How to make the most of your space

A team of Joburg designers, based at Darley Interior Architectural Design firm, Diad, have created some easy and simple DIY tips to help you make the most of your home.

Heather Shannon, of Diad said her favourite design tip was to create a beautiful artwork from something you love. “Frame it or hang it on a wall, it’s the individual items that make a space most interesting,” she said.

Senior designer Matthew Tyack suggested that residents created a feature wall in their homes. “The other walls should be toned down creating a focus on a beautiful wallpaper or vibrant colour,” he said. He also suggested that when looking at bathroom tiles, one should tile up to the ceiling. “Dado rails are a no go,” he said.

Diad’s interior design expert, Nicole van Douwe said residents should look at rearranging their furniture. “This may sound simple, but rearranging furniture is an effective [and free] way to completely change the look and feel of your home. If you always find yourself climbing over an ottoman, move your couch back to create a passing lane. Is it too cramped? Try moving your side table to another room that’s more spacious,” she said.
Van Douwe also mentioned that buying fresh flowers or adding plants in a home added a natural, fresh element to any living space. “Natural elements instantly bring fresh life into a room,” said Van Douwe. “These plants could also be functional as well as decorative for instance, in your kitchen. A set of pots holding different herbs or wheat grass add a natural element but are still functional as they can be used for cooking.”
Van Douwe suggested making new covers for your existing throw pillows. “It is a big misconception that fabric and reupholstery can be expensive. We often work with amazing fabric houses that offer fabrics per metre at an incredible price. You can make two covers for your pillows [depending on the size of your throw pillows] out of a metre of fabric. Adding a fresh pattern or colour to your living or bedroom will uplift spaces in your home with little effort and inexpensively.”

Paint specialist gives tips for DIY

Any able dad or a housewife can paint a room and get professional results by working efficiently and neatly, with careful preparation.

The way you apply your paint is just as important as the colour itself, and interior painting, according to paint specialist Miguel Lisdoa of Dulux, is by far the most popular do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement activity.

A paint job requires appropriate preparation such as scraping the wall first and filling the holes and cracks.

DIY homeowners are advised to use canvas drop cloths for their floors while they are painting interior walls as they are durable and rip-resistant.

Lisdoa told Northern Eastern Tribune that canvas was the most recommended method to prevent dripping of paint on the floor.

“With plastic sheets, you’ll have a challenge if you drip paint because it does not dry easily and can mess up your floor.

“Canvas, on the other hand, absorbs paint quickly making it easy to dry fast and even last a lifetime,” said Lisdoa.

For very high walls, Lisdoa said telescopic extension poles could be used because the painter does not have

to climb a ladder and in

so doing, avoids falling off and injuring himself in the process.

“Then when you are done painting for the day but still have more painting to do tomorrow, you don’t have to clean your paintbrushes and paint-roller sleeves.

“Instead, tightly wrap them in plastic food wrap and place them in a closed container to seal out any air and ensure that the paint doesn’t dry on the brushes,” he added.