Loved and lost - how to cope when losing out on your dream home

Missing out on your ideal home - apartment, house, room, houseboat or other - can evoke feelings of loss comparable to that of losing someone close to you, whether through death or relationship breakdown. But instead of mourning someone, a pet, or a relationship - or even the structure itself - you mourn the life you could have had. 

We would have been happy there. 

We would have had the life we wanted there.

We would have had a better quality of life there.

And for the foreseeable future, your current situation - dwelling - may shift from technicolour to black and white, not matching up to what was almost within reach (or so you thought).

It may not feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel, but there are a few coping mechanisms that can help you through this difficult time. 

How to cope when losing out on your dream property

Don't blame yourself 

As part of the mourning process, you may think back on your experience, questioning everything you did and blame yourself for the outcome. 

What could I have done differently? 

Should I have bid higher? 

Should I have acted quicker?

Blaming yourself is so easy to do, but it doesn't help anything or anyone - least of all you. Assigning blame to yourself or your partner will wear you down, both mentally and physically. Talk to each other. Learn from the experience. Rant about the unfairness of it all over a bottle of wine. Air everything that needs to be aired and then close that chapter and move on. There will be other properties.

Something better will be around the corner

It may not feel like it right now, but trust me. When I first got onto the property ladder, after a ton of searching I found a house and I was smitten, hook line and sinker. My mind was set, there was no plan b. When we lost the house to a cash buyer, I couldn't believe how much it hurt, nor could I believe I'd ever find anything else that compared. WRONG. By waiting and having a little patience, we ended up finding something much better. Same sort of location but better, more bedrooms, loft converted and cheaper. Sometimes good things come to those who wait. 

Look again with fresh eyes

By this, I mean look at the particulars of the propery you missed out on, but with fresh eyes. Write down any potential downsides on a piece of paper and be honest. It's so easy to be caught up in the romance of house hunting and adopt rose tinted glasses, that sometimes when you look again, you may notice things you didn't pick up on before and discover that you have dodged a bullet. I did this myself with the very first property we made an offer on and lost out on, and quickly realised it wasn't as ideal as I initially thought. 

The house itself was beautifully done - possibly overdeveloped on reflection - but being realistic, we would have outgrown it quickly. The bedrooms were small and extending up into the roof wasn't possible due to the roof line. I'd loved the garden at the time, but it lacked privacy which is more important to me now than it was back then. It was overlooked by a huge block of flats and being much taller than your typical house, planting laurel or bamboo for screening would be out of the question, plus trees would take years and years before providing ample coverage. Also I know now that the area wasn't necessarily the greatest or safest, with emergency services often being called out to the flats in the middle of the night.

Sometimes looking at something anew with fresh eyes can provide a whole new perspective. 

Never give up

Keep searching. Your dream home is out there. When the right one comes along, it will all fall into place and you will forget about all the other disappointments. Much like dating, now you come to think of it. 

Image source: Richard Burlton // Unsplash

Prioritising which home renovations to do first - the importance of identifying wants and needs

When it comes to home improvements, it can be all too easy to fall into the trap of overdevelopment with unnecessary additions. Namely things that are costly to do and don't necessarily increase the value of your property, nor make it more attractive to potential buyers.

When planning home projects, as well as setting an overall budget, it's also advisable to have a prioritisation list of what's important right now (what is needed, for example fixes and structural repairs) and what can wait (categorise these as wants not needs). Anything that you identify as a want and not a need can also be categorised as nice to have and can always be done later if you stay in the property long-term and you have the money to.

For example, say you want - it's never a need, let's be honest - decorative coving, a ceiling rose and a garden pergola. Garden pergolas are highly coveted by many, but are often placed in gardens that are far too small for them and they can overwhelm rather than enhance. If done badly or positioned in the wrong spot, that's concreted in faff for a future homeowner (or yourselves) to deal with. And ceiling roses and coving, whilst you may love them, they may not necessarily work for your home. Firstly they may not suit the age of the property, and if not done properly and you cheap out on lightweight polystyrene dupes, it can end up looking just that... cheap. So it's important to pick your battles and decide what the best use of your time and money is.

How to prioritise which home projects to do first

First, write a list of everything that you would love to do to your home and outdoor space. Additionally, identifying whether aesthetic or practical (say a fix) and also cost (high / low / medium) may also be helpful qualifiers.

For example:

1. Paint bedroom
2. Convert front garden into a driveway
3. Garden pergola
4. New bathroom
5. Bespoke carpentry - dressing room / home office / hallway
6. Complete an unfinished job - say painting / plastering / tiling

Now make another list with column headers Want and Need and start to add in the items from your previous list. This is where your additional qualifiers may come in handy. 

Another factor to consider: What if you do said item on your list, spend lots of money in doing so, and then find the perfect house elsewhere and decide to move? Is the home improvement in question something that will add value to your home? For the amount spent, will you see any ROI (return on investment)? Is it something a new homeowner will love and have them racing to make an offer?

An example list

Need

1. Convert front garden into a driveway - Practical as it would create more parking spaces for friends and family and would also be desirable to a future homeowner. Medium or high cost depending on labour and supplies.

