Sally writes a monthly interiors column for Balance Life magazine covering topical and current issues from the world of interior design. Here's this months hot topic!

Balance LifeStyle Clinic July 4th 08 “Don’t Move, Improve!”    

 Every newspaper article, television bulletin or snippet of small-talk seems stuck on the same theme at the moment, can you guess the topic? Here’s a clue, it’s a fairly ‘negative’ one…You’ve got it, the dull prospect of a depressed property market is a familiar topic of conversation in many of our lives at present and it doesn’t look as though things are set to change anytime soon – (though don’t forget how much the media love to run and run with a ‘bad news!’)  

If like me, you wake most mornings to a BBC property expert recounting the latest dizzying statistics like a punctual harbinger of doom, we probably share the same feeling – what can we do? Though current market reporting is uninspiring, we could do worse than listen to the tips and suggestions for ‘riding it out. At times like this, it is really important more than ever to remember that every cloud has a silver lining and there is always a positive angle - you’ve just got to find it!

  Reading between the lines the sensible thing to do at present is little or nothing. Easier said than done and inaction can prove terribly difficult! But think about it a moment and it make sense; moving house in the current climate could see you forced to accept a lower price than you would like, though you might be lucky and ‘get a bargain’ when buying yourself. Of greater concern is the growing number of people who are happy staying ’put,’ but are seeing properties they paid high for experiencing a considerable drop in value.  Obviously this is a worry but there is little anyone can do but watch and wait. The true British spirit will out in the end and life goes on. I’m with the experts and strongly agree with the ‘Improve, Don’t Move’ mantra as a sensible way to  proceed. It works on all levels;

• You minimize self-risk as you are not moving
• You add long-term value to your home by improving it
• You give yourself a positive task at a time where negativity is rife
• And you get to enjoy the benefits of perhaps a beautiful new extension, family room or even pool house upon the completion of your project!

 Over the years I’ve worked with many clients with varying objectives through differing housing markets. Lately, one area that is proving ever increasingly popular is assisting the client who wishes to ‘improve and not move,’ – a very sensible choice in the present climate. It is a common misconception that you need to move house if your existing one ceases to serve your needs so effectively anymore. Rarely is this due to the location, more often internal space and layout are the main offenders as children grow up and family dynamics and lifestyle needs change. It’s often clear to me that people would prefer not to move, but don’t know the appropriate changes to instigate to make their home work for, and not against them again.

Clever re-planning of interior space and décor can transform a home without the enormous upheaval and financial risk of moving. Detailed, 3D visuals of the entire home, enabling people to truly ‘see’ exactly how their home would look before even a single brick as been moved or paint shade chosen prove invaluable and serve as an integral part of any project I undertake. 

When considering what type of changes to make, remember that some improvements will always add value to a property and are a sound investment for the future. The hard thing is choosing the best ones to make and this is where professional advice is very helpfull. It is incredibly hard to be impartial or objective about a house or building of which you know every nook and cranny having lived there for the last ten years!  An example of one of the most popular home improvements – (and sensible too in the current financial climate) is converting an old style kitchen and adjoining breakfast room into a stunning, open-plan contemporary kitchen-diner opening out onto decking leading into the garden if possible.  

This kind of project focuses on the area that sells a house – the kitchen, the heart of the home and can be undertaken and achieved very simply by just removing a wall or two (checking first if they are load-bearing of course!). With your newly created, open-plan space you can now plan a brand new stunning kitchen layout that is far more sociable, functional, aesthetically pleasing and will add great future value to your home. Other key areas of improvement I believe guaranteed to pay dividends are what I call USP’s (unique selling points). For example a property with a wine cellar, games room or developed outside hot tub area will create a two-fold positive experience. Once for the current owners and again later down the line when potential buyers see them as an added extra that other properties may not offer.   

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Style Clinic Christmas Special: Divine Dining – be inspired!

Every Christmas Eve as a child growing up, I remember demanding exclusive rights to the job of decorating the table for Christmas lunch the following day (the Christmas tree was long done!). Looking back, I realise now there was hardly a queue of people rushing to beat me to it, but dressing the table for Christmas lunch aided by a sneaky glass of bubbly remains one of my greatest pleasures in life. It’s one of the few jobs with a genuine ‘feel good’ factor created by what it is you’re preparing for.

A glamorous Christmas table really sets the mood for a wonderful celebration and with just a little creativity you can really make a big impact! Whether you're dining with family or a group of friends, here’s my guide to creating a stunning table setting for the big day! Seasonal events like Christmas fall into two main decorative categories; Traditional or Contemporary. It’s purely personal taste whether you opt for a cool and chic, modern table setting or a warm, classic seasonal design. Alternatively if neither appeal, you can always carefully combine the two styles and cleverly create your own eclectic Christmas table setting mixing old & new styles! The vast range of festive table-trinkets appearing in stores earlier and earlier each year is over-whelming, so make it easy for yourself and first decide on your theme.  

