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10 THE STANDARD STYLE / HOME & GARDEN / TRENDS Property August 3 to 9 2014 The simplicity of a Modern Home and clarity of space could be what you are drawn to and once you see it you feel a connection. What drives you to buy Property Noma Ndlovu So you are at a stage where you want to buy property? Ok Great. It’s a big risky life changing decision and one that should be approached with wisdom considering the time and risks involved. It is truly an emotional journey, one not to be taken lightly. But what is it that you are looking for in terms of property? Pertinent questions should come to mind. 1. What desire / need does the property fulfil? What problem does it solve ? In most cases we look for property because we’ve reached a stage where we are tired of renting and the perils associ ated with it or we are looking for a safe way to invest for the future. Either way buying property is a good thing, but don’t just buy because its cheap and available. Or worse you are desperate. Always have a realistic budget for the property you wish to buy. Ask yourself - What do I want from the prospective property? What solution or risk does buying this property bring to me emotionally, financially, socially, physically and mentally. How does it define you as person? Is this an upgrade or downgrade. Where does it fit in at this stage in my life? A cozy, warm family home is what you be looking for and your budget may determine the area and size of property. This however does not mean you sacrifice style. 2. What connection do I feel or expect to feel when I go to view a property that’s for sale? What makes me call the Estate Agent to view a house for sale? What is drawing me to the property? Is it the loca tion, the size, the idea of living in my own property? I know for sure what draws me to make that call to the Estate Agent is this bundle ( presentation – photo graphs on the Agents website, location, price, size of property. When I go and see the property, I expect to be pleasantly surprised. The property itself should be better than photographic presentation. It must have character and I must connect on some level with it in order to consider it as a likely purchase. If there is no connection within thirty seconds there is probably no hope of consideration I don’t want to walk in and be dis appointed or mentally start renovating. Once that happens it becomes difficult to continue with the viewing. At this point it would have been wise for the seller to prepare his / her property for sale by styling it. 3. What alternative solution does it give? Is this new property ushering in a new experience, new feeling, and new lifestyle? What possibilities does the prop erty offer? How big is the property? Does the property chal lenge my styling ideas? Does it raise my expectations? Do I see myself living in it? Does it broaden my horizon? For instance you could be moving from a rented bedsitter to a duplex apartment with double ensuite bedrooms and a view or from a two bedroomed flat to a three bedroomed Ultra-Modern home with stunning views. Needs differ and sometimes a property can reveal an alternative solution to a need you didn’t even know you had. So Dare to Believe and Own it. 4. What style is the property? What is the deal breaker? Does it have a wow factor? Is it Victorian, Neo Classical, Georgian, Edwardian, Cape Dutch, Ultra-Modern or a com bination? Is it a new build or has it got an aged character to it. Aged character warms up the property and draws you in. New built is somewhat clinical and sometimes very impersonal. Does the property define my style? Is the property in the right location? Is the property priced right? Will the prop erty age well? Will the property appreciate in value over time? Is the property secure? Will this be renovation or a complete move in? What is the functionality of the prop erty? What feature does this property have that is an abso lute must have? Could be the bathroom, the garden, the kitchen, the views from any angle in the house, who knows, so long as it moves you to the tipping point. Elegant bathrooms are an absolute deal clincher for those with formal classic tastes 5. What is the tipping point – what will make you commit? Does the property tick all the boxes? Do I connect with the property on all possible levels? Am I at peace with the property? Am I willing to pay the price and step into this new life? Well, Do I love it? A lot of questions, yes, but just the tip of the iceberg. When you find your property (house, apartment, townhouse, villa, mansion) you will know. It can take just under a month or it can take more than a year. In the final analysis only you know what will make you commit. So what’s stopping you? Till then enjoy the journey. Stunning Views and open spaces like these can be the features that make one commit to purchasing a property Photo credits. Shutterstock. Zeredac.com Noma Ndlovu is an Interior Designer and can be contacted on 0739822449 or email her at unaminkosi@yahoo.co.uk
