If you’ve completed your home renovation project and you’re having difficulty shifting it in today’s sluggish, fearful and frankly over-priced housing market, then why not try selling it liken a Scandinavian?

What people from Norway and Sweden, in particular, do when they’ve decided to put their home on the market is to scrub it to within an inch of its life and completely de-clutter the place to give the illusion of space and order.

There are even companies that specialise in providing this exact service – of making a home look absolutely spotless, calm, de-cluttered and, in short, alluring!

When we’re looking at houses, we all kid ourselves that we can see past such obvious tactics to the basic shape and structures below. But the truth is that we can’t. We are all taken in to a greater or lesser extent by what goes in through our eyes – no matter how hard we try and override it with simple logic.

So when it comes to selling or buying a home – by far the largest investment decision most of us ever make – we’re no different. In Scandinavian countries, potential buyers simply expect to see a home presented at its absolute best and most polished.

But in other countries they don’t. So if you really want to sell, go for it with the cleaning equipment, de-clutter, buy a few choice pieces you’d like to take with you when you eventually do sell from Harveys Furniture or another reputable retailer.

Also, pick fabrics like quilt covers, cushions, rugs, curtains, and fabric sofa colours that complement the overall design and watch how quickly it sells.

Another good tip is to ask a friend who’ll be completely candid with you what he or she thinks of the place once you think it’s ready. A fresh pair of objective eyes can really help.

Happy cleaning!

For anyone interested in home improvements, doing some jobs yourself is a great way to save a bit of money, but it’s important that you get it right. A botch DIY job that’s not been carried out properly will mean you are likely to spend more money in the long run, correcting your mistakes, than if you had simply paid for the job to be done professionally in the first place.

So, it is vital that you follow step by step guides and instructions before attempting any DIY job in the home. In this article, you will find some useful tips on DIY fitting your own doors.

First of all, make sure you measure the doorway accurately and select the right sized door. This means measuring the overall opening space, the middle, top, bottom and height of the door and doorway. You should consider which way the door will open: inwards or outwards. If your door is to open inwards, ensure that no items of furniture, such as beds or tables, are in the way.

(When fixing a new bedroom door, you may also decide you wish to replace some of your bedroom furniture. In which case, you can find a really decent range at Bensons for Beds. And the prices are very reasonable too.)

Once you have your measurements, you can make any small adjustments to the size of your door by planning the wood. Mark hinge positions on your door frame and the door.

Screw each hinge into your door with just one screw and check it opens and shuts properly before using your remaining screws.

Follow all these tips and you should find that you are left with a wonderful new door that you can feel extra proud of because you’ve done it yourself!

We’ve all tried our bits of DIY in the past, successful or maybe a little less successful. And we all know what a pleasure or drag decorating can be, and one of the biggest issues when decorating your home is the colour scheme.

Some like blue and some like orange, but everyone knows they’re complementary colours so it’s probably not a good idea to use them both in one room, unless you’re a professional interior designer and know exactly what you’re doing and how to make it work. If you’re not one, but you’re still keen on using the two, or another pair of complementary colours for that matter, say green and red, you can try using one colour for the courtains and lamp, and then the other for bedding. Occasionaly throw in a bit of  black and white in there just to tie it all together.

Then look at your beds. You might not think you can do anything with them, but there are plenty of stockists such as http://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk that do beds in a wide range of colours and in a wide range of material, from all different types of wood to metal and even leather.

Then lastly look at your walls. Think of colours first and then think of whether you’d like wallpaper or not, for instance. Wallpaper comes in a wide range of patterns and colours and if you’re looking to add a bit of flavour to your bedroom, why not go into a shop now and pick your favourite style. I guarantee you it will end up looking amazing even if you fit it yourself!

The ultimate in sensual luxury, leather bedding may be something you have only day-dreamed about, but now leather bedding is a reality. However, with prices starting at around £350 for a single Italian leather sheet, it’s worth looking at how else you can get the soft and seductive nature of leather into your bedroom.

These days, even leather childrens beds are available, in cute colours like pink and blue, and you may find that leather beds cost less than you think. Faux fur throws and sheepskin rugs add further texture and drama to a bedroom décor. But to kit out a whole bed in leather perhaps could be described as overkill.

There’s nothing wrong with making an investment in your bedroom furniture, and if you’re looking to replace a bed, than make sure your money is well spent by going to a reputable firm like Sleepmasters for the best range and advice on the high street. But, if you just want to add an accent of leather to your bedroom décor, why not try a project like a leather pillow or cushion. Search on the internet for instructions and similar projects. You could also try your hand at covering a headboard in leather. Do bear in mind that leather is a little harder to handle than regular fabric, though, and requires more upkeep. Remember that when you start a project involving leather, you are making a long-term commitment to the care and upkeep of the material.

