Bright Ideas To Beat The Gloom

Originally published in the Yorkshire Post - 15th January 2014

Down in the dumps?  Interior Designer Jamie Hempsall offers advice to give your home a cost-effective spruce up.

Giving your home a mini-facelift is perfect to beat the winter blues so here are ten tips to revamp your home without breaking the January budgets.

1.      Give bulbs a clean

In winter gloom artificial light is exceptionally important and cleaning your light bulbs has an amazing impact.  Safety is paramount, so it is important that you unplug or switch off electricity before attempting this.  Then take a slightly damp cloth and wipe down the bulbs in your light fittings and any glass covers you may.  Wait to dry before turning back on.  It's a little thing, but makes a major difference.

2.      Refresh your paintwork

No matter how clean you keep it, paint colour dulls and darkens with age.  If your paintwork is over two or three years old invest in a tin of good quality emulsion and repaint a room for an immediate uplift.

3.      Replace your sofa or chair cushion inners

If your sofa or chairs are less than comfy, the problem may be your cushion inners.  Speak to your local upholsterer who should be able just to supply a cushion inner made to your required size and requirements, find a cushion filling you like (we prefer foam-feather wrap which gives the comfort of feather with the structure of foam) and order replacement cushions giving your sofa a new lease of life at a surprisingly low cost.

4.      Invest in some new scatter cushions

These are the perfect way to introduce a new colour or texture in your room.  Go the whole hog and add a co-ordinating rug for a total makeover feel.

5.      Add a Feature Wall

Create new interest in a plain scheme by adding a feature wall in textured or patterned wallpaper in a colour toning with your existing room. Remember when choosing to ensure the size of any pattern is not too large for the area.

6.      Clean and Polish Natural Wood Floors

Give floors a serious clean with a proprietary cleaning agent, then re-oil or re-polish dependent upon the original finish of the floor.  The wood will rejuvenate before your eyes, allowing you to fall in love with it all over again.

7.      Re-grout bathroom tiles and refresh silicone sealant

This will help make a tired bathroom look clean and refreshed!  Remember to remove all old silicone before reapplying to ensure the perfect seal and the perfect look.

8.      Invest in new bedding or towels

This is the perfect way to spruce up a bedroom or bathroom - giving it an immediate uplift and some sensory joy.   The Sales are the ideal time to get better quality for your money.  Look for at least 300 thread count to feel like a film star as you slip between the sheets and invest in bath sheets to avoid having to skimp on size.

9.      Re-upholster your headboard

Not only a great pick-me-up, but a great way to introduce new textures or colours into your room.

10.  Repaint your front door

Why just worry about “kerb appeal” when you are selling your house?  A properly and freshly painted door makes a home look instantly loved and should help cheer you up every time you walk through it.

For more inspiration visit www.jamiehempsall.com.

Your magic carpet awaits

Homes and Interiors

Rugs really can solve a multitude of interior sins, interior designer Jamie Hempsall explains

It is no wonder that the Arabian Nights had tales of magic carpets, when you think what a rug can do in your home they really are an incredible interior incantation to have available to you. Whether your budget stretches to a Silk Persian rug or a more modest Ikea solution the result from including a rug in your scheme can be amazing – not to mention possibly solving some challenging interior problems.

So here are a few of the ways that I use rugs to help in the home:

• Adding instant warmth into a scheme – natural floor coverings such as wood or stone can be incredibly effective, long lasting and easy to maintain. However, they sometimes make a room look a little cold and clinical. The addition of a textured or patterned rug in a bright colour that contrasts with the main shades of your scheme will help overcome this, adding instant appeal and a shot of visual heat – not to mention physical warmth underneath your foot. 

• Making noise disappear – Walking on wood flooring can be quite noisy, a particular problem with upstairs rooms or some apartments. You can help overcome this by introducing a good size runner or area rug so that your footsteps are cushioned.

• Alter the size of a room – Well obviously not literally, but certainly optically. The perceived size of a room is directly affected by the colours used within in it. You will find that if you introduce a light coloured rug you can make small enclosed spaces feel larger, whilst the addition of a darker colour notes will help to make large, impersonal rooms feel much cosier.

• Make gaps disappear – If you have a large room and want to keep it fairly open plan and uncluttered you can often be faced with wide expanses to cross. Introduce a rug to close the gap without losing any space or adding furniture. It will also help to link areas together and cheat the visual perspective.

