the world.  It prompted me to think a little bit more about what home really is to me personally.  While in a material sense our newly renovated home will have all we want subject to financial constraints but is it a home?

Thinking deeper I think without the Dada Fairy and the boys im not sure the physical house could ever be a home to me.  In reality we could probably set up “home” anywhere and making our current house a home involved the combination of the physical characteristics we selected ourselves and the people we choose to share it with.  Very deep for a Sunday morning!!

Pic Credit: Pixabay

We are off to Iceland next weekend and one of the things that stood out to me when booking our accommodation was that huge variety of different types there were. Glass domes to hopefully view the Aurora or the grass covered or turf houses as they are known. They interestingly evolved in attempt to circumvent  the harsh climate conditions.

Chill Insurance have included many other example including closer to home in Co Louth is Dummond Tower.  Which incidentally I have just learned can be booked via Air BnB at certain times of the year. The listing gives a sneak peak into the interior of the Tower which has been restored preserving so much of the integrity of the building. The tower is accessed internally via a cut stone winding stair case. Its breath taking. It dates back to 1858 and I think there really is something special about how well this property was clearly loving restored.  I have just dropped some not so subtle hints for my Christmas present. I have always had a fascination with old properties thinking back to what might have went on there in a different time. To see how the features of the house have been preserved and stand the test of time. This is definitely a property to add to my bucket list.

Some other notable mentions in the ebook and much further field include, an 85 square meter almost transparent house in Tokyo! I have done lots of googling but apparently its location is a somewhat closely guarded secret! Or at the far end end of the design spectrum is a Flintstones inspired house in Malibu! Trust me google this you will not be disappointed!

Its no surprise that when asked the question over 60% of people said it was family that make the home. Its certainly my view too. Id love to here what the true meaning of home is to you….let me know in the comments below.

The True Meaning of Home (Credit: Chill Insurance)

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Dealing with household chores isn’t so bad when there’s only one of you, but when you have a family then the list of tasks expands.   Here are a few suggestions on how to make handling your household chores a little bit easier.

Divide the Household Chores Amongst Everyone

Create a weekend chores list and assign different family members to each task. Put it up in the kitchen for all to see.  For kids who are old enough, have them perform household chores to understand the value of work in their lives. Rule out the idea that pocket money – or, any money – is given freely. Developing a strong work ethic will serve them very well throughout their adult lives. Young kids can rake up leaves. Older kids can reorganise or move light furniture under supervision to help clean underneath.   For the parents, split up the chores that are best completed by adults. Treat some of them as learning experiences for the older children too. Add a fun element to it and see if they can invent new or different ways to get the task completed in less time. I will admit there are times when we are both really busy with work that we enlist the help of a cleaner. It can really save time at those critical times of year when life gets hectic. 

Eco Friendly all the way 

Credit: www.pattersons.co.uk

I used to feel so guilty using all the sprays, detergents etc until the rise of eco products in a more mainstream way, being readily available from places like Pattersons

I was delighted to see that they offer eco products for both the domestic and commercial markets. Eco products such as those from Pattersons avoid the use of chemically-reactive and toxic chemicals, which are considered safer and kinder to the environment. The environment is a hot topic at the moment and if we all make small changes together we can start to make an impact. They have very kindly shared with me their eco friendly Spring clean hacks which I have reproduced opposite with permission.

Remove Vacuuming from the Chores List Altogether

Vacuuming the carpets and dealing with the wooden floors isn’t difficult, it’s just tedious. If anyone has dust allergies, it does get more difficult when an old vacuum cleaner is spewing dust up at you. Seek out the best robotic vacuum cleaner to remove vacuuming from the task list altogether. Vacuuming the house might take 30 minutes every weekend and again half-way through the week. Why not let a robot vacuum clean the floors while you’re at work?    Look for reviews of robot vacuum cleaners to see which make and models are the most reliable and the best cleaners. You can start by checking out this list of the 17 Best Robot Vacuum Cleaners to pick the one that is both effective and economical.

Keep Things Organised, Automatically

Create systems at home that everyone can follow automatically to avoid having to deal with clean up later. For instance, when there’s a tall laundry basket in every bedroom, it’s no trouble throwing a used t-shirt into the basket on the way out the door. Similarly, when having a set place to put the shoes outside the back door or in a shoe rack at the front door, none of the family tread dirt from outside the home to the interior. These items are difficult for a vacuum to suck up and dispose of.   Wash up the dishes or load up the dishwasher as the last task of the day before heading to bed. You won’t notice the little bit of extra effort when it’s something you do automatically as part of a nightly routine. This avoids dealing with sticky plates and cutlery in the morning and it just makes life easier.

When you get your thinking cap on for how to make household chores easier, then you have time to enjoy your house for what it is; a family home.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Every time you make a home improvement it is worth thinking about how to do it in a way that adds value. Provided you do that, when the kids have left and you want to downsize you will improve your chances of making a big profit on your house sale. There are lots of ways to add value to a family home. One of them is to upgrade your outdoor spaces. A nicely landscaped garden can enable you to sell your house for up to 20% more. It also greatly improves the curb appeal of your property, which will tempt more potential buyers to view it.