Avoid an overly masculine look by bringing in softer tones. Neutral paint will compliment and not clash with the dark black or brown of the leather. Natural materials such as pure wool and cotton can add a much needed sense of innocence to what can, if not kept under control, be overtly bachelor.

Mexican bedroom furniture creates a relaxing, rustic atmosphere that’s sultry and easy-going. A Mexican bedroom fits well into homes which already have a rustic theme such as log cabin and Santa Fe styles, and is a real contrast to more genteel Art Deco, and French Country themes.

In look and feel there is a sense of both rustic simplicity and the discovery of exotic treasures from a distant land. So it’s no surprise that the versatility, informality and resilience of the Mexican style is one of the most popular in forward-thinking modern décor. Bear it in mind when you are looking at beds or bidding for furniture at auction. Follow my step-by-step guide to creating a Mexican tocador.

If you’re lucky enough to find one, choose an antique bed in carved wood or wrought iron, or go for an antique-style from a specialist bed store like Sleepmasters.co.uk. Or use a plain mattress with a wall-mounted, architectural salvage headboard such as a mantelpiece or an intricate section of wrought-iron fencing.

Store clothing in trunks, chests of drawers, blanket boxes and armarios adapted from European styles. Salvaged doors with a distressed look can be used as the doors of a wardrobe. Distress bedside tables to the max – peeling paint is a bonus, so look out at junk stores.

Pick lamps to suit the bedside tables. Use more elaborate traditional styles, combining glass or ceramic with metal, with finer bedside tables in the French or Spanish style. Plainer styles such as lamps with simple wrought-iron or rustic-pottery bases work well with humbler tables. In the centre of the ceiling hang a wrought iron light-fixture. Chandeliers look impressive.

If you are going for a formal look, choose brocade or silk for your bed linen. For a less refined setting, a patchwork quilt and simple tab-top curtains will go well. Curtain rods in either case may be wrought iron or wooden poles, but the finials and carvings can be elaborate when your room is on the formal side.

And voila! A Mexican bedroom. Cacti optional!

Has anyone with a good eye for interior design ever put a colour swatch together for you as a suggestion for a room – or have you ever done this for yourself?

It’s a great way of putting a few colours together for whatever important room in the house you have in mind.

It can be done with anything – old scraps of material or torn up magazines etc.

And if you do this – you’ll quickly see that not only is this a great way of testing out colours and finishes – but the scruffy swatch itself often looks great and of course it’s the only thing you have that includes a little of every colour and finish in the room – presuming you follow your favourite colour swatch of course.

So it’s a good idea to put together a patchwork cushion colour swatch of all the colours to really tie the room together. A couple of these can really transform the room. If you pick up a couple of sofas in the sofa sales and other bits and pieces in the furniture sale, a living room can often look smart but maybe a little spartan or soulless. But if you’ve done your colour planning right, then a patchwork cushion can have a truly transformational effect.

So cut out your chosen pieces, sew them together, (sew two together in two separate lots, iron them, then sew along the seam to make a pattern of four – do this twice for eight etc).

Next, cut out backing fabric, layer it up with wadding and place your patchwork on top. Fold the backing fabric over – and now sew a hem around the edge, then sew up three sides, stuff the cushion and sew in the last seam – and voila! You should now have a patchwork colour swatch cushion that adds the finishing coordinated touch to your room – and it will make a huge difference for such a small effort.

If you are trying to get into the festive spirit don’t stop at putting up a Christmas tree but follow our top tips for decorating your whole house.

• Let the decorations start before your guests get indoors. A traditional wreath of holly on the door adds a bit of Christmas cheer as do special outdoor lights hung on a tree or bush. More unusual ideas include dangling sleigh bells or a pair of ice skates from your door knocker and placing a tradional sledge in your porch. .
• Once inside the house make the most of your banister and tie ribbons or tinsel around it. Bowls of Christmas scented pot pourri, a poinsettia or a bowl of glass baubles can be placed on a hall table to add to the Christmas theme.
• Candles are great to add a festive touch. Whether you opt for advent candles, beautiful candelabra or floating candles in a bowl is up to you. Scented candles reminiscent of mulled wine or pine are particularly effective. Another great idea to appeal to the olfactory sense is to place a stick of cinnamon in a jar of water and put it behind the radiator.
• In the lounge decorate your pictures and mirrors with garlands or bows. Hang decorative Christmas stockings from the mantelpiece. Fill the hearth with fir cones and holly.
• Consider having small Christmas trees in each of your bedrooms. If you choose not to do this because of lack of room then drape garlands of tinsel over your wardrobes. If you have fitted bedroom furniture, such as the units made by the likes of Wren Bedrooms, then you may have to make do with bows on the door handles.
• Get out the festive towels for the bathroom and kitchen. If you don’t have anything in this line then plain reds or greens will do the trick.

If you are renovating your current property or a new house then one of the aspects which can make the most overall difference to a room is the flooring. It is also one of those jobs which are best done in an empty room to avoid working around furniture so definitely one