|
With more and more people looking to improve rather than move, DIY is becoming an increasingly popular option under the assumption that it will be an investment in the home, our most valuable asset.
However, simple as it may seem, DIY can prove to be a drain on resources, and often for very little gain, as amateur makeovers can instead decrease the value of homes, often when the main driving forces are boredom and the desire for change, rather than a planned approach to a home re-vamp that’s more than just cosmetic.
DIY SOS
A study by the Halifax reveals that, 'over the past 10 years, more then 4 million British households have been the victims of DIY debacles. The total bill for fixing these blunders is £6.7 billion – and rising1
' and with more and more people desperate to make the best of what they’ve got, this is only going to increase, according to Britain’s Best Home Interior Designer, Ben Huckerby.
Ben’s Food for Thought
1. If you want to move, think about what the key factors are that are driving you to do this, and face this head on when looking at your existing home.
Is it because it’s too small? ..because the layout doesn’t suit you anymore?…because you want to feel like you’re moving forwards in life? All of these reasons can be addressed and worked with to create your dream home, in your existing house, with a bit of careful thought and planning, along with creative conceptualisation.
2. We all get emotionally attached to where we live, whether this is either in a positive or negative way... if you’re going to improve rather than move you need to take control of this.
If you’ve decided you want to move, but now can’t afford to, you will have a lot of negative feelings towards your current house – I work with clients to help them visualise their home in an entirely new way, and the results really open their eyes to what’s possible.
3. It’s not all about cushions and curtains
It’s important to remember that interior design gets down to the bones of the house (or it does when I’m involved!), rather than just getting carried away with the excitement of achieving a 'new look'.
If you get support on more than just the finishing touches, working with a designer who understands architects, from the very beginning of a project, you can ensure you use the structure of your home to create the best living space possible – looking at lighting, natural features and the flow of the house, there might be things you’ve previously missed a trick with.
If you can’t move, improve in a way that adds value to your lifestyle/home life and you’ll feel instantly in love with your home again.
Creating living spaces rather than rooms, Ben has recently collaborated with a client's architect to develop plans to transform their property, an original old mill, built in the 1600's, into a perfect family home, after they grew frustrated with the space they were living in.
The Case Study Project:
Re-design of the flow of the house, for Max & Helen Reid, and family.
'Ben helped us to completely re-design the top floor, as we now wanted to make use of the space in a different way - He also altered the entrance from the dining room to the kitchen, after having chatted to us about how we use both rooms, and these ideas are just some of the things that have completely changed the design of the house for the better!', said Helen.
A new look or a new home?
The initial expectation of the Reid's was to gain assistance with fabric and colour continuation between rooms but after meeting Ben it was realised that there was the scope for so much more.
Rather than giving their home a cosmetic facelift, they understood that they could adapt it to suit their family, who were growing up, and requiring more space of their own. They worked with Ben to understand what they needed from their house, and are now well on the way of creating this, step by step.
The bottom floor of the home is to be converted to house the two eldest boys, both in their teens. And the top floor has been re-designed to give the two younger children more space.
Additional features are to include a self-contained study for the parents, a music room for the children, an orangery, a boot room, a double oak garage and a hen hut, exemplifying what can be done with existing, unused and unappreciated space.
Ben said, 'The larger picture is definitely the most important factor to be taken into account. There is no point in buying a fabulous piece of furniture if it does not fit in with the scheme of the rest of the room or even the house.'
Ben is based at Pure Design in Leeds.
For more information see www.benhuckerbydesign.co.uk
www.telegraph.co.uk
|