2. Complete an unfinished job - Completing an unfinished job such as a part-painted room isn't necessarily costly (especially if you do the work yourself) but it requires time which we don't all readily have. If you can find the time, getting all the little unfinished jobs done can be really satisfying - especially if it's a space you frequent a lot. Unfinished jobs can be off-putting to a potential buyer so they are always worth thinking about.

Want 

1. Bespoke carpentry - Practical as it would make better use of available space. Potentially high cost so may only make sense if you plan on living there long-term and aren't thinking about moving. Furthermore, the style of carpentry may not appeal to a future homeowner and certainly won't sell the house. Better to use standalone furniture as a cheaper solution for the short term. 

2.  Garden pergola - Aesthetic, largely used to create visual interest. Pergolas in kit form are not cheap since their popularity in recent years, and having something bespoke may not be much cheaper once you factor in labour and materials. For this very reason, a pergola ranks as nice to have in my eyes as it is something you can always add in a later iteration of your garden as it develops. 

What happens when the lines become blurred?

Sometimes it's not always easy to determine the importance of something and identify whether it's a want or a need. Which is when you'll need to think about it more rationally.

Or one can turn into the other. A want becomes a need. 

For example, we decided to condense our outbuildings into one larger offering. It's better positioned in the garden and it offers us a lot flexibility as it's both heated and air conditioned. It's also a very attractive offering to the next owner of this house. It can be whatever you want it to be. A home gym. An office. Playroom. A second living room for the warmer months. Did we need to do it? On the face it, absolutely not. However once one of the original outbuildings came down, the state of it presented a need (crawling with termites and ants in the walls and floor, and the roof wasn't structurally sound) so I'm glad we did it.

Bathrooms are a whole other story. I want to get them done because they're showing signs of age and aren't our style. But there are also practical reasons why we need them done. The shower itself is on the blink and washing my hair in a feeble dribble of water is a joke. Also we had insulation added into one of the downstairs ceilings which felt like a good idea at the time, however as hot air no longer rises to the bathroom above it, the floor tiles and bathroom itself are glacial now, making for a horrible bath/shower experience.

Aesthetically there's nothing wrong with the bathrooms. There's nothing that would be off-putting to a potential buyer. We could sell the house with them as they are. We could easily replace the shower head and hose as a quick, temporarily fix. And when it comes to cost, we have the funds to do up both bathrooms now - but is now the right time? Or do I just give them a quick spruce up with paint and adhesive tiles? That's the question.

Ultimately it's your home and your money. A want doesn't necessarily have to take lower priority than a need if you don't want it to. You can have both. It's more a question of prioritisation - what comes first? Well, that's down to you.

What home projects are next on your list?

Image source: Randy Fath // Unsplash

Future plans for our dining room // a dining room mood board

A slightly different approach to my hallway mood board as unlike the hallway, the dining room transformation is already under way! You can follow progress on my extension here on Instagram stories. 

THE PREVIOUS DINING ROOM

The previous kitchen diner was a lovely bright space with a large picture window framing the view of the garden, a galley kitchen one side of the room, a peninsula divider, and IKEA cabinetry fitted into the fireplace alcove on the other side of the room with translucent doors which bounced the light around further, as did glossy marble effect floor tiles. This room was magnolia like all other rooms of the house (the previous owner's work).

PROBLEM POINTS

The marble floor tiles although beautiful, were largely white with grey veining so showed every speck of dirt and had zero practicality. The dining part of the kitchen diner was really compact. The previous owner's wooden dining table (which he took with him) ate up all the space so we opted for a glass dining table to give the illusion of space. But even with a glass table, the space was still tight. We hosted eight for a dinner party once and it was pretty snug. Thinking ahead to the future, we knew there was no space for the pitter patter of little feet to run around in.

IDEAS

We wanted to create a contemporary look room but at the same time, we are heavily influenced by French style. We love visiting Versailles and all manner of historical stately homes, so were after a similar statement floor to give our characterless house some, well, character. We pick up a lot of inspiration from French bistros and restaurants and seeing as we haven't been doing a whole lot of that since the global pandemic(!) we wanted to bring that essence home to enjoy every day. 

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE DINING ROOM

Dining room mood board / Future plans for our dining room

Flooring - Wooden herringbone flooring was high on my wish list...until I found out how much it costs. Laying that aesthetically pleasing pattern takes time and labour can cost as much as the actual flooring (essentially doubling your cost), if not more. Also being in lockdown we couldn't go out and look at flooring, and there was no way I was blindly buying flooring online without seeing it or touching it first. Also after ordering samples, I learnt that the colours online never quite look the same IRL. In the end we opted for a wood effect tile (easier to maintain plus suitable for use with underfloor heating). We chose the above criss cross pattern which interlocks and creates one large pattern. It won't be everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but for us it reminded us of French bistrots, French chateaux and French parquet flooring. I was pretty nervous as I hadn't seen anyone else with this flooring, but have zero regrets. It makes the room. 

