Monthly Archives: August 2018

Colour plays an essential role in the design of just about each and every living space hence we need to be quite imaginative especially when combining to colours so that to freshen up the atmosphere of our home in London. It is usually wisest to choose two colours that harmonise with each other so that to bring in harmony and peace in your flat or house in London. Say, you can choose yellow for the walls and white for the ceiling, or blue for the walls and some lighter blue for the ceiling; it is safest to assume that whatever colour you choose for the walls you can go with its lighter version for the ceiling or white comes in handy any time – for the ceiling that is.

Still, harmonising the colours is playing on the safe side; in case you want your room in London to be vibrant and energetic go for some complementary colours or even split complementary ones. In general, complementary colours provide striking visial differences. For example, if you choose violet for the walls then the ceiling could be painted in yellow; or you can go for softer contarst by choosing some of the split complementary colours – for violet this could be burnt orange or olive. These could be colours either for the walls and the wood molding or for the upper and lower segment of a given wall in the room.

Additionally, if you are not inclined to exposing that much contrast you can also opt for the triad colour scheme, for instance, the triad colour for violet would be green and orange. What’s more, if choosing colours for the master bedroom in your home in London, you can opt for soft lavender for the walls and oaky tan for the doors, trim and molding. Why not even combine the colour of the duvet or quilt with the colours of the room, you can also choose a duvet in oaky tan for such a bedroom – this would be the ideal finishing touch to such an imaginative masterpiece.

Analogous colours are mainly a variation of the main colour thus if the main colour for the walls is violet the analogous colours for the second paint would be purple or blue for the molding, the segments, for the doors, trim or the duvet in the room. Another suggestion is yellow as a main colour and orange or tan as secondary or analogous colour. Such a colour scheme is perfect for the kitchen or the living room as it would make the atmosphere truly sunny and warm. A wise application of analogous color paints involves painting 3- to 4-inch-wide vertical stripes of alternating colors, but it is also quite energising in areas with chair rails where the darker colour is situated right below the apparent horizon and the lighter colour is above.

Finally, remember that warm colours like red, yellow and orange brighten up any room and your mood as well; while cool colours like blue, violet and green are more peaceful and calm you down. Thus the latter are prefered in lighter hues for bedrooms and children’s rooms.

If you’re looking to sell your property in the near future, there are plenty of methods you can use to ensure you maximise its value. Here are a few tips to set you on your way.

Structural Problems
Identify existing structural problems first, before you embark on any cosmetic improvements. While cosmetic work can hide a multitude of sins from a buyer, it’s pretty unlikely that an experienced valuer is going to be fooled. Examples of structural problems include leaking roofs, mould, rising damp and rotten joists. While these defects can be repaired, they’re usually expensive. However, try to consider any substantial structural restoration as an investment – they’ll add considerable value to your property if carried out properly.

Central Heating
Central heating is a really big factor for buyers when it comes to investing in a property. It adds a lot of value and is actually considered as essential these days, both with buyers and valuers. Although installation prices can range from £3-4000 for a typical three bedroom Victorian house, it will be well worth it in the long-run.

Electrics
If your home hasn’t been rewired for a long time then it might be a good time to get it done. You can usually tell if a rewiring job is needed by looking at the kind of meter you have. If it’s an old fuse box then you’ll probably need to get your property rewired. In addition, a modern consumer unit with a RCD (residual circuit device) will be required. Adding extra sockets is another good way of adding value as well.

Plumbing
Archaic pipe-work can be very troublesome leading to things like poor hot and cold water flow, knocking, rattling and even foul odours. In worse case scenarios it can also lead to burst pipes. So consider installing a pressurised plumbing system instead of the less expensive gravity fed systems. This will eliminate the need for a header tank which can free up space.

Like central heating installation, updating plumbing and wiring can be very disruptive and can sometimes involve lifting floors and chasing out plaster walls. With this in mind, find out exactly what’s required before making any cosmetic repairs to your property.

Correct Small Defects
Minor defects don’t usually affect the value of a property. Nevertheless, if there are too many, the chances are that your property will not sell at its optimum price. An accumulation of defects can be very off-putting both for valuers and potential buyers. Things like peeling paint, broken door latches, mouldy sealants, dripping taps, loose tiles and cracks in walls can give bad first impressions and should therefore be corrected. In most cases, minor repair jobs require very little DIY experience.

Loft Conversions
Loft conversions are extremely popular, especially in cities like London where space is at a premium. Typical conversions cost around £500 per metre squared. Building extensions like these can be very shrewd investments provided they’re done properly and comply with building regulations.