germainechua91's ideas
Install a space for portable appliancesWe can often accumulate useful but sizeable gadgets in our kitchens, which we may love but don’t want cluttering up the work surface. Bread makers, juicers, processors and mixers can find themselves tucked away in a cupboard, with little chance of being used, because of the hassle of getting them out. Why not create a closed-off work station for these neglected items? Provide doors for when you want to tidy things away, but keep items easily accessible and plugged in. Go traditional with a bespoke wooden dresser unit, or utilitarian with an aluminium tambour shutter. When you’re open for business, all your appliances will be ready to go, but it’s easy to shut up shop and restore order after the work is done.Check out more larder ideas
Create a utility cupboardLarge utility items, such as vacuum cleaners and ironing boards, take up a lot of room. They’re also not particularly nice to look at, so you’ll probably want a nifty place to store them.In the kitchen, a basic larder unit will work perfectly well. This useful cupboard has been carefully designed to provide a space for everything. There’s a neat, ground-level area for the vacuum cleaner and a long, narrow partition that’s perfect for an ironing board, or a broom and mop. Alternatively, under-stairs space can provide excellent bespoke storage potential. Look at putting in different-sized cubbyholes or maybe even installing pull-out sections for easier access.
1. Do a few trial runs Practice makes perfect. Before moving in officially, it is good to do a few trial runs by staying over at your in-laws. This is akin to doing an internship before permanently joining the company. Staying over occasionally gives you a good grasp of the routine of the household – who wakes up at what time and how long each family member spends in the toilet etc. These may seem like minor nuances but often, these are the little idiosyncrasies that can potentially boil over. More importantly, this ensures that you agree to the arrangement with your eyes wide open.
So these are Heartland boy’s four tips for moving in with your in-laws. Remember that this is still a work-in-process for the Heartland couple and they are pretty much still feeling their way around. Should there be any new-found insights, we are more than happy to pen an addendum.TELL USWhere did you stay while waiting for your BTO flat? Let us know your solution in the Comments section below.MOREStarter Home: Assembling the Essentials for Your First HomeBrowse home design photos for your renovation reference
3. Change up the furniture For practical reasons, the room that you are going to inhabit now may not be originally designed to accommodate two people. Therefore, you may have to incur some costs to ensure that you and your spouse have sufficient breathing space in your own room. Again, redesigning the room is a preview to the REAL thing when the couple has to design and renovate their actual house subsequently. So, why not practice on a smaller scale first? The Heartland couple replaced her single-sized bed with a queen-sized bed. In addition, more wardrobes were added to accommodate Heartland boy’s clothes. This gave Heartland boy a little sense of ownership and belonging in the new household as well.Do renovating and relationships mix?
4. Go framelessThe aluminium frames around glass shower doors are a magnet for gunk. Going frameless on your glass gives you a simple sheet to squeegee clean. There are a number of options for coatings on glass that also help it to repel water and soap scum. Check with your glass shower door manufacturer for factory coating options. Many people recommend manually applied water repellants like Rain-X.Need more help getting your shower glass spotless?
This is another great example of a textural wall tile that would be much easier to clean than a mosaic tile. When you select your textural tile, run your hands over it. If it feels rough and scratchy, it is going to be a bear to clean. Ones like these feel silky and smooth, even though you can feel the high and low spots.
The square dining tableNot as popular as the rectangular or round dining table, the square dining table has its pros and cons. If your space is small and you plan dinners for only four to six people, it is a lovely intimate design. This stunning rosewood table is 137 centimetres square, which is a perfect size for six people. If you need to seat only four people, a table 91 to 112 centimetres square will suffice. Everyone’s personal taste differs on how the back height of a chair should look in relation to table height. More contemporary tables like this one cope well with a shorter back, while a classic design may require a taller back. For lumbar support, a back height between 30 to 40 centimetres is ideal. If the chair has armrests, it needs to support the forearms without shoulders being raised. The height of the rests should be 18 to 23 centimetres above the seat.TELL US What are your tips for comfy dining room design? Share them in the Comments below.
Step 7: Don’t Dismiss Anyone’s PassionWe all have our own loves, and they don’t always mesh with the loves of the person we happen to be sharing a roof with – and that’s OK. It’s important to respect the other person’s hobbies and interests, while also finding a way to work them into a shared space that pleases you both.Case in point: This collection of model trains could have easily gotten out of hand. But lined up on simple floating shelves, they suddenly look crisp and intriguing.
That said, it’s usually wise to keep big furniture neutral. While no interior decorating rules are set in stone, this is sound advice for anyone to follow. Tastes change, and large furniture pieces can be costly to replace or re-cover if you decide to go in a different direction down the road. Main furniture pieces like the sofa and armchairs are most versatile in shades of linen, taupe, white, chocolate or grey.
Introduce flowThe elusive idea of “flow” is when you can move seamlessly from the kitchen to the dining area, to the living area and then into the garden. Again, this is the ideal situation and is best used as a template. If your space doesn’t allow for this completely, be flexible and work with what you’ve got.Need more guidance? See clever design ideas for open-plan spaces
Q