Long for a home full of character but live in a modern property? Don’t worry. With the right know-how and a few handy styling tips, you can create a space that’s brimming with old world charm and appeal.
Clever kitchens
Give kitchen units an easy makeover by replacing cupboard doors, choose Shaker-style or brushed pine designs for a country effect. Add a distressed wooden table and mis-matched chairs to complete the look. Display vintage dinner sets and antique mugs on open shelving and replace stainless steel pans with copper alternatives, hung from hooks. Soften windows with pretty patterned curtains and paint the walls in muted pastels, buttery yellows or nature’s greens.
Cosy living rooms
Replace a formal suite of furniture with over-stuffed armchairs in a variety of colours and styles, scatter with luxurious cushions in tactile velvets and tweeds, finish with fluffy woollen throws. Hang vintage paintings and country landscapes on walls – check out antique shops for old-world finds – or create a feature wall by hanging an over-sized mirror with an ornate frame. Soften hard flooring with plush rugs in woven fabrics, add footstools beside armchairs to create a cosy, inviting space.
Beautiful bedrooms
Choose a wooden or iron-framed bed for rustic appeal, splash out on a sleigh bed or – if you have the space for it – invest in a four-poster hung with velvet drapes. Create a seating space beside a window or in an alcove with a pretty wicker armchair and side table for holding books. Hide clutter in woven lidded baskets or stacking boxes in pretty floral designs – elegant hat boxes are another stylish option.
Inviting gardens
Soften the hard lines of even the most modern building by creating a country garden brimming with colour and visual appeal. Plant Roses, Honeysuckle, Clematis and Climbing Wisteria, make a wildflower patch to attract bees and butterflies and add a pond for wildlife. If you have space, a shady pergola makes a great place to sit and enjoy it. For smaller spaces, plant Alliums, Tulips, Sweet William, and Foxgloves in pots or hanging baskets and add a water feature to simulate a running stream.
For more great garden ideas, read our Get Summer Ready blog.
Creative cladding
Did you know you can use Cedral fibre cement facades to create a variety of gorgeous styles and add character to even the most mundane bricks and mortar? Find out how this family used Cedral to turn a dilapidated bungalow into a stunning barn-style home or how Cedral was used to rebuild a flood-damaged property as a stylish New England retreat.
Let our professionals install your Cedral facade
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