• Help to define a furniture group or delineate a room – This is also a particularly good trick to use in larger rooms where you can create an “island” of furniture based around a rug. Ensure that it has an interesting texture or picks up on key tones within the furniture fabric. The size of rug you choose is important for this to work effectively. There are two basic options either opt for a large rug that will easily accommodate the entire furniture group upon it or a rug small enough so that all the furniture (with the possible exception of a central table) can be arranged around the edge without need to impose on the rug.

This trick can also help delineate a large multi-purpose room, such as a lounge-diner, into specific areas and allow you to introduce differing colour schemes within an area without dividing walls.

• Enhance or change a colour scheme – Including a rug which heavily features the accent colour in your scheme will help enhance the feel of this throughout the scheme. Alternatively, you can use a rug which picks up on some of the sub-notes contained within patterns on your wall-covering or curtains to help subtly raise it to the fore. 
However, if you are a dedicated follower of fashion and are likely to alter your colour scheme regularly, then use a neutral tone for the base flooring (be it carpet, tiles or wood) and then introduce your colour with a series of medium priced rugs. When you want to change your scheme, simply change the rugs.

• Get rid of an unwanted patterned carpet – This can frequently be a problem for people who are moving home and inheriting the heavily patterned fitted carpet left by the previous occupants. If you are faced with this issue and cannot face the expense of a new carpet, then inject a calming influence by adding a large plain rug. To ensure that this works to best advantage, rather than looking like you have just popped a rug down willy-nilly, match the rug to one of the key colours in the base carpet.

• Make stains, spots and burns disappear – This may not be the most amazing use, but it can be a vital one. Stick to the guidelines of matching your rug to key colours in the base carpet to ensure that this looks an integral part of your scheme, rather than a first-aid fiddle. 

• Draw attention to a room feature – You can help emphasise the impact of a given feature in your room by effectively framing it with a carpet. Draw the beholders gaze to a fireplace by ensuring a eye-catching hearth rug is placed in front and emphasise the impact of any tiles in the fire surround, by ensuring your rug is matched to the main colour they contain.

• Give your flooring ever-lasting life - Use rugs to help protect the flooring underneath in high traffic areas. This will preserve the surface of your main floor and ensure you do not have to replace everything because of a small patch of wear.

To keep your rug in top condition I would always recommend using a rug pad underneath. They are terrific for reducing slippage (and for that read reducing wear and tear on your rug which means they also add to the longevity). The thin pads can also enhance the sound absorption qualities of any rug and will make them feel softer when used on a hard surface. Always opt for the best pad you can afford to maximise the enchanting effect of your rug.

Jamie Hempsall, BIID is an award winning interior designer. Visit him at www.jamiehempsall.com or call 0800 032 1180.


This article originally appeared in the Yorkshire Post Saturday Magazine on 11th June 2011

Your Interior Design questions answered!

If you are having trouble with interior solutions, why not drop me a line and I'm sure I can point you in the right direction.  Here is a recent question and answer session I did for Yorkshire Post Readers.

I am looking to decorate a room using a flag theme and want to incorporate a Union Jack Carpet, can you suggest any interesting options? PT, Elmswell

The flag theme is very on trend at the moment. I have found two particularly nice designs which are also a little quirky. The Union Jack Rug from Hill & Co (www.hillcorugs.com; 020 3258 4100) features the flag at an angle which is more visually appealing than a straight reproduction and avoids looking like a front door mat. It is made from 100% viscose, measures 1.8m x 1.2m and costs £390.

If you have a bit more budget and are looking to make a serious design statement choose the VW Flag by Vivienne Westwood for The Rug Company (www.therugcompany.info; 020 7229 5148). At £1,995 it is more pricey, but is a wonderful 100% wool Aubusson Tapestry rug that works equally well as a wall hanging.

We have converted the cellars in our Georgian home to create a day room. The ceilings are not high, but we need a central light fitting to incorporate into the room. Our decorating style is “traditional with a twist”. JW, Rotherham

With low ceilings you need to ensure you get impact from a light fitting, without it obscuring your view through the room. The ideal solution is a light constructed from glass to allow you to both appreciate the design, but also easily look beyond it to avoid breaking your sight line. Victoria Rothschild and Mark Bickers have developed a wonderful range of hand blown glass lights which are all made at the London Glassworks, one of the last workshops in the UK. Most of their lamps would be perfect, but I particularly favour their Vintage and Opulence designs with the cheeky interplay of glass and fringing: around £250 including delivery (www.rothschildbickers.com; 020 8418 5900).