Plant a tree

Perhaps the fastest way to add value to your property is to buy a tree from somewhere like The Tree Center and plant it. You just need to choose one that will grow well in your climate. When deciding which tree you will plant take the time to find out how big it will grow. This will help you to work out how far away from your home it should be planted. You should also find out how far the root system will spread. The roots of plants can do a lot of damage, especially if they reach your drains, or worse, the foundations of your house.

Maintain your guttering

Keeping your gutters clear of debris is an important task. Usually, you will only need to do it once a year.

Failing to do so, can lead to your property being badly damaged. If water does not drain away properly, it can easily get into the fabric of your building. Once it is in the roof or walls it will spread and can cause a huge amount of damage. When that happens, the value of your home will fall drastically.

Create more private space

People like to spend time outside, but, when they do so they do not like to be overlooked. As a result, planting a hedge or installing a fence can make a house more appealing to potential buyers.

Build an outdoor dining area

Creating somewhere for the family to eat outdoors is also a good idea. If you have the budget, consider building an outdoor kitchen. This article will help you to work out if it is worth doing so in your case.

Install patio or French doors

Connecting your garden to the rest of your home using full-length glass doors will improve your house in several ways. It will let more light into the room, and ensure that the view of your garden can be enjoyed.

As you can see, improving the curb appeal of your property is not hard to do. You do not need to invest a lot of money to make your outdoor spaces more appealing. This is means that you can get a great level of return on your investment. Plus, your family will be able to enjoy spending more time outdoors in a pleasant environment. So, it is hard to think of a reason not to invest a little time and money in improving your outdoor spaces.

Note: This is a collaborative post

When planning your garden as part of your landscaping goals, it pays off to have a good understanding of the plants you can grow. Garden plans can be categorized as perennials or annuals, exotic or native, shrubs or climbing plants.

In addition to this you need to know their names, the colours of their flowers, their foliage, their growth habit and the size they reach when fully grown. You also need to be well conversant with their suitability for your particular climate. With this knowledge, you can then start designing and landscaping your garden.

Here are landscaping ideas for your garden.

Choosing a style

You need to consider your location, climate, soil type, terrain, and function of your garden when choosing a garden style. There is no use an Italian garden style that requires good soil and plenty of water yet you live in a dry neighborhood where the soil is sandy. Sandy soil leaks water too fast and is unsuitable for water-demanding plants. The function you intend for the garden is vital in choosing an appropriate garden style. The garden styles would be different if you want a safe playing zone for your kids from when you want suitable place to host parties.

Designing the garden

You can design everything on paper first before implementing it on the ground or plan as you go along.

The first approach gives you the artistic impression of how everything will look like after you complete the project and will save you lots of time and money. While being spontaneous is exciting, it can lead to costly mistakes and waste of time when you learn that something is not where you’d like it to be and you have to make changes.

You need to put some thought while designing especially when you are installing features like water features and building walls since they can’t be easily moved like plants.

It’s also important to consider at this stage any building materials needed such as paving or cobbles as they will need to be in situ before the planting starts. In addition, it is at this stage that you need to consider if any of your chosen features require construction or foundation/ preparation work, for example, if you are wanting a retractable flagpole or a garden shed installing.

Choosing your plants

The choice of plants at you local plant nursery should be more than enough, but you need to ensure the plants you choose are suitable to the garden style and the climate of your area. Indigenous plants grow better and need less attention since they are better acclimatized to the existing conditions but should you decide to have a mix of indigenous and exotic plants, be sure to grow them in separate locations.  Exotic plants tend to either wilt and die or become overly dominant when planted close to indigenous plants.

When deciding on how to plant your garden and what varieties to choose, you may want to contact a local landscaper to seek their expert advice. Local landscapers will know the local climate and soil conditions better than anyone, so they should have some good suggestions for you. It is also worth find out What Is The Best Grass Seed since you will also need to have a grass cover in your landscape. However I must admit like Life as Mrs D I too am a little tempted with artificial grass!

Planting

Take into account the color of your plants when planting since this can either add to the appeal of your garden or destroy it. Color is one of the most important aspects in landscaping and can make or break your garden.  Space your plants well and plant them in odd numbers. Plants with off the same species and almost similar colors should be clustered. For instance, red, orange and yellow garden plants should be close to each other.  To add to the allure of your garden, blend bright colors with dull ones and you can also plant a few scented flowers in your garden but be sure they are not too strong.

Pic Credit: Pixabay

I have spoken at length about our renovation projects, thankfully they are drawing to a close which can only mean one thing! It is time for the fun part….designing the interiors. I am one of  those people who pour of beautiful pictures on Instagram accounts and Pinterest. I love creating mood boards and wish lists that contain items way out of budget. I have serious envy of those stunning interiors. Unfortunately I am not a creative type person so I rely on those far better at it than me for inspiration.

Thankfully in order to help me in my quest Sloan & Sons have produced a really useful guide which list the Top 32 interior blogs of 2018.  I’ll admit there were blogs on that list that I have never heard of before. Its not a word of a lie when I say I have quite literally spent hours pouring over stunning interiors shots wishing I could just win the lotto!

If you looking for some new interior blogs to follow, I have totally fallen in love with Design Hunter. The blog itself is crisp and cool, the posts equally so.  Don’t just take my word for it have a nosey. One word…..stylish! Another new blog for me was Rose & Grey  another blog with lots of informative content and swoon worthy pics.

Are there any blogs not on that list you think should have been? Would love to hear in the comments.

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control.