My key piece of advice is to keep your design simple and whatever your theme, (traditional or contemporary), choose just one main colour to dominate and weave through your table setting. Staying within your chosen colour-scheme will always create a sophisticated result. If you stray from it you risk loosing the styled feel and creating a busy ‘rainbow-shade’ table instead with no space for the dishes of delicious food you’ve toiled over all morning. Once you’ve picked your theme, you’ll find the colours to use are obvious.

Traditional Festive Colour-schemes for tables are luxurious and warm shades of deep reds and rich golds with plenty of thick textures and light-reflecting shiny surfaces. Using organic centre-pieces of holly, mistletoe or fir branches will match the deep shades of green visible in Nature outside in winter time and traditional accessories like ivory candles in lustrous gold candelabras have a double starring role as they’ll create an old-fashioned ‘Christmas Carol’ feel while also reflecting the warm, cosy flickering glow they give out. Subtly coordinating the colour of napkins, table runners and placemats in a rich shade of crimson creates a relaxed, indulgent feeling as will over-size wine glasses with gold stenciled detailing. To complete the traditional table colour-scheme, lay everything out neatly on a freshly fallen blanket of crisp, white, table linen - imitating the snow on the ground outside and liberally scatter small red and gold beads down the centre of the table. Your Christmas day winter wonderland lunch table awaits!

Contemporary Festive Colour-schemes are a lot more open to interpretation. Colour abounds with combinations ranging from metallic blue & icy white ‘Snow Queen’ themes to intense deep royal purples & blacks. Currently there are several incredibly popular styles flooding the design houses that completely break with traditional festive design and look fantastic. The most obvious is Damask. Once restricted to the walls of formal rooms, today the instantly recognizable pattern is seen far and wide on wallpaper, dinner services, soft furnishings, clothing, upholstery, carpets and even vehicle interiors! It is very much ‘bang-on-trend’ for this season and to create a chic and uber-stylish Christmas table using a black and white damask theme looks seriously impressive. Attention-seeking black lacquer champagne flutes teamed with black & white damask plates on a plain white linen table cloth with silver accessories will certainly make a statement. A note of warning where damask is concerned – a little goes a long way so use it sparingly, perhaps add a subtle centre-piece of white roses to create balance. If Damask is not your thing but you still love the contemporary look then turn up the sleek glitz with a glamorous snowy-white table linen base layer, shimmery lilac table runner, placemats and napkins and elegant silver accessories. Immaculate white Villeroy & Boch tableware and long stem, dark purple glass wine glasses complete the look if you want a sophisticated and modern Christmas table! 

Dressing your Christmas Lunch Table It’s very important to dress a table correctly and the same basic rules apply whatever your chosen style theme. Think in terms of building layers to create an overall coordinated theme & then accessorizing. Begin with the basic table linen and continue with a layer of placemats, table runner, serving mats, drinks mats etc. (These should obviously be coordinated appropriately within your chosen colour-scheme and/or table theme). Next add functional items like cutlery and china but don’t miss an opportunity to use really funky plates and dishes like Rosenthal’s Versace dinner service. Over-size wine glasses will add sparkle and champagne glasses instant glamour so compliment them with funky or elegant napkin rings. Every table should have one ‘pièce de résistance’ - it might be a unique serving platter or set of rare wine glasses. I’m particularly fond of the ‘Swan’ wine decanter (as shown opposite) I love its simplicity and elegance and it pours rather well too!  To complete the look, accessorise the table with pertinent decorative items according to the season like candles, floral centre-pieces or randomly scatter a dozen same-colour baubles/flowers/fir cones up and down the centre of the table. The very last touch is to strategically place a few accessories like candles or ribbons around surfaces in the room in the same shade as chosen for the table, thereby blending and balancing the design seamlessly throughout the entire space.  

That Personal Touch;

If you have little ones bored and eager to help with something - get them involved making these ‘crafty’ decorations for the festive season, (make sure you do the initial spraying part yourself though or you may really end up with a white Christmas and kitchen floor!). 

• Spray old pine cones brilliant white, mix them with green holly and varied size gold baubles and pile them high in a basket by the fireside. The mix of white against bright red holly berries as well as the green and gold will look fantastic!

• Buy 12 red roses symbolising the 12 days of Christmas (and romance!) and dip the tips in children’s glue then silver glitter to create a truly stunning centre-piece.

 Sally Musgrave is an Essex based Interior designer & founder of Solo House Interiors. To arrange a free consultation with Sally, call her on 01277 353125 or 07748 388 527