Lighting - The navy blue chandelier that came with the house was a little old school, but I did ask the builder to save it as I had other plans for it. When it came to replacing the light, I wanted to warm up the decor a little with a gold or brass light fitting. A Next light fitting I loved went out of stock and any Tom Dixon lighting was out of the question due to cost (sob). I love sputnik lighting but Mr Curiouser and Curiouser wasn't so sure. Turns out we are polar opposites when it comes to opinions on lighting. The one and only light we agreed on was the above beauty from MADE. It's contemporary, it's brass, it doesn't have millions of annoying bulbs to change and having LEDs makes it a lot more efficient to run. Plus the shape mimicks the flooring and our dining table. 

Table - We already own the above table which was purchased to give the illusion of space in our old kitchen diner. The glass is good and thick so deals with heat well, and any spills can be wiped up easily. This will likely be replaced in the future for an extendable table now we have more space. Maybe a nice wooden number. 

Seating - Our Next dining chairs have seen better days. I feel like the cats sense my frustration with them and are 'helping' by ripping them to shreds. In the short term I'm thinking of investing in some velvet chair covers like these (colour still TBC) or having a go at upholstering them myself. But long term I would like to invest in some restaurant style bench seating to create that cafe / bistrot feel. I have already bookmarked pink and blue velvet chairs from Danetti (as above) to create a more relaxed dining experience with friends and family. Our new extension isn't one of these massive open plan kitchen / dining / living room affairs, so having a dining bench or sofa would make this a versatile space.

Decoration - The fireplace is the main focus of the room and sits alongside the dining table. The previous chimney breast was a crooked affair and has now been made good. It's currently white to contrast against our dark cupboards but in the future I'd like to cover this with a statement wallpaper like this floral design and add a wooden mantel and an industrial style mirror like or a circular mirror. The void in the fireplace used to hold our booze collection but I'm planning to switch this out for a hurricane vase to display lit candles or pampas grass. I also want to incorporate some greenery in big pots and maybe some trailing plants like ivy on the alcove cupboards to provide a link to the garden. The dining room wall is also plain white for now but a future project is injecting some character with panelling and getting some artwork up. 

Storage - My vision was to replace the IKEA cupboards with something special and feeling inspired by Versailles' Hall of Mirrors, I was after mirrored cupboard doors. I had a specific company in mind and contacted them with the alcove measurements and asked for a quote. The sales rep I spoke to never got back to me. Their social media team promised they would chase this up for me. Still nothing. When said company lost access to their Instagram account and wanted support re-building their social media following, I asked if their level of customer service would be any better on this new account. They were horrified that I'd been ignored all this time and were ready to help me THEN but by that stage, the new cupboards were already in so they'd lost my business. Whilst I'd still love to have mirrored doors in the future, I at least now know which company to avoid! The cupboards that have been fitted are disappointing if I'm honest. In terms of look, they feel very flat. My future project is to try and mock up the mirrored look in some capacity or try applying my own panelling to get the look of the above Maisons du Monde wardrobe (dark interiors for the win!)

Which items are your favourites?

6 quick and easy ways to transform your kitchen

 AD | This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own.

We are spending more time at home than ever before, and for many of us, the more we are at home, the more certain rooms begin to bug us. Cue the onset of questions. Why has this room not been decorated yet? Why did the previous home owner think that magnolia was a good idea? How have I lived with [insert grotty feature here] for so long? 

Now is as good a time as any to assess what you have to work with, the funds you have at your disposal, and how you want to transform your surroundings. But for the sake of this piece, we're going to focus on the kitchen and six little things that will make the world of difference.

Give your splashback a makeover

Does the splashback behind your cooker and sink look dated? Or have you inherited a style that isn't practical or very 'you'? Changing your splashback is one of the quickest and easiest ways of making an impact. Cover unsightly wall tiles with tile decals (also known as tile stickers) or alternatively paint them with tile paint to give them a new lease of life. For dark or north facing rooms, paint in a lighter colour like a bright white which will help bounce the light around. If you currently have tiles with white grout lines, update with a more practical colour like black or dark grey using grout paint or a grout pen.

Find your light

If your kitchen is north facing or doesn't have a skylight, roof lantern, or bifold doors, you may find that light is in short supply. For a less gloomy room to cook in, look at decorating in light shades like bright whites or soft greys and come up with a lighting scheme. A good kitchen lighting scheme is all about layering with different lighting for different zones. Spot lights are tried and tested and work in all manner of kitchens. Target lighting in specific food prep zones like strip lighting under kitchen wall cabinets and pendant lights which can add extra interest to a kitchen island. Be sure to look at models with LED bulbs which are more efficient and can be 80% cheaper to run.

Treat yourself to new kitchen accessories

Something as little as a new tap can help transform the look of any kitchen. Why not switch out a limescale covered tap that has seen better days for a highly coveted gold tap or black tap which are all over social media right now. Whilst some models can cost a pretty penny, try looking at IKEA or eBay for more budget friendly options as updating your kitchen doesn't have to be expensive. In a similar vein, stock up on new accessories like fun tea towels, oven gloves and tea and coffee containers. A simple change of accessories can inject a splash of colour, or bring a luxe element if you incorporate gold or copper accessories.

