Mini Series: DIY’s To Help You Upgrade Your Space

Oh my, how life can change so drastically within the course of just a few days. Are you stuck inside and need something to do with your time? Given the physical distancing precautions set in place, I am sure many of you will now be spending more time at home; allowing you to make your home a haven to lift your spirits and give your mind a break from the constant bombardment of fear and dread. 

Having not left my home now in weeks, I find myself running through a gamut of emotions. I have certainly had my fair share of freak out moments, but ultimately I realise that staying in a fear-based frequency will only make matters worse (especially on my immune system). Instead, I stay productive with my time inside and think of ways to occupy my body and mind. You might be struggling with storage space, organisation, or just a somewhat lacklustre home design that needs upgrading. A fresh coat of paint, while dazzling, can only take a room so far. So, if you want to make your space feel like home, then try your hand at some of our favourite, easy DIYs to customise and give your space a fresh upgrade.

PAINTED BARN DOOR

Image Credit (left to right) - Decoist, Pinterest

Replace any old door in your house with a sliding barn door to open up the room. Usually characterised as country, but more recently they’ve moved onto the design scene as a trendy mainstay for farmhouses and modern homes alike. Oozing with vintage charm, they are an easy way to add separation and style to your space. 

Surprisingly, they are also remarkably versatile; rustic enough to highlight a gorgeous vintage bookcase but modern enough to jibe well with a mid-century console table. The biggest advantage of the style is it takes up less floor space than a traditional swinging door - perfect for rooms where you want to fit a bathroom in a small area or possibly in the kitchen to conceal a pantry. Make it fun for you and the kids; find a flat barn door and paint it with chalk paint; this adds bonus space for notes, reminders and a surface for the children to draw on.

PLANT SHELVES

Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest 

With all this time on our hands, we’ve been thinking about ways we can become more self-sustainable. And what is the best way to do that? Tap into your inner green thumb and start growing your favourite herbs inside your home. Nothing livens up a dish like fresh herbs, which is why you should always have some on hand; delicious and fragrant, they can be grown in the smallest of spaces. 

Growing is easy gardening fun that anyone can do; there are plenty of gorgeous indoor planters that can make your dream a reality. All you need is a pot, compost and seeds to get growing tasty herbs that will add incredible flavour to salads and your home cooking. If you are limited on space, add glass floating shelves to a window and place your plants on top of them. Otherwise, a beautiful hanging garden is another stylish solution for an indoor herb garden. 

TRANSFORM YOUR STAIRCASE

Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest

Is your staircase in desperate need of an update? There’s nothing wrong with leaving your staircase bare except that it lacks personality and flair. When left uncovered, a staircase is just a functional feature that acts as an access-way between the ground and top storey of your home. However, placing a Persian or Oriental runner is a simple, affordable and effective way to transform the look of your staircase and make a stunning style statement! When picking out a rug for this project; there are three things you need to consider:

First, measure the staircase - make sure to select a rug that is smaller in width and the total length is greater than the length of your stairs. It’s always good to give yourself more to work with and then cut and trim as needed, that way it will sit seamlessly. 

Next, make sure the colours and pattern connect with your other interior design. We accomplished this by selecting rugs in a warm palette that varied in pattern, scale, and background colour.

The materials you will need to install your carpet runner are:

• Pencil
• Scissors
• Carpet Tape
• Measuring Tape
• Staple Gun/Staples
• Non-Slip Carpet Padding

 Here's a selection of our favourite runner's for Spring 2020:

Featured Rugs (left to right) -  MARNI, YASMIN, AZRA, MIA, SUTTON, QUINN

CREATE A DESK ORGANISER

Image Credit (left to right) - Akailochiclife, Pinterest

A small desk seems even smaller when there are tons of papers, pens, and supplies scattered everywhere. So take the time to design a desk organiser that will be functional for your space and hold all your regularly needed items. Use drawer organisers to keep each item in its place, so you know exactly where to find it each time you need it. Otherwise, opt for a cork peg wall. These are ideal for offices and playrooms, turning any blank slate into an opportunity for creativity and inspiration. The choice is yours: Use it for function (think: calendars and weekly planners), design, or a combination of the two.

HANG SOME ART

Image Credit (left to right) - Gallery Wallrus, Anthropologie

Being stuck at home during the coronavirus quarantine, is a great opportunity to tackle a few DIY home decor projects. If you have a blank wall that’s just begging for attention - what better way to add visual interest to the place you're holed up in than to hang some art on the walls?

Put empty frames to use: Photo projects require a ton of time and energy to complete, which means they sometimes never make it off of your to-do list. Alternatively, take down all of your photos or artwork and make a new gallery, perhaps moving items to a new room to keep things fresh. Walls may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to home projects, but a few updates can make a big difference.

MAKE WAY FOR STYLISH STORAGE

Image Credit (left to right) - My Domaine, Home Hacks

There's no such thing as too much storage space! We have all fantasised about beginning the dream remodelling project in our home - the one that magically creates space for all the things we can’t find a place for. However, splurging on big renovation plans aren't likely on the cards at the moment... but that doesn’t mean you can’t make some changes.

Not all of us possess massive closets and built-in cabinetry, but luckily there are plenty of other creative ways to store all essentials: If your tiny closet is already packed to the brim or you don't have a closet in your bedroom - a freestanding  clothing rack could be the desirable solution you've always dreamed of. Having our clothes out in the open, forces us to keep nice and organised. Ridding us of the all too familiar- avalanche pile of clothes in the "floordrobe" and transforming our bed-dooms into idilic chilling abodes.

If classic floating shelves feel too messy and cluttered for your walls, or you struggle to find enough wall space for them- why not put your shelves over the door? Opt for one that sit above the door frame; you can then keep things you don't use often there. And like magic, you've gained that extra space for all those dreamy vases, plants, mirrors and frames you've always hoped to show off!

You can check us out on Pinterest and Instagram to keep up to date with the latest trends and rug inspo.  Don’t forget you can visit our showroom, to view one of the largest collections of Persian Rugs in London. We also offer a ‘Try before you buy’ service.