Mendip Living Apr - May 2024

to explain that most of the images
online are lit and styled way beyond
what can be expected in real life.
WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS TO REFRESH A
SPACE WITH A LIMITED BUDGET?
One of the most impactful ways to
refresh a space is to think about
maximising light into the room.
Replace curtains with lighter blinds
and if the budget allows, swap out
carpet for hard flooring. A timber
floor will always make a room feel
substantially larger and brighter than
carpet. A lick of paint on the walls
always works wonders to make a
space feel renewed and don’t forget
about the ceiling. A fresh coat will aid
light bouncing around the room and
can be transformational.
THE KITCHEN IS THE ENDURING
POWERHOUSE OF THE HOME –
AND OFTEN THE SPACE WE SAY
SELLS HOUSES. HOW HAVE YOU
SEEN KITCHEN DESIGN CHANGE IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WHAT
CONSIDERATIONS AND TRENDS ARE
YOU SEEING EMERGE NOW?
Kitchen design has changed markedly
in the past few years. With larger
spaces to fill there has been an
emergence of dedicated activity
areas, such as breakfast cabinets,
baking cabinets and walk-in larders.
The island has also become the key
must-have’ for most planning their
new kitchen providing a sociable
cooking area and somewhere to gather
around. One of the newest trends
has seen multiple islands becoming
popular, each with specific uses, to
fill cavernous open-plan rooms. For
those with a significant budget, there
has also been a shift towards having a
‘show kitchen’ and a working kitchen
behind it to mitigate some of the
issues of open-plan entertaining. The
most important consideration when
planning your kitchen is to start the
design process as early as possible.
Often the kitchen design will lead
positions of doorways/windows to
maximise the layout so having this
nailed before the builders make a
start is always wise.
WITH BUILD COSTS INCREASING
RAPIDLY, WHERE WOULD YOU
ADVISE HOMEOWNERS SPEND VS
SAVE WHEN RENOVATING THEIR
HOMES?
The places to invest in are those
that receive most use and are
least likely to be replaced in the
future. Flooring and lighting are
key elements for any home and I
would always prioritise buying good
quality door and cabinet handles,
light switches and any element that
we interact with daily. Consider the
‘niggly’ areas that are a nuisance
if not functioning well, such as
leaky taps, dodgy boiler etc to
inform decisions on investment.
Renovating a home should provide a
space of relaxation and enjoyment,
not daily annoyances! Areas to save
are the ‘novel’ built-in gadgets that
might be easily tired of after a year
or so and unnecessarily expensive
paint (ask your decorator their
thoughts on this!)
HAVE YOU SEEN DESIGN BECOMING
MORE SUSTAINABILITY-LED?
The industry is certainly engaging in
the sustainable conversation more
and more. This, of course, is vital
and not least because every time we
make a good choice environmentally,
it is inevitably a better choice for our
health and well-being too. A low VOC
product, for example, will ensure the
air quality in the home remains clean
and choosing natural material finishes
are known to enhance our experience
of our spaces, reduce stress and have
a calming effect. Manufacturers are
responding to this shift and it has
become far easier to make sustainable
choices in most areas of renovating/
new-build so there is less excuse not
to pay attention!
YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT HOME-
GROWN PRODUCE AND SELF-
SUFFICIENCY – WHAT WERE SOME OF
YOUR HIGHLIGHTS IN THAT SPHERE
LAST YEAR AND WHAT ARE YOU
LOOKING FORWARD TO TRYING THIS
YEAR?
I confess I have been so busy working
on my new Design Series and in the
business that I have had little time
in the garden the past year. I have
certainly felt less energised as a result
and have made a commitment to
growing again this year. We are also
taking on a little paddock which we will
turn into a wildflower meadow and I
will have plenty of space for some exbatt
hens. Can’t wait!
Design Series website - launching (Feb
14th) - www.interiordesignseries.com
The National Homebuilding &
Renovating Show at the NEC,
Birmingham, is celebrating its 30th
anniversary. Readers can get free
tickets to all the 2024 shows on this
link:
www.homebuildingshow.co.uk/
minerva
50 | www.minervamagazines.co.uk