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Home Improvement
’
Shelter Chieza
I
used to be one of those people
that preferred the dark, dull,
conservative, traditional colours for
interior spaces. This fear stretched
even to my wardrobe. It was up until I
made the decision to get over my fear
for colours that I started experimenting.
I am no longer afraid of going bold and
over the top in almost everything I do for
my interior spaces. There is something
about being bold that speaks of vibrancy,
youthfulness and freshness. Over time,
I had gotten rid of awkwardly shaped
spaces and a proliferation of orange
brown cabinets in almost every room.
Now I prefer going lighter and
brighter in colour and texture. There is
something about white that lifts the feel
of a space. Instead of the brown woody
feel cupboards, try white for a refreshing
and fresh look that is bound to accentuate
your accessories.
I was recently engaged on an
assignment where the brief I got from the
husband was to make sure I came up with
a design that had a sleek and modern look
while the wife preferred something more
relaxed and colourful. At least they agreed
on their favourite colours. They said,
they loved turquoise and yellow, and just
wanted me to knock them out with my
imagination. I absolutely adore it when I
get to deal with not so fussy clients.
a soothing neutral tone would do. In
designing home interior spaces, avoid
using dark colours for the walls as it
can make it appear to recede. Horizontal
strips make a wall appear wider; I then
added a little interest with wallpaper.
By incorporating blue and turquoise this
generally adds a tranquil feel in a space,
while dashes of yellow and coral add the
warmth.
This place had an open plan. I admit
it’s never easy to decorate an open plan
space but it can be done. What I needed to
come up with was to demarcate different
areas and come up with clear zones. I
decided as a way of separating the living
room from the entrance to bring in an
L-shaped couch and place a low bookshelf
behind it. I believe in using few but larger
pieces of furniture and so I added a carpet
that helped in designating a dining area.
Because it was a compact space, I
chose multipurpose furniture such as
a versatile side table and ottoman that
doubled up as coffee table and additional
seating, which you can do in your home
too. I added a sleeper couch that was
inviting enough for the couple to lie
down and watch television comfortably.
Circular side tables are always a good idea
especially where walk through space may
be limited. Who says you must always
design your space with the television as
the focal point? Be different.
I suggested to my clients to visit an
antique shop and they could not believe
what they saw. Mixing styles and eras is a
quick and simple way to create interesting
spaces. To place an antique chair next
to a simple contemporary lamp may be
just what you need. This space was a
combination of antique and modern.
Books are a fantastic way to add
height and interest to a coffee table
and any curated space. They actually
accessories and they bring instant colour
to shelves and tables.
I also played around with the living
It’s easier to connect the two by using
natural tones and textures.
If you thought ceramics are outdated,
you may need to research more; ceramics
are one of the hottest collectables around.
Sticking to a single colour palette can
help give a diverse collection of ceramics
to creating interesting displays is to
include pieces of varying heights and to
add depth by layering ornaments in front
of each other. Rather than dotting them
around your home, create impact by
displaying your ceramics en masse.
This works particularly well
when you have a collection of
ornaments in a single colour.
I found turquoise blue and
yellow ceramics that I put on
the room divider.
Soft and silky carpets with a
delicate sheen are the current
trends. Natural and earthy
shades are still in demand but
bright and cheerful colours are
making a big comeback.
Contrary to popular
belief, you don’t need to
avoid carpets if you suffer
from allergies as carpet
traps airborne allergens
removing them from the
air. Plus, some carpets are
available ready treated
with an anti-microbial
restores pile height and
removes trapped dust and
allergens improving the
indoor air quality.
Page 94 - Zimbabwe’s Most Read Lifestyle Magazine
August 2014