Give your kitchen units a face lift

This is another one of the easiest ways to make an impact. Prime and paint your kitchen units or else use chalk paint for an instant new look (do check this with your landlord first if you are renting!). Another way of achieving this is by covering your kitchen doors with vinyl, washi tape, or removable wallpaper. This being ideal for renters as you can always peel these off when you move out. Another quick and easy way of updating your kitchen units is by replacing your cupboard handles. Try cup handles for a classic and timeless look synonymous with shaker kitchens. Or maybe en vogue gold handles if you fancy something a little more modern.

Sticky back plastic is your friend

If your worktops have seen better days but you don't feel comfortable having someone come and replace them at this time (and I wouldn't blame you), try a temporary fix in the form of vinyl or sticky back plastic. If you like marble worktops, it's an easy way to achieve the look for less. Sticky back plastic is one of my hero products. I used for a marble table here which I'm currently sitting at and using as a desk while I'm working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Next I want to spray paint the legs gold (spray paint being another great quick kitchen hack!)

Get patterned floor tiles for a fraction of the price

If your flooring doesn't bring you joy or is a pain to clean, it's time to act. Update drab floor tiles with a tile stencil kit. The best way of achieving a good finish is dabbing paint onto the stencil with a sponge and layering the colour on gradually rather than using a paint roller or paint brush. Or for a quicker fix, try using peel and stick floor tile decals. There are tons of pretty patterned floor tile designs out there at the moment which can help take any kitchen flooring from drab to fab.

Have you made any changes to your kitchen since COVID-19?

This post contains affiliate links. While we earn a small commission for products purchased through these links, it doesn’t change the price you pay in any way, nor will it cost you to click through to view any of these items. Affiliate links help keep Curiouser and Curiouser running so we can continue to bring you free content. Thank you for your continued support

Image credit: Christian Mackie on Unsplash

7 ways how to get your home Halloween ready

Create a welcoming entrance hall

Autumn being the season of warm colours like burnt oranges, rusts and reds will help any entrance hall or hallway come alive. Many us decorate our homes with Christmas wreaths, so why not consider an autumn wreath for your front door? The colours of this autumnal wreath are so warming and pleasing to the eye. In similar fashion, string up garlands of autumnal leaves to run up your staircase or over your fireplace, and welcome your visitors with the ever popular Hello Pumpkin door mat, guaranteed to be a frequent sight on your Instagram feed again this year.

Bring the taste of the season into your home

One of the most wonderful things about this season are the magic words: Pumpkin Spice. For a warming taste of autumn, stock up on autumnal themed limited editions like pumpkin spice gin, pumpkin spice chocolate liquor (I've tried the standard Mozart chocolate liquor and can confirm it is divine) and pumpkin spice syrup to give your coffees and hot chocolates an added je ne sais quoi. 

Come up with a table setting 

Laying the table for Halloween doesn't have to mean spider webs and plastic spiders. It really depends on you as a household. If you have young children, you may want to inject some fun and decorate the space together. Otherwise you could always focus on more of an autumnal theme with a pumpkin centrepiece. Decorate with cutesy, miniature, real pumpkins or go artifical for longevity so you can use your pumpkins again year after year. These white pumpkins would suit monochrome, farmhouse or country style decor, or if you fancy something a little glitzier, how about these rose gold light up pumpkins? You can still make a nod to the season by simply changing the colours of your candles to something like these black candlesticks which have great impact. And for pumpkin soup season, why not invest in some cute pumpkin bowls? Whilst many come in traditional 'pumpkin orange', if you fancy something a little more muted, how about this white ceramic pumpkin bowl with lid?

Update your soft furnishings

Autumn cushion cover // Pumpkin spice latte fabric

Pumpkin throw // Hello autumn cushion cover

White and gold pumpkin cushion

Soft furnishings are one of the easiest ways to help transform a space. It's always good to have an excuse to buy more cushions! Alternatively you can seek out cushion covers that will enable you to keep your same cushions, but give them a seasonal refresh. Once autumn is over, cushion covers are easy to fold and put away as they don't require much in the way of storage space. If you're feeling crafty and are good with a needle and thread, why not source some autumnal fabric and make your own cushion covers? I just love this pumpkin spice latte fabric

Give your bedding a refresh

Warm tone pumpkin bedding // Pumpkin spice and everything nice bedding

Dark Halloween bedding // Pastel blue pumpkin bedding

Grinning pumpkins bedding // Black and white Halloween bedding

Alas the Matalan pumpkin duvet cover of dreams has sold out, but there are plenty of other good ones out there. This set is just as lovely as the Matalan one. Alternatively if you and your family prefer the monochrome look, how about a black and white design like this one? If soft pastels are more your thing, these are a little harder to find as everything is so orange at this time of the year, however I located two examples (above). Isn't this pumpkin spice and everything nice set adorable? 

Create a cosy atmosphere

When the temperatures start to plummet and the leaves begin their metamorphosis, it's the perfect time to watch Halloween movie favourites (Hocus Pocus anyone?) with a cosy throw, hot chocolate in an autumn ready mug and a soft lighting scheme. For ultimate cosy vibes, you can't go wrong with fairy lights and a pumpkin spice candle. 

Just have fun with it!

