Home Staging and Styling - London

This certainly isn’t spring as we know it. Just as the weather is warming up, along with the temptation to get out and about, the worldwide impact of Covid 19 means we must stay indoors and do our bit to protect the vulnerable and our incredible NHS. So if the majority of our time over these coming weeks is to be spent at home, then take a look around – go on, now’s your opportunity! – and let’s make sure it’s working for us the very best way it can.

For many of us our home is adopting whole new functions right now. No longer the sanctuary we retreat to at the end of the day, for the vast majority it has also become a school and an office. The lines between work and leisure space can blur very quickly, so if these past few weeks have proved a struggle, start afresh and consider objectively how you can best maximise the space you have to create designated areas for work and relaxation. If you are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom that can temporarily be reconfigured into a home office or classroom then great – but for those who don’t, it’s possible to carve out work and study zones, even temporarily, within other rooms. The simple act of turning a table and chair around to face in a different direction, ideally so that you are looking out of a window or perhaps facing a wall to avoid background distractions, can temporarily transform the functionality of a room. The original layout can then be reinstated at the end of the day or for mealtimes. If it’s impossible to work with what you already have, check out fold-away tables online that can be stored under a bed, or pull down desks that can be fixed to a redundant wall space – such as these fantastic options from Etsy and Made.

Most likely some decluttering will be helpful at this point, but be aware you will need to have somewhere to squirrel redundant items away, perhaps in a loft or garage, ready for when the charity shops and recycling outlets open again.

As crucial as it is to make our homes work well for us on a practical level, it’s never been more important to love our surroundings and everything in them! Consider the changes and updates you can make without too much hassle or expense that may inject new life into your space. Try reworking the layout of a room, swapping your art around or printing photos and sourcing old vintage frames from Vinterior or Etsy to create that gallery wall – Style The Clutter has some great inspiration for this.

Alternatively try a couple of small online purchases that will pack a punch, such as a new shower curtain or door knobs, like these gorgeous ones you can see here from Not On the High Street.

Pack away the cosy throws and chunky bedspreads, and swap in for lighter cotton bedding – I love this set from Also Home. Take down heavy curtains and if they are machine washable then get them cleaned – one of those jobs that in normal life is often overlooked. While the winter months are about creating and controlling targeted mood lighting with candles and lamps, spring is the time for embracing the natural light wherever possible, so ensure the maximum expanse of each and every window is exposed throughout the day.

Life as we know it may have stopped in its tracks, but reassuringly, the seasons continue to change regardless! Bring the outside in – I adore these botanical prints from Desenio.

If you are lucky enough to have some outdoor space then now is the time to show it some love. A garden or balcony, however small, can offer an additional ‘room’ when space is at a premium. Sweep up winter debris, prune dead branches, clean down garden furniture and prepare your planters - buying plants and bulbs from online nurseries and garden centres will not online cheer up your garden, it will help support those business who are suffering huge losses from the waste of perishable plants.

If you had intended on putting your house up for sale this Spring (and the lift in the market earlier this year shows that many of you did) then, along with the rest of the housing market, your plans will have been thwarted. Don’t despair. Use this extra time inside to consider improvements to your home that could really make a difference when it comes to appealing to buyers and ultimately, securing a sale. Do the layouts of your rooms best serve their purpose and proportions? Would your choice of wallpaper or paint colours appeal to the masses? Do those broken tiles in the bathroom make the whole room look shabby? Certain jobs you may be happy and able to do yourself; touching up wall, banister and door scruffs if you have the right paint lurking in a cupboard, or maybe refresh a plain IKEA unit or a tired chest of drawers with Annie Sloane paint. But however tempting it may be, now is not the time to indulge in more risky DIY activities. Gutter clearing, washing high windows, even climbing a ladder – home based injuries need to be avoided at all cost right now! Instead, jot down what needs attending to and as soon as things get back to normal, our Home Care Services can be on hand to address them.

Meanwhile here at EHG HQ, we are spending our time re-evaluating and sorting through our stock with a view to selling on or upcycling and then re-stocking with considered, sustainable additions. For now it’s all about the preparation – like you, we can’t wait to get back out into the world to do what we do best. Looking forward to seeing you then.

Lots of Love

K x

Homestay

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