Five steps to making your home beautiful

WHILE the simple steps below might not turn your home into your dream mansion, following them might bring beauty into your house.

De-clutter

This step sounds so exhausting, but believe me, it is worth it. Pick a room to start on, and attack it with a pair of rubber gloves and a bin bag. Poke into hidey holes you would have forgotten about, dig into cupboards you have been putting off forever, jump right in to the depths of all your clutter and let it go. Do not be afraid to chuck out that gaudy yellow vase because you made it when you were six. If it is sentimentally valuable, box it and be strict with yourself about what really is sentimental. Use ‘time since last used’ as your rule of thumb. If it has been three years since you last used it, chances are its rubbish.

Remember, start as you mean to go on – do not sort piles into piles, if its rubbish throw it, if it is not, put it away. Consider recycling any items you do not need, charities are always looking for items they can sell.

Love your bedroom

When leaving the house for the day, it is easy to just fling the duvet over the bed and open the blinds. Try to make your bedroom an inviting haven, a paradise to relax in after a hard day. Begin by buying a few lush cushions and a luxurious throw for your bed. If you want to recycle and save a few pennies as well, you can always turn a pair of old, thick curtains into some pillows and matching throw. Your pillows should be plump and enticing, dump any old flat pillows. Scatter cushions over the bed. Place candles generously around the room for ambient lighting.

If you have a partner, devote one corner of the room to your relationship. Frame some photos of the two of you, and place a few items that symbolise your togetherness.

Before leaving the room in the morning spray some room perfume, use a scent like rose, sandalwood or jasmine for a romantic air, or citrus, mint or pine for an uplifting effect.

Say it with flowers

Do not wait for a special someone to buy you flowers, buy a few bunches cheaply from a flower stall or local supermarket and place in your living room, hallway and kitchen. Studies of the benefits of flowers have proven that their presence decreases depression, enriches memory and increases social contact. Use calla lilies to symbolise beauty, white carnations for loveliness, and orchards for love and magnificence. Add baby’s breath to your vase to symbolise innocence.

Open your kitchen

The kitchen is the ideal place to sit and have a cosy chat with a neighbour or friend. Make your kitchen the perfect setting for coffee and unwinding. Bring your kitchen to life with beautiful scents. In the morning put a pot of coffee on, using freshly ground beans if you can. The smell of fresh coffee will envelope you when you walk into the kitchen. Use a cinnamon incense stick to make your kitchen smell like warm cookies and childhood.

Cosy bathroom

Invest time in your bathroom. The bath should be the ultimate relaxation experience after a tough day at work. Place chunky, scented candles around the bathtub.

Lavender and marjoram are soothing and warm.

Invest in fluffy, matching towels, and iron them before folding and placing them on a towel shelf in the bathroom. Always keep a neatly folded, clean towel over the sink or bath for guests to use. Buy some bath petals and tip them generously into a bathtub before getting in. — freshome.com