August 3 to 9 2014 THE STANDARD STYLE / HOME & GARDEN /INSPIRATION 11 WINDOW DRESSINGS - SHUTTERS Spacework late, Coffee & Cream One of our favourite choices for window treatments are the plantation shutters. Their versatility and affordability are desirable be- e this season cause by they giving can be it used a cosy for both warm interior winter and interior. Don't be afraid to use your make each exterior roomdecor. reflect your personality and preferences . But keep it practical. This r scheme is inspired Exterior shutters by our are delectable a great way winter to im- indulgences - chocolate, coffee and prove the outlook of any home. They give a timeless uniform look when all the windows have shutters especially on the front of a home. hoose for your walls is probably one of the biggest decisions you have to make when g as they are the biggest most prominent feature in the room. Creamy hot chocolate re wall colour for making a statement in a living room. You can set off your living room t this decadent colour making them stand out. If your lounge suite is brown don't panic. e your lifeline. Keep things simple and bring interest to the space with highlights of your accessories and art. Rich, tactile textures, such as leather, sheepskin, suede and sed to build up layers of warmth and character. idea is to use the colours mixed and not matched. For a less dramatic but equally oose a wall to make a focal point in your living room. Go ahead and rescue those old nd get them up the wall so you can enjoy them. Visit a professional frame shop to help ght frame for each piece. Once framed group them together for impact on your wall. A keep these prints black and white. When you photograph people in colour, you ir outfits. But black and white captures the essence of a natural setting and goes past hotograph When the soul. shopping for plantation shutters for your interiors there are important features to consider. Start by thinking about your room. quite like snuggling Do you want up more to aprivacy? warm More cup of control coffee of with DOUBLE a spew HUNG of SHUTTERS sweet cream to cozy days. Bringthe this light same from your indulgence window? into Insulation the way from you accessorize your space. Filled, al or grouped, outside vases cold or offer noise? theOr perfect a combination finishingof touch for any room. Add mellow mood all three? No matter what your priorities are, oom by choosing here are some yourideas favourite for you glass if you’re vase, not sure set a collection of cream candles into it e with coffee what beans. style of Then shutters select to go for. other items in a similar colour from table runners to e afraid to go for texture in fabrics. But avoid lots of pattern , as these tend to always simplicity of the look. References http://www.goodhousekeeping.com und you, sohttp://www.plantationshutters4U.com don't neglect your bedroom as well. Use banding on cushions, pull out the http://www.theshutterstore.com uffy bean bag for a wintry, cosy feel. ggling into your home this week! CAFE STYLE SHUTTERS The first style to consider is the Cafe style shutters. This type of shutter is designed to cover only the lower section of your windows. The top part of the window is usually left with nothing at all covering it, except maybe a roman blind or curtain for evenings. Cafe style shutters are the perfect choice for your bathrooms and your kitchen areas. They allow for closure of the bottom louvers for privacy while the top louvers can be left opened for a view and light. It’s harder to get that kind of function with curtains, drapes or wood blinds. Double Hung Shutters are designed to let you open the top section of shutter panels independently from the lower section. These are a great choice if you are concerned about privacy but still want to allow maximum light into your room. Say, for example, you stay in a flat with a lounge or bedroom window overlooking a busy road. With double hung shutters, you can have the lower tier of panels closed with slats tilted, giving privacy but retaining flow of light and fold back the top shutter panels so maximum light can enter the room. FULL HEIGHT SHUTTERS Full height shutters are classic plantation shutters which cover your whole window in a panel that opens as one piece from top to bottom. This style is perfect for creating an open, simple and clean-lined look, especially when your window framing and shutter colour reflects your overall colour scheme in areas such as the bedroom and lounge. Feel free to add drapes or a valance on top of your shutters to soften the look of your shutters in some rooms, such as bedrooms. Apart from giving you privacy they’ll give you all the sun control, protecting your furniture and rugs from sun damage, and still leave you free to add whatever decorative treatments you like. DECORATIVE SHUTTERS Unlike any other window treatment, shutters can be used as decorative features for your homes’ exterior and interior views. Be bold to add a bit of colour to your shutters to create a contrasting yet harmonious flair to your home. A tip to keep when shopping for shutters is always use wide panels. If your home has high ceilings, the wide louver may be a better fit. Also, wide slats are best if you are going to keep these shutter panels closed most of the time, keeping the slats tilted at a very slight angle. Remember fewer shutter panels on the window will create a more open, spacious look to your interior. If, however, you plan to open your shutters regularly, you may want narrower slats to fold back more discretely. Whatever your preference is, be sure to consult with a specialist to make sure the right shutter style for your windows is used. Email: tracy@spacework.co.zw Cell: +263 772 277397
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