If cobwebs and spiders aren't your thing, there are plenty of alternatives out there that you can hang on your walls. If you have a bar cart or a designated drinks area, this Drink Up Witches banner may be up your street. Or if you want to play more towards an autumn theme rather than Halloween, opt for a farmhouse style sign with a wooden frame like this one. Wall art like this can easily be propped against a wall and doesn't necessarily need fixing to the wall (perfect for if you are renting!). Same story with this crow print which doesn't just have to be for Halloween, and would be perfect all year round on any gallery wall. If birds don't freak you out, these ravens can easily be dotted around your home. At the top of the stairs. On the fireplace. In the bookshelves. Above a wardrobe or kitchen cupboard. The possibilities are endless! If you have children, they can help you place them, otherwise why not have a family game of find the ravens? 

Which items are your favourites?

This post contains affiliate links. While we earn a small commission for products purchased through these links, it doesn’t change the price you pay in any way, nor will it cost you to click through to view any of these items. Affiliate links help keep Curiouser and Curiouser running so we can continue to bring you free content. Thanks for continuing to support Curiouser and Curiouser! <3

Why you will never take skirting boards for granted ever again

AD | This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own

"Why do we have skirting boards?" Mr Curiouser and Curiouser asks me one day. "Do we even need them?" Admittedly I am rarely ready for what comes out of his mouth and this was no different. But to be honest, I've never questioned skirting boards (also known as baseboards, mopboards and trim) before. Whether you live in an older property, a new build or a flat, they all tend to come with skirting boards. Skirting boards just exist. But do we need them?

Skirting boards are assumed to have come about in the 1800's during the Victorian era, as these were the earliest use cases on record. Damp proofing had not yet been established so skirting boards were there to prevent rising damp on the walls as well as to protect walls from bumps and knocks, and to reduce draughts as Victorian homes weren't as well insulated as our modern day counterparts. While some classic features like dado rails and picture rails have been phased out of some homes - and not added to new ones - the humble skirting board is still a prevalent feature today.

So with that, some of the many reasons why you should cherish your skirting boards.

They protect your home

Skirting boards protect the wall from any knocks and bumps from pets, the vaccum cleaner, children's toys and if like me, exercise equipment has somehow accumulated in your home. Skirting boards also protect the wall from moisture (say you spring a leak, the house floods, or you have an accident prone family / pets) by forming a physical barrier, and some types even have moisture resistant capabilities which make them the perfect candidate for bathrooms or alongside floors that require frequent mopping.

They are practical

They create a neat join between wall and floor. Skirting boards also seal off any gaps where pet fur, dust, and the like may otherwise gather. A good quality Bullnose skirting board is rounded in design meaning there is nowhere for dust to hide and is easy to clean. They also have the added bonus of hiding any imperfections you may have lower down on the wall like a bad paint job or exposed plaster. 

They look great painted 

Whatever the colour, skirting boards can give nice clean lines. I'm a big fan of dark interiors and a white skirting board can look crisp against a dark wall. I have in fact opted for white in many of the rooms here. In the lounge to lift the dark inky blue walls and wood flooring. In the office to frame the sumptious brinjal walls. And in the bedroom to contrast against the cocooning grey walls. Skirting boards can also give the illusion of high ceilings in rooms with low ceilings if you paint the skirting board the same colour as the walls. 

Skirting boards also have great longevity in that you can always paint them another colour in the future if you fancy a refresh. Interiors are becoming braver and braver in this regard with an influx of coloured skirting boards. Pink skirting boards are having a moment, as are pastel shades like soft blues and greens. 

Dark skirting boards are also very much en vogue. Navy blue skirting boards look incredible with navy stairs and railings against a white or soft grey wall. As do black and grey skirting boards.

They add character

Particularly if you have nice ornate ones. Taller skirting boards can add grandeur to a room. Our ancestors installed these to give the impression they were wealthier than they actually were. Last but not least, skirting boards can look really smart against a statement wallpaper. Especially if you pick out an accent colour from your wallpaper and paint the trim to match. 

So there you have it. Skirting boards exist for practical reasons but can also bring fun, colour, drama or grandeur into your home. It all depends on the type of skirting board, and how you paint them. Writing this feature has me yearning to pick up a paint brush and run riot in the hallway. The only stumbling block is deciding between pastel skirting boards and a matching staircase, or going to the dark side with black or navy blue skirting boards for a monochrome look. Thoughts?

All images Pinterest (original source unknown). If any of these images are yours, please reach out to me so I can fully credit you!

Interiors trends I don't get // Pink and green

I like pink. I like green. I just don't always love them together. And turns out I'm not alone. 

On UK interiors show Best House In Town, a highly commended house which was ticking all the right boxes hit a stumbling block once the judges entered the master bedroom and came face to face with bright green walls paired with light pink bed linen. They were lost for words. And not in a good way. 

For me personally, not all greens work with pink, but I find that there are exceptions to the rule. 

THE GOOD

1) A deep green with blue tones so that it's veering on a teal or a dark inky blue. This sort of green works amazingly with pink whether its a soft pink or a bold look-at-me number. 

2) pink paired with greenery in the form of plants. For me that works. Maybe because it's reflective of what you would see in nature. Green grass. Green moss. Largely green flower beds. Pink roses. Pink hydrangeas. Pink peonies.

