Go on, paint your room!

Many people are hesitant to tackle a home painting job due to lack of time and fear of making a mess of it. Worry not because with a bit of careful planning you can cast your fears aside and give your walls a new lease of life.

Prep 

    -Clear the room of furniture and décor.

    -Sand and patch walls.

    -Cover the floors with old sheets or drop cloths.

    -Tape around windows, doors and mouldings.

   -Remove all switch plates and outlet covers. In order to not lose them, place the screws and plates into separate plastic bags and then label the bags so you know where they came from. 

Choose Brushes & Rollers 

-For trim painting, use a smaller brush that has an angle cut to the hairs. This will allow you to get into those pesky corners.

-If your wall has lots of pours and an orange peel look to it, you want to you use a large-nap roller. A flat or smooth wall requires a low-nap roller.

Paint Station

To avoid accidents open and store your paint cans on a drop cloth in the corner of a room and refill your paint trays at that location. Remember to quickly cover your paint can between refills in order to keep the air out and your paint fresh.

Always cut the ceiling and corners first with a trim brush, then start on one side of the wall and work across, take long, broad rolls up and down with a roller, overlapping a few inches each time. Be sure to have plenty of paint on the roller after each roll.

Clean, clean and clean

Keep plenty of paper towels and damp rags handy to clear any drips or spills as you paint. So remember that paint comes off of surfaces like tile and glass when dry; just use a razor blade. 

Store Wet Paintbrushes

There is no need to wash your brush out each time you take a break; wrap your paintbrush in cling film or a plastic bag and set it aside; put it in the fridge if you will be having a long break. 

Leftover Paint

Once finished don't throw away the leftover paint. A few months later and you notice a couple of scratches on the wall and want to touch up the wall; store paint in plastic containers or small glass jars and  label the container with the colour formula label, in case you need to get more of the same colour.

 www.aguilarinteriors.com

Extra! Extra! Distressed and decoupage!

At a networking event in Lewes a few weeks ago I met Laura Diez a bright, bubbly young lady who is extremely passionate about what she does. Over a glass of wine Laura ends up telling me her story.

And that is what I want to share with you; the story of a talented young lady who I think will definitely be one to watch.

Working as a school secretary a few years back Laura began to feel there should be more to life than spending a large chunk of her life doing something that didn't make her happy (I for one couldn't agree more).

From an early age her life revolved around  interior decoration and fashion; at the age of 14 she re-decorated her mum's house and Laura realised that's when she was the happiest. After her mum's house she moved on to decorating friends' houses until it became apparent that a life in interiors beckoned and she should follow her dream.

 

In 2009 Laura decided to study Interior Design at the National Design Academy where she graduated top of her class. As Laura says "Making things look pretty and working on a budget have always been my strong points", so using her interior skills to re-vamp vintage and un-loved furniture, soon turned into a business - Lollipop and Pepper was born!

Laura began trading at craft fairs during he school holidays and frantically sourcing, painting, distressing furniture after school and at weekends. In July 2010 the website www.lollipopandpepper.co.uk went live and so Laura began to think that getting a premise to showcase and sell her furniture was probably the next step. December of that year Laura opened a shop in the Needlemakers in Lewes where she sells her furniture and a selection of vintage interior accessories.
 

 

Laura now does what she enjoys everyday, and loves the fact that in a small way she is helping the environment by recycling (or up-cycle as it's become known) old furniture, and encourage others to do the same by offering her Furniture Make-Over Service.

"What comes next is still an exciting avenue that I am looking forward to walking down" says Laura.

So if you want a piece for your house or a client I'd recommend you get in touch.

I find her passion and dedication a breath of fresh air; have no doubt that she will succeed and hope to use her pieces in a future project.

www.aguilarinteriors.com

Picures via www.lollipopandpepper.co.uk

Artwork: My Top Must-have Home Accessories

This is the first of a series of my Top Must-have Home Accessories and I am starting with artwork since it is one of my favourites.

Firstly let me tell you about the eye level rule; it is just a general guideline, but will be helpful as when you begin to look for places to hang your art. It is important to always view artwork in relation to a room’s furnishings and try out various heights before you start drilling in the wall.

Whether it's in the form of photography, painting, sculpture or some other medium, artwork is a great opportunity to incorporate personality and character into any space. The great thing about art is that you can find items that are truly one of a kind.

Additionally, artwork can prove a great conduit for injecting colour and texture into a room or provide a focal point where none exists. Oftentimes, artwork can be provided inexpensively through self-creation or by supporting local artists not everyone has to own a Picasso or a Caravaggio nor you might want to. 

From paintings to sculptures, art is one of the most versatile home accessories. No matter what your tastes or decorating scheme are, you can find or create a piece of art that fits your home.

You must remember to choose art that either complements the colours of your room (whichever this may be) or contrasts it in a way that not just the room stands out but the artwork is the focal point.

www.aguilarinteriors.com

Pictures via jonaller.blogspot.com, housetohome.co.uk,  interiordesignmagz.com, elledecor, homeinteriordesignthemes.com, interiordesignreference.com, neophotography.co.uk, theregencyfurniture.com,  harmonyandhome.blogspot.com, highstreetblog.com