I have just moved into my first home and want to liven up the walls of my kitchen which are painted plain magnolia. I am afraid I have a very tight budget. Do you have any ideas other than a bright colour or feature wall as I want to do something more interesting? SS, Malton


When it comes to jazzing up a plain wall, you do not need to go mad to achieve something stylish. Less is often more and I would opt for one of the new wall stickers which you can easily apply to a ready painted surface. Spin Collective (www.spincollective.co.uk; 01242 255244) offer a range of funky designs made in vinyl. They also have a “custom wall quote and sign” maker on their website that allows you to choose your own word or phrase and have this made into a custom sticker. There are a variety of fonts to choose from and 20 colours available. Prices start from £12. These will look very chic and a carefully chosen phrase should raise a smile each time you see it.

 We are looking for an eye-catching feature to include over our fireplace at home, but want to avoid a picture or mirror. EA, Halifax


I love incorporating really eccentric items above a fireplace to amuse both owner and any guests. They provide a great talking point and a good ice breaker at social occasions. My current favourite is the Silver Trophy Stag Head from Strawberry Fool (£69.99 - www.strawberryfool.com; 0845 226 9177) a witty take on the traditional hunting trophy. At 47cm height this is large enough to make an impact without being overbearing. It is made from light aluminium so should also be easy to fix in place.

Jamie Hempsall is a member of The British Institute of Interior Design and one of the region’s leading interior designers. If you have an interior query you need answering call him on 0800 032 1180 or visit his website www.jamiehempsall.com

Tread carefully to choose a flawless floor

Yorkshire Post - 15th July 2009 - Life & Style Section : Homes

Interiors


Interior Designer Jamie Hempsall explains how to avoid putting a foot wrong when choosing the best flooring option for your home.

Flooring is a make or break decision for any room. Choose well and you successfully set the tone for your scheme. Choose badly and you end up with a finish that jars and is expensive to replace; in terms of money, time and disruption.

Before parting with cash, draw up a list of key considerations, the most important of which are:

* The amount of wear the area will have.
* Is it subject to moisture?
* Does the floor need to act as a sound barrier?
* How slip resistant does it need to be?
* How much time are you willing to invest in maintaining your floor?
* Does anyone in the family suffer from allergies? Generally, the harder the surface, the healthier the floor.
* How durable is the product?
* Costs of material and installation?
* What sub-floor surface will you be laying on? For example, tiled floors cannot be laid directly onto floorboards, so you will incur extra cost for preparation.
* Budget. Generally you do get what you pay for.

Avoid being influenced by high fashion finishes, they may look great in the short term, but can quickly date and be an expensive short term indulgence.

Different floors have individual merits. Here are my guidelines to steer you in the right direction.

Resilient flooring – finishes that can bounce back to their original form after something is dropped on them; such as cork, linoleum and vinyl. A warmer alternative to hard surfaces such as tile. Flexible to lay (a good DIY project and helpful in difficult shaped areas), hardwearing and most finishes are bacteria resistant. Prices for most budgets.

Porcelain/ceramic tiles – easy to maintain and great in areas with moisture, or immediate access from the outside. Very hardwearing, but can be expensive. They require a level sub-floor and benefit from professional fitting. The overall effect can be harsh if not chosen well.

Wood – gives a rich, architectural finish and looks great stained or painted. It has a laid-back, rather than formal appearance. Not all floorboards look great, ensure yours are in good repair and of visual interest. Will require maintenance and show wear, but, if cared for, is a very durable surface. One of the most expensive options. Avoid if you have under-floor heating and opt instead for engineered planks. Requires specialist fitting.

Laminate – cheaper, quicker to fit for damp areas and can have a hollow sound when walked upon. Relatively easy to maintain, but needs care when installing.

Carpets and rugs – warm and help deaden noise. Not as durable as other surfaces and should not be installed in areas with moisture. Stain resistant treatments can help prolong its life. Probably the least hypo-allergenic option. Variety of price points, but a good underlay and professional fitting are essential for carpets. Rugs also provide a quick, cost-effective method to introduce contrast (such as texture or pattern).

Stone – the most permanent solution. Terrific for the minimalist look and excellent in wet areas. Cooler than other finishes, but good for underfloor heating as it retains warmth. Expensive and must be perfectly laid. Ideal for hallways in older properties and garden rooms.

Opting for a specific flooring type does not finish the design decision. For example, consider combining different types of hard surface, such as tile and steel, or break up a block of colour with borders or runners in a contrasting colour, material or pattern.

Alternatively, include contrasting textures in an area (such as carpet and stone), which can be both visually attractive and provide sensory stimulus.

Remember, preparation is paramount. A subfloor surface without lumps and bumps equals no trip hazards, easy installation and the longest life possible for your product.

Jamie Hempsall is one of the region's leading interior designers and a member of BIDA. He can be contacted on 01777 248463 or visit www.jamiehempsall.com