3) A backdrop which features other colours rather than just the one shade of pink or green. For example a leaf print wallpaper with a white background to it. An entirely green foliage wallpaper can work here too as long as there are several hues of green to make it multi-dimensional (case in point below). Or pair white walls with green and pink furniture or soft furnishings to make those pops of colour sing.

THE BAD

Pair the wrong pink with the wrong green, and you'll soon see how these interiors don't quite work on the same level...

See the difference?

In other news, I have typed 'green' so much that the spelling now looks wrong to me 

.... don't you just hate it when that happens?

What are your thoughts on pink and green interiors?

All images Pinterest (original source unknown). If any of these images are yours, please reach out to me so I can fully credit you!

9 ways to bring more light into your home

AD | This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own

Identify any light blocking sources

Is there anything blocking or obscuring the windows and doors in your home? Is there a large piece of furniture in the way?  Do you have too much furniture in the room? Is your furniture too dark? Is there a large tree outside? 

Once you identity the root of the problem, it can be easy to remedy.

Rearrange your furniture. Alternatively identify if there are are any pieces of furniture not being used - or not being used to their full potential - and use this as an excuse to have a clear out. Your room will instantly feel bigger and lighter. Or simply replace taller pieces with lower level items like a lower sofa or lower storage solutions like sideboards rather than floor to ceiling cupboards. Or replace darker furniture with lighter furniture. The possibilities are endless.

If there is a tree or tall shrub obscuring a window, either cut it back or move it. If it's a smaller tree or plant which you simply don't want any more, why not offer it to a friend, neighbour or family member?

And another common light blocking source... dirty windows. Run a cloth over each of your windows and inspect - the cloth will be dirtier than you think! Cleaning your windows regularly - both inside and out - will ensure that more natural light can filter through into your home and who doesn't love sparkling windows?

Go for lighter window fittings

Are your curtains and blinds too heavy and not working for that particular space? Consider lighter window fittings like voile curtains that flutter in the breeze, or for privacy and light in say your bathroom (or any other rooms where the neighbours can look in!) try window film. Forget traditional, boring, cloudy window film - nowadays there are lots of lovely prints and patterns out there which will allow you to add interest to your windows whilst at the same time allowing light and privacy.

Consider your colour scheme

Keeping your walls light and bright will help create a light and airy space. Avoid bright whites (which can look cold and clinical) and instead opt for off-whites, pale greys, pastels or brights like sunny yellows. Be brave. Paint isn't expensive so you can always change your mind later! 

Design a lighting scheme

Poor lighting isn't just in relation to natural light - this also extends to artificial light (think lamps and light fittings around the home). The best artificial light will enhance any natural light coming into your home rather than take away from it. Consider LED bulbs (which are 90% more energy efficient than regular bulbs) and dimmer switches or additional lighting such as sconces and table lamps, which will allow you to both soften and layer the lighting in your home.

Get clever with mirrors 

Place a large mirror on the wall opposite to or adjacent to a window to help bounce the light around the room. Same applies with glass and / or mirrored furniture which can help a smaller space feel bigger.

Go for gloss

Whether it's paint, wall tiles, floor tiles, worktops or kitchen units, glossy surfaces reflect the light (similar to the way that a mirror would). I used to hate the glossy white wall tiles in our bathroom but now I appreciate that they keep the space light and bright and make what is a small room appear much bigger. 

 

Install skylights or a sun tunnel

An instant way to brighten up an extension or a dingy hallway is to add skylights (think Velux windows) or a sun tunnel which will allow natural light to come flooding in from above.

Install bifolds or sliding doors

Another way to brighten up a new extension - or an unextended home - is by installing bifolds or sliding doors. In both cases the slim frames and large expanses of glass help draw the eye to the outside space and help frame the view. Bifold doors open up completely which can provide more of a link to the outside, however the glass panels are often narrower, meaning you get less of a picture frame effect when the doors are closed. Sliding doors on the other hand, tend to have larger panes of glass so whether open or closed, can offer a less obscured view of the outside. 

Glass is your friend

Hallways can be dingy spaces and whilst you can paint your wooden banisters and railings white, thicker banisters and railings can still be blocking precious light from filtering through the different levels of your home. One way of counteracting this is by replacing your staircase with a glass option like one of these glass balustrades from TuffX Glass so the light can pass through without any obstacles. I know from personal experience that having cats and wooden banisters is not the one (my banisters are so clawed up they could easily be mistaken for a woodworm infestation!) so the idea of having hardy metal railings or slimline glass would make our hallway look a little more polished as well as lighter and brighter!

Future plans for our living room // a living room mood board

A slightly different approach to my hallway mood board as unlike the hallway, the living room transformation is already under way! Gone is the scabby blue carpet that had seen better days. And don't get me started on the magnolia walls...

WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR

Our idea of a deep blue statement wall escalated as we loved the colour so much. We used Dulux's Teal Tension (as seen here) which is a dead ringer for the Farrow & Ball navy ones in low light, and when used on all walls, creates a cosy, cocooning feel. Contrary to popular belief, going dark didn't make the room feel smaller - it actually made the room look longer and the ceilings look higher as it blurs the corners of the room and casts the eye up.

