Photo by Jean van der Meulen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-living-room-1457842/ 

Your living room is likely to be the most popular room in your home. It’s the room where you spend most of the day and the room your guests are likely to relax in, when being invited over. And because of this, it’s important you look after it and update it regularly, to ensure it stays fresh, appealing and welcoming. 

If you are thinking of making changes to improve your living room, it can be overwhelming sometimes as there are so many changes you can make. You could update the flooring and install laminate flooring, you could have new lighting put in, or accessorise your walls with new pieces of art – the possibilities are endless. 

To help give you some inspiration, we have put together our guide on changes that may improve your living room. Keep on reading to learn more. 

Update the walls 

A good place to start in your living room is the walls. More often than not, you either haven’t updated your walls in a long time or haven’t done it at all. To improve your living room, consider putting some art on the walls or having some pictures framed. Alternatively, a mirror can be great as it makes the space look bigger and brighter. Sites like Pinterest are very useful as you can find a lot of interior inspiration on it. 

Change your flooring

If you have a reasonable budget or updating your living room, then the flooring is a good area to look into. Changing your flooring can very quickly change the feel of the living room, especially if you change from carpet to laminate flooring for example. When looking into changing your flooring, the best thing to do is visit a flooring specialist as they will be able to give you samples and suggestions depending on your lifestyle and the space you are updating. 

Purchase new furniture 

When was the last time you purchased new furniture? If you haven’t changed anything in a long time, then now could be the best time to do so. A new sofa will add comfort and a different feel to the room, new storage units could suit your new lifestyle whilst a rug can fill up any large gaps on the floor. Your living room size will have a big impact on the type of furniture you can have in it and the amount of furniture. The last thing you want is for your living room to feel too busy, due to having too much stuff in it. Maybe ask a friend or family member if they think you need new furniture in your living room as they will be honest with you. 

We hope you have found our guide on changes to improve your living room and home interesting. What changes are you planning on making to your living room this year? Which of the above suggestions do you think will make the most difference? Is there anything missing that you think we should be adding? Let us know in the comment box below, we look forward to hearing from you. 

Purchasing your house is a big deal and something you don’t want to take lightly. It is one of (if not the) biggest purchase you will ever make in your life and you want to do it right. Your home is somewhere you will return to every day and you want it to be a place where you feel relaxed, comfortable and can make your own. Whether you are purchasing a house with a partner, by yourself or perhaps with a friend, there is a lot to think about. In this article we explore some of the top things to look out for when purchasing your first house. Keep on reading to find out more. 

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/family-unpacking-after-moving-4569340/ 

Consider what you can afford

The first thing you need to consider when purchasing your first house is what you can afford. It’s important you don’t go above your budget and that you only get a mortgage that you can comfortably pay back each month. The last thing you want is for you to end up stretching yourself too much and being unable to afford to either make your payments back, or to continue with things in your life you like to do such as eating out or going on holiday. It’s a good idea to create a budget calculator which will enable you to work out how much money you have to spend on your mortgage, factoring in your bills and other living expenses. This will help you not go over and it will be a lot more manageable.

Think about the area you want to live in

The area is one of the most important things to consider when you purchase a house as you could have the best property in the world, but if the area feels unsafe, or if it’s not close to shops or amenities, it can be a problem. If you are moving somewhere new, make sure you check out the area thoroughly before deciding to set up roots there. You could go for the day, have lunch and dinner, go for a walk and see how you feel about it. You could even book an overnight stay so you have the chance to really see what it is like to live there, to speak to the locals and get a better feel. You could also take a look at what’s available on the market while you are there, perhaps booking in viewings, or checking out the neighbourhoods they are in. This will make it easier when you’re back home and searching online to picture where these houses are located. 

Decide if you want a new build or a doer-upper

Two of the main choices when you are buying a house are whether you want a property that is new and ready to go, or one you need to do up. There are pros and cons to both depending on what you’re after, so make sure you weigh up the options and decide on what is right for you. If you’re someone that loves a project and perhaps wants less of an overhead on the property itself, a doer-upper is the best choice. If you want to just find a property that is to your taste and move into it right away, a new build could be best for you. Keep in mind this can be more expensive upfront and may depreciate in value as it won’t be able to be marketed as a new build again in the future.

How long you want to live in the house for 

When you are looking at houses, you need to consider how long you want to live in the house for. Are you thinking of this as a place where you will live for years, potentially raise children and just generally spend the next chunk of your future? Alternatively, is this house going to be somewhere where you want to just get on the property ladder and don’t mind too much about moving again in a few years? If this is the case, you probably will be less fussy about the property itself and look more into what price you can get in order to just get started with being on the property ladder. 

