Summer-ready Garden in 5 Simple Steps

With the summer months on the horizon, there's no better time to get your garden into shape. If, like most of us, you've neglected your outdoor space throughout the winter, now's the time to get rid of those unwanted weeds, tidy up unruly flowerbeds and restore your weather-beaten lawn to full health. Here's how to transform your garden in time for the warmer weather in five simple steps:

1. Lights

Adding a variety of lights to your back garden is the perfect way to make the most of the long summer evenings. Whether you’re lighting up walkways with spotlights or hanging a lantern over your patio to create a cosy setting for entertaining, outdoor illuminations will enable you to extend your time outside. As specialist suppliers The Lighting Superstore note, using an assortment of light fittings is a simple yet effective way to transform the look and feel of your outdoor space and to emphasise your favourite areas after the sun goes down.

2. Lawn

If your grass is looking messy, dry and generally lacklustre, now might be the time to give it a little TLC. Start by having a general tidy up and removing leaves and other debris that may have collected over the winter. You can then breathe new life into your lawn by using granular feed and watering it on a regular basis for lush results.

3. Plants

There’s no getting around the fact that the colder months can take their toll on your plants. To help your garden flourish, prune deadheads, thin out overgrown shrubbery and weed flower beds. You can also start to pot new summer plants and make sure your beds have a sufficient cover of rich compost to lock in moisture and prevent them from drying up in the summer heat.  If you want to enjoy a colourful display when the summertime comes around, try planting summer-flowering bulbs, such as Gladiolus, lilies and Ranunculus.

4. Patio

As the focal point of most gardens, the patio also needs some attention. Give your decking a much-needed facelift by taming unwanted weeds that are peeping through the cracks and getting rid of any grime that has built up. While scrubbing, brushing and weeding isn’t the most exciting task in the world, think of it as an investment for the months to come when you’ll no doubt be spending more of your time relaxing in the sunshine, having family barbeques and entertaining friends outdoors.

5. Garden furniture

When sprucing up your garden, don’t forget to pay attention to your furniture. To complete your patio makeover, invest in some padded furniture to create the perfect spot to sit and socialise under the sun. You may also want to consider adding shelter, such as an arbour or retractable awning, to ensure you don’t get caught in any unexpected showers.

Wish list | Spring Transition

With the most anticipated season just around the corner comes the new wish list of home decor items. Not all of them are what one might typically expect for spring decor, but if you look at them closely, most of the chosen objects are somewhat related to spring. My redefined, contemporized version of spring, if you will. For example, the cuddly throw is here to keep you warm on those chilly early spring evenings and the flask can make a perfect Easter present for someone dear who is into music.  The pure beauty and functionality of the touch-free bin reminded me to share a little confession that might sound a tad quirky to those who are not that into interior design, but I'm sure there are many who will understand... My goal one day is to have a home that does not contain a single unwanted or aesthetically unpleasing item - from toothpick holder to toilet brush. Obsessive much? It's ridiculous, I know... Have a lovely weekend, lads and lasses!

1.   Spotlight Floor Lamp, Dot&Bo
2.   Cuddly Natural Throw, Yorkshire Linen
3.   Dome Sphere Terrarium, Dot&Bo
4.   Epicure's Spice Set, Dot&Bo
5.   Triple Feather - Cushion Cover, Yorkshire Linen
6.   Glass Bottle, H&M Home
7.   Chowpak Glass Planter, Urban Jungles
8.   Sense Touch-free Bin, White, MADE
9.   Anatomy of a Guitar Flask, Dot&Bo
10. Elements of Birds II Poster, Mintstudio, La Maison d'Anna G.

Carnevale di Venezia

This post is coming a bit late, but I'm pretty sure no one reading this will actually mind, right? I already mentioned in my old post from Venice how much I worship this city. Its grandeur is beyond words, and the Carnival is one of many Venetian events all creative souls and dreamers should experience at least once in their lifetime. You just need to look past the sea of tourists with the selfie stick disease. (It IS possible, I promise. "Early morning" and "late evening/night" are the keywords.)  Needless to say, the masks and costumes are spectacular, especially when you do some research about the meaning and symbolism behind the traditional ones. Now, hopefully, on my next visit, a mysterious new acquaintance will give me an invitation for a private masked ball... I am very eager to witness escapades of the locals and their mischievous guests... There's just something liberating in being disguised, isn't it? 

P.S. Expect more blog posts with plenty of photographs from Venice in March.

 

 

 

Matching Colours When Decorating

The successful matching of colours is central to any interior design project. Get your choice of hues right and you’ll end up with a home to be proud of. However, because the stakes are so high, the process of settling on a colour scheme can be stressful. If you’re struggling to come to a decision, the following useful hints may help.
 

Get inspiration online

One top tip is to get inspiration online. There are a seemingly infinite number of interior design images and ideas to peruse on the internet, and they can help you to hone your thoughts. For example, you can check out the website of soft furnishing specialist Julian Charles. It offers curtains, cushions, bedspreads and accessories in a dazzling array of colours and shades. Handily, the site also has a ‘complete the look’ feature. This showcases products that complement each of the furnishings and fabrics, and it’s a great way to see which colours and patterns go well together.

Choose between tonal, harmonious and complementary schemes

Take a look at a colour wheel when you’re searching for the perfect colour matches too. This will help you decide whether you’d prefer to go for a tonal, harmonious or complementary scheme. Tonal looks involve sticking to one hue but using various tones throughout a room. If you do this, try to use the darker shades nearer the floor the lighter shades closer to the ceiling. This will help to make your rooms appear more spacious.

For a harmonious scheme, simply select hues that are next to or near to one another on the colour wheel, such as blues and greens or oranges and yellows. This can be a good way to create a natural, relaxing look. Try to choose colours of similar intensities so that one doesn’t eclipse the other.

If you opt for the complementary approach, you’ll need to select colours that lie opposite each other on the colour wheel (think purple and yellow or red and green). These combinations can have a striking look, but you need to tread with care. For example, it’s generally best to allow one of the hues to feature more strongly than the other so that they don’t compete for attention. It’s also a good idea to balance the scheme with the help of some neutral tones, like creams or whites. 

  

Never forget your floors and furniture

If there are elements of your rooms that won’t be changed, like your flooring and furniture, make sure you take these into account when you’re picking your colours. There’s no point in going to the time and effort of choosing the perfect hues for your walls and accessories if they don’t pair well with these other features.

Always try before you buy

Once you’ve settled on a scheme, it can be tempting to order all your supplies straight away. However, as any interior designer worth their salt will tell you, it’s always important to try before you buy. Ordering paint samples might seem like a hassle, but it can stop you from making costly mistakes.

As long as you follow advice like this, you should be more than happy with your final colour matches.

Naked Landscape

Gourmet dinner in the countryside.

Experimenting with HDR on the way there. 

Knifelike wind was not kind to my skin. 

Not. Kind. At. All.    

♫ Do Make Say Think - Reistschule ♫