We ripped up the carpet - no nice floorboards underneath sadly - and laid our own flooring. It's a lovely warm colour which pairs beautifully with the dark blue walls. I love the character of the knots in the wood and how every floor board is different.

We swapped out the musty smelling curtains for these ones from Dunelm and also bought the matching cushions. The metallic thread gives it a luxe feel - in fact one of my best friends call us the Mandarin Oriental whenever she comes round!

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE LIVING ROOM

Future plans for our living room // a living room mood board

Window  - although I am relieved to have replaced the shabby curtains with lovely Gatsby inspired fabric, the ultimate dream is to have white shutters or blinds like these in the future for a sleek and fuss-free look.

Home library - as much as I love our dark walls, the walls in this house are dodgy as. Most of them aren't straight and the walls in the lounge are bumpy making any future prospects of wallpaper a hard no. The dark walls help disguise the imperfections, but in the future I'd love to have fitted bookcases / shelving to provide much needed storage and to camouflage the TV, wires, and perfectly imperfect walls. Something a little like these ones here that I have been pinning. My goal being to create a home library to house our many books with the shelving all painted dark blue to make each title stand out (as they quite rightly deserve to) and a print like this one here. Bespoke bookcases can be expensive (especially if you enlist a carpenter) so I'm considering an IKEA hack using IKEA products like this (or a ready painted blue unit like this) to get the look for less.

Fireplace - we don't have a chimney breast in our lounge so can't have an actual functional fireplace, but I'd love to give the room a focus point. I very nearly scored a fireplace here but sadly it wasn't meant to be. This is the sort of style I'm on the hunt for (a white fireplace surround with brushed silver detailing on the cast iron).

Lighting - something that drives me mad about this room is the fact that there is not one, but two light fittings. One in the centre of the room (fine), the other in the far right hand corner (BUT WHY). This weirdly positioned light fitting sat above the previous owner's TV and it annoys the hell out of me. So I really can't wait to get it taken out and plastered over. As for the other (central) light, it's dated and I'd love something a little more modern. Either a chandelier or something in gold or copper like this sputnik light here.

Home bar - we have an unused corner of the room which I'd love to transform into a reading nook and bar area with a statement chair. If we can get built in storage (see "home library" above), I like the idea of having dedicated space on the shelving for a drinks tray, drinks and glassware and also a gold circular bar cart to match our Gatsby themed living room.

Cushions - I'd love to add a few more cushions onto our DFS sofas (aren't these beautiful?) and get some cushion covers so I can mix up the display for different times of the year.

Storage baskets - we have a surplus of blankets (all dedicated to movie nights and box set marathons) and it would be great to tidy them away into baskets like these when we have guests over.

Plants - I'd love to add some tropical plants to our lounge like tall palms and ferns as seen here. We do have cats who chew on absolutely everything so sometimes I wonder if artificial is the play here!

Statement wall - I really can't decide what to do with the wall behind the sofa. It's a blank canvas and I flit between wanting a gallery wall of framed art and quotes from somewhere like Desenio, Juniqe or Fy, or keeping it simple with one large piece of art or a mirror like this. Another part of me is considering a picture ledge like these so I can chop and change the artwork I have on display, whilst incorporating plenty of plants.

Rug - as lovely as the flooring is, it can get a little cold under-foot compared to the carpet that was there before. I purchased a teal trellis print rug which was great when it was new, but now it's showing signs of age. I'd love to get a blue patterned rug with a deeper pile so it's more luxurious under foot and lasts a bit longer. I love Moroccan tiles and prints so this rug here has my name on it!

Which items are your favourites?

10 things I've learnt from my Casper mattress // Casper mattress review

Shopping for a new mattress presents a plethora of options. Should you go for foam, springs or a mix of both? And which brand is better? As luck may have it, my search was refined a little in that the new mattress in question had to fit up the tinniest staircase and live in the loft. So with that in mind, this ruled out a fair few mattresses and focused the search around a 'mattress in a box' solution. With so many out there, it was tough deciding whether to go for a Simba, Eve, Leesa, Casper or Emma.

My advice? Go to your local retail park or bed store (checking first if they stock them) and trying as many as you can. Whilst many of these one box mattresses have a 100 day guarantee (you can return at any point in the 100 days, no questions asked), purely picking one out blind online and not trying them first, you won't get a sense of how they compare (some are foam only, some are hybrids i.e. foam AND spring-loaded). My original MVP was the Simba, but then I went to John Lewis and had a chance to try a try a few more of the others and then Casper came up on top.

Said Casper mattress has since arrived and as I didn't really see much in the way of Casper reviews online, I wanted to put my thoughts to paper (well screen) in case anyone else had any questions around the Casper range.These are the 10 things I have learnt from my Casper mattress:

That springs were not for me

I've never had a foam mattress before, but when I went to try out different mattresses locally, I learned that springs weren't for me (each to their own). I couldn't even get on with the hybrid versions (springs AND foam). My advice? Seek out these online brands and try each for yourself before you place that online order.

