The Guide to refreshing your Sunshine Coast home.
Refresh your home, Spring is here!
Are you ready to start entertaining again and making the most of the beautiful weather that Spring has on offer?
If your answer is yes, then this guide will be perfect for you.
After a long and wet winter, most of us have to refresh our homes, but where do we start?
Let's first understand what a coastal style home entails.
The eternally popular, coastal style sets most of us dreaming of seaside getaways but how lucky are we to live in one of the most beautiful parts of Australia - the Sunshine Coast.
No dreaming for us who live here, but after a long and wet winter it is time to refresh our homes and get ready to start entertaining again.
To make it easier to focus and not get overwhelmed, I have separated the
room into its different elements.
Walls
Walls are generally the largest surfaces in your home and it's a must to have them in good condition.
White walls in coastal homes is a preferred colour as it spreads natural light and works beautifully with other ocean-inspired tones. I generally suggest Dulux Vivid White as it has no undertone colour. If you want to create more interest, wallpaper can be a great option.
Besides having clean walls, art is an absolute must. I know that people can find it very confronting to select art but I always take my clients through a process of understanding the look and feel that they want to achieve and based on that focus on colour, pattern and design to select the perfect pieces.
I have included some beautiful art pieces which we have in our range to give you an idea of art that will compliment a coastal home.
Flooring
After walls, your flooring takes up the biggest part of your home, making it imperative to have these surfaces looking their best.
Tiles
Timber Flooring
Carpets
There are so many little hacks to help you keep your floors looking great and for tiles and grout I suggest a good tile and grout cleaner.
Electro Dry offers a great service to breath new life into that discoloured grout. Available for wall and floor tiles.
When we think about restoring timber flooring, most of us think about sanding our floors, but just the thought of that will make most people run in the opposite direction. Electro Dry offers a Timber Refresh service which does not require sanding and you can replace your furniture the same day.
We don't always have the budget to replace carpets and it is not always necessary and a good intense carpet clean might be all you need. Coming into Spring, think of all the new fragrances Mother Nature has to offer and a clean and odour free carpet is a must to get your home "Spring Ready".
Rugs
Rugs are the perfect solution to create warmth and coziness in a home.
Rugs also offer texture which is important when you want to create a coastal home. Layering of carpets creates interest and can also be used to hide a mark or stain on your floors and carpets - a sneaky little trick if needed.
Windows
Windows. The options are endless, whether you prefer Plantation Shutters, roller blinds or curtains.
The sun and the direction your home faces will have an impact on the window coverings you need. Also to take into consideration is the privacy that is required.
Plantation shutters are a perfect solution for a coastal home, however can be very costly.
White sheer curtains are just gorgeous. Its fine texture always reminds me of the ocean mist. It creates a beautiful softness in a room.
If you do have blinds and would like to soften a room you can always layer the windows by adding sheer curtains over the blinds.
If nothing needs to be replaced then cleaning is key. A freshly washed curtain always looks so much better.
Ceiling
People always underestimate the power of light fittings and the impact it has on their home, not only from an ambiance point of view but also from a design point of view. When creating a coastal home, you can select light fittings that are made from rattan, bamboo and other natural materials.
Hanging them correctly is important and I have included a guide for you.
This is a solution that will instantly have impact.
Furniture
From flooring to furniture and décor, the more texture you can add the better. Textural elements not only remind us of sand, shells and other coastal comforts, but they add intrigue to a home and evoke that element of nature.
Blond timber furniture, jute rugs, cane furnishings, and driftwood accessories are perfect to create the coastal look and feel.
Adding a rattan accent chair or coffee table to upholstered furniture will instantly add to a relaxed coast feel.
Another suggestion can be to paint some of your furniture, especially if you have dark and outdated furniture that you just don't love anymore.
I absolutely believe in styling responsibly and rather than sending those pieces to landfill, create a project for yourself and convert those furniture pieces to light coloured pieces that will compliment your coastal home. Bunnings have a great furniture paint tutorial, click here to view it.
If this doesn't interest you, look up crafters who repaint and up-style furniture. Try this company who has a beautiful paint range - Tjhoko Paint
Soft Furnishings
Soft furnishings are super important and can instantly dictate a style.
I love using cushions and art to completely change the look of a room.
As mentioned, I love to style responsibly where I can. The Cushion Accessory Co. has beautiful coastal style cushions that will create beautiful focal points in your home.
Undoubtedly pattern, texture and colour are also key when you think about soft furnishings. Woven textures, neutral colours with some blue are perfect for this look.
We style our homes differently in the winter, our fabrics and colours are darker and warmer, whereas in Spring we opt for cooler fabrics like cotton or linen and lighter colours.
Pro Tip: You don't have to spend a fortune on all of your cushions, invest is one or two accent cushions and purchase cheaper plain cushions from (don't laugh) Ikea or Kmart. No one will know that your plain white cushion is from Ikea and not another high-end retailer.
Image on the left: I did a workshop at a shopping centre and worked with retailers like Adairs, Big W and more. In this bedroom styling, I wanted show how you can work with very affordable products and just add one high-end cushion to create a beautiful room that looks luxe. Everything on the bed was from Big W, (Duvet set $49.95), only the accent lumbar cushion at the front was from Adairs at $79. The green cushions were $8 :-). See what I mean?!
Bed linen
When preparing your home for Spring, pack away those darker items and replace with lighter ones. If you have darker bed linen and don't want to replace these, add a throw on your bed to create a lighter and brighter look.
You now have some tools to refresh your home.
For more information click here
Or if you are interested in additional help, feel free to call Maryna for an obligation free chat.
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