Whether it will work in the future

If you are planning to use your home for a few years, you need to consider how well it will work going forward. If you are wanting to have children in the near future for example, will the house work for a growing family? You will need to have at least two bedrooms, so you can have a room for yourself and then there is a nursery for your baby. Alternatively, are you planning on getting a pet? If you are planning on having a child or an animal, things like having a back garden is super useful, as well are things like wooden or laminate floors which can save you from having a mess on the floor if they have any accidents when you are potty training! While these aren’t main factors in purchasing the property, they are helpful things to consider that might sway you if you are torn between two similar places. 

Your vision for the house

When you are purchasing a house, you need to always keep your vision in mind for what you want from it. It can be very easy to fixate on the design that the current property owners have and it might be difficult to see past this. Instead, try and view it as a clean slate, picturing what colours and decorations you will have there, how you can change up the rooms and what you will do to make it your own. Try to think of it as a blank canvas which will be yours to do with it what you want, turning it into your home from just a house.

If it has any outside space

Outside space is always good to have in a home. It is somewhere you can escape to without having to properly go out and you can do things such as grow plants and vegetables, have BBQs with friends and family and spend time with your children. You can have a slide and swings if you have kids, or even look into investing into something like a hot tub. Look into what sort of outside space the property has, and the potential it has for you being able to do it up and make something of it that’s to your taste.

What amenities it is near to 

One of the most important things when you move is how close the property is to amenities. You might not worry too much about it if you drive and won’t be at home much due to work, but if you are someone that needs to walk and get public transport, it’s vital. Check out things like how near the local supermarket is, how you can get to things like a train station or bus stop, and what else is nearby. Will you want a gym within walking distance? Perhaps you want to be near a library or coffee shops. These are all things you should check out before putting an offer down on a property, even if it feels like the most perfect property at the time. The location is super important in making a house a home!

What the parking is like

If you own a car, you need to know how well you can park it when you buy a house. There are many houses which come with things like garages or driveways, but plenty also don’t and this can be cumbersome. You might have a flat in the middle of a busy town or city where there is limited on street parking, or you need to get a permit in order to park there. This could be an issue if you never find a space, or perhaps you want people to be able to drive and visit you, but there is never any parking nearby. You could ask residents of the other flats in the building you’re looking at when you go to view a property, or take a look online to see what the council’s parking policies are for certain areas near where you are looking to move to.

These are just a few things you need to think about when you are buying your first home. As said above, there are a myriad of things to consider when it comes to purchasing your first home that will ensure you make the right choice. You want buying your home to be exciting and to know you have made the right decision. Whether this is planning with the future in mind and making sure you have enough space, to not go over your budget. What are some top tips you have for someone who might be purchasing their first home? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.

Image Pexels CC0 License

Buying property is known for being stressful. Many people enter the house buying process feeling enthusiastic about selling their current home and moving on into their perfect property. Unfortunately, the process is rarely this simple and clear-cut. For many people, property buying can not only be stressful but also full of unexpected challenges along the way. Being aware of potential issues is the best way to help prevent them, but knowing how to do this isn’t always easy.

If you’re planning to sell your home and to buy a new one, being aware of the following common homebuying issues should help to make navigating the process a little bit easier:

Getting Stuck in a Chain

One of the most annoying parts of buying a property is being stuck in a chain of other buyers and sellers. If you find yourself in this situation, you will know that a chain can delay the housebuying process by weeks or even months. This is a frustrating scenario to deal with, but unfortunately, it is a common issue.

Being in a chain can be even more infuriating when you’re desperate to move as soon as possible. You may be concerned that all the delays will result in you losing the dream house that you had hoped to buy. This is certainly a stressful situation to be in, but thankfully, there is a possible solution to this issue. 

You may decide to break the chain and to put an end to the long wait for the buyers of your property to reach a stage where they’re ready to proceed. This is something you can achieve with help from fast bridging loans. A bridging loan can help you to cover the short term gap while you wait for your existing property to be sold. This can help you to ensure that you don’t miss out on the property that you’re hoping to buy, and at least relieves some of the pressure while you wait for the sell of your existing home to complete.

Spending Too Much

Everyone wants to get the best house that they can afford. However, it’s essential to exercise some caution when doing this. Working out a sensible budget that you will be able to easily afford is vital when buying a house. No one wants to spend every month worrying about how they will make their next mortgage payment, but this can happen if you stretch your budget too far. 