Quite how bad my previous mattress was

I only learned recently that you should replace your mattress every 8 years. The mattress I was using before was 13 years old (so hardly surprising that I started getting lower back pain!). I knew it was old, but I forgot quite how old and when it was no longer comfortable, I just stuck a mattress topper on it rather than addressing the problem head on like I should have done.

Since I've been sleeping on the Casper, my back pain has completely gone. Admittedly it was still a little sore on the first night (these things take time), but I find the new mattress is supporting me a lot better in the small of my back. When I went to John Lewis, they advised me to lay flat on my back and place my hands under the small of my back. Basically there shouldn't be a gap there, the bed needs to be supporting you in this crucial area. And that's exactly what the Casper does.

It's not just me who rates this mattress

My in-laws knew we were looking at the mattress in a box brands ("aren't they expensive?"). We told them how comfortable The Casper was (their mid range mattress) and how much of a difference it has made to us, and we just found out that they went to look at mattresses themselves and loved the Casper so much, they ordered one for themselves too!

It IS possible to have a hotel style bed at home

Never has my bed compared to the comfort of an exceptional hotel bed. The mattress topper I bought a couple of years back extended the life of my knackered former mattress a little longer, but it wasn't a permanent fix / solution. The Casper needed 24 hours to fully expand once released from the box, but I did cheekily have an initial lie down and I think my face says it all. ABSOLUTE BLISS

24 hours later the mattress was even thicker, but every bit as comfortable. I dressed the bed with a silky smooth fitted bed sheet and grey velvet Matalan bedding, and that night we had the best sleep we'd had in ages. I found myself sinking deliciously into the mattress - but not too much - whilst still being supported in all the right places.

It smells a bit funky

Having seen plenty of mattress in a box reviews and unboxing videos on Youtube, I was fully prepared for this. I'm not sure if it's the wrapping used or the machinery used to vacuum pack the mattress into the box, but something gives the mattress a distinct smell. It's strongest when you first open the box and unload the mattress, but I found the smell was still there even when I lifted onto the bed and added the fitted sheet and duvet (adding bedding doesn't seem to stem it). The scent does linger, however after a week of being in the room, I am noticing it less now. It only seems to resurface if I plonk down on the bed particularly heavily. I hear the smell goes in time, and obviously it's still early days yet.

The pets love it as much as I do

Cats are curious creatures so naturally they came in to investigate. They were sniffing around (clearly clocking the weird smell) and reluctant to jump up on the bed initially, but lately I've woken up to find two cats on the bed. One nestled in-between us and the other either in the bed or sleeping at my feet. They also love the box it came in (as I'm sure you will have seen here!).

How it fits in a box will blow your mind

The box was as big as I am, however I still couldn't get my head around the fact that a mattress was in there. Seriously impressive use of vacuum packing right there!

I can still use my same bedding 

Some of the reviews I read for the other mattress in a box brands mentioned how the expansion of the mattress meant it was too thick to accommodate their existing bed sheets, so the reviewer(s) had to purchase new fitted sheets in a larger size. I was a little nervous about this because after an expensive mattress purchase, I didn't really want to be spending more money on bedding. As luck may have it, my existing bed sheets fit on the Casper like a dream (cue a big sigh of relief!)

It IS possible to get a mattress up an impossible staircase

When we first moved into our home, it was such a faff getting our mattress up the stairs. Our room is in the loft conversion with the narrowest, most awkward staircase known to man / woman. We caught the hallway walls on the way up (luckily we are due a refresh so this didn't matter!) and at one point were wedged into a corner. We learnt our lesson from this and when ordering furniture for our room, opted for flat pack furniture so we could get the components up the stairs easily and build in the room. When it came to replacing our mattress, the 'mattress in a box' solution was a great one for us. Yes the box was ridiculously heavy and quite awkward to get up the stairs on account of being as big as me, however it was much easier than a full sized mattress, let me know tell you that now.

A mattress in a box is expensive

Any of these brands will cost you a pretty penny and whilst I write about money saving tips, there are some things in life worth spending money on (anything to do with your health and well-being shouldn't be ignored). I could have bought a much cheaper mattress which wasn't half as comfortable, however I know people who have long term (and irreversible) back problems stemming from a poor mattress. So whilst this purchase was an eye watering one (I paid for the mattress myself and am not working with Casper or affiliated with them in any way), I knew that I needed to take action sharpish to nip any potential future back problems in the bud.

Saying that, there are ways to help reduce the cost of your new mattress. Casper had an online sale at the time so I managed to get a discount, plus I managed to get cashback as well. Definitely check out TopCashBack and Quidco who frequently have 10-15% cashback offers. My in-laws purchased their Casper mattress through John Lewis who gave them 15% off and a £100 John Lewis voucher so do check with your local store (our local John Lewis sadly didn't have this offer at the time of our visit which is unfortunate).

Update: be wary of TopCashBack as my cashback for Casper annoyingly never came through! 

IN SUMMARY

It's easy to think all these 'mattress in a box' brands are all the same, but on the contrary, each have different ranges with different price bands, so it's worth doing the research and trying each of them out. Whilst I love my Casper, I'm not necessarily going to recommend them to you because what works for me won't necessarily work for you. But promise me one thing. Don't let your mattress reach it's 13th birthday like I did.