To avoid money issues once you’ve purchased your house, it’s crucial to consider whether you will still be able to afford the repayments if mortgage rates rise. It’s also important to carefully calculate the bills associated with living in the house and ensure they’re affordable.

Don’t forget to ensure that you also have enough money set aside to cover the cost of the fees and extra expenses that are associated with buying a property. The last thing you want to do is to start life in your new home worrying about money issues. 

Discovering Property Faults

As your home is likely to be the biggest purchase you will ever make, it’s natural to want to ensure that it’s looking its best and is in great condition. So, moving into a property and discovering a whole host of issues can be an incredibly distressing situation to find yourself in.

There are numerous faults that properties can experience. From subsidence to damp and structural cracks to electrical problems. Each of these can be extremely costly to repair and may potentially harm the value of your home. 

While there will always be some risk associated with buying property, you can help to minimise the chances of accidentally purchasing a home with multiple issues. Ensuring that you always view the property at least once before you make an offer is the first step. During your viewing, it’s important to look out for any tell-tale signs of issues such as damp and to keep your eyes peeled for cracks, and other signs of potential structural problems. 

As well as using your own observational skills when looking around the house, instructing a professional surveyor to carry out a property check is also crucial. When purchasing a property, it’s normal to want to keep your costs as low as you can as it is without doubt an expensive process. However, a professional survey may cost you money now, but if it detects extensive faults now, it can save you vast amounts of cash in the longer term.

Image by Huy Phan/Pexels

As summer’s heat approaches, now is an opportune moment to transform your bedroom into an inviting and restorative sanctuary. A carefully planned summer bedroom design can have a significant effect on both mood and sleep quality. Here we explore unique ideas to create the perfect bedroom, with breezy vibes while simultaneously maintaining a peaceful environment.

Choose Summer Colours

As part of your summer bedroom revamp project, choosing an airy color palette should be step one. Soft pastel hues like mint green, baby blue or blush pink create an air of tranquillity reminiscent of summer skies while crisp white or off-white backgrounds offer an open and airy setting – use these hues throughout walls bedding decor that instantly brighten and expand space! If you feel like repainting the walls, consider hiring a decorator to breathe new life into your home.

Select Breathable Fabrics and Natural Fibres 

When selecting bedding and window treatments, look for lightweight yet breathable natural fiber fabrics like linen or cotton that allow airflow while still offering privacy. Instead of heavy comforters with heavy comforter inserts made out of these fibers (linen is particularly beneficial in the summer heat as its breathability creates a cooling effect), choose lightweight duvets made out of these natural fibers or sheer curtains with these breathable fabrics for optimal temperatures, creating an airy atmosphere! Introducing such fabrics will regulate temperatures in optimal conditions while relaxing. 

Bring Nature Indoors

Experience the energy and vibrance of summer with elements from nature in your bedroom! Potted plants or fresh flowers arranged on nightstands or windowsills bring fresh greenery while creating an idyllic and soothing ambiance, as do plants that improve indoor air quality while adding aesthetic value and tranquillity. Also, consider natural materials like rattan furniture/decor pieces which create tropical/organic vibes in any space they inhabit!

Declutter and Simplify

For an airy summer bedroom, decluttering is key to creating the right atmosphere. Remove unnecessary items while leaving surfaces clear to promote optimal airflow and relaxation. Use baskets or attractive containers for organization so belongings stay neat in an orderly space – creating this kind of order allows you to unwind more easily while amplifying its summer charm!

Add Summer-Inspired Accessories 

Complement your summer bedroom transformation by including accessories that capture its spirit. Choose colorful throw pillows featuring tropical prints or nautical patterns for visual interest; hang artwork of beach scenes or nature landscapes to evoke relaxation; display art depicting beach scenes or nature landscapes to add the summer aura further; add candles or diffusers that emit citrus or coconut scents that awaken senses and add to its ambiance!

Add Cooling Elements

Avoid the heat this summer by adding cooling elements to your bedroom design. Fans, such as a ceiling or portable fans, are an easy and stylish way to increase air circulation and create gentle breezes in a room – consider purchasing decorative standing fans that complement the decor in your room for even greater effect! Additionally, investing in memory foam or gel-infused materials mattresses that regulate temperature may provide added cooling comfort during warm nights for restful and rejuvenating sleep experiences during hotter summer nights.

Conclusion

Transforming your bedroom for summertime relaxation can create an oasis-esque sanctuary to ease heatwave stress. By including light colors, breathable fabrics, natural elements and summer accessories into the mix, creating the ideal summer bedroom will become effortless and rejuvenating! Enjoy a blissful and refreshing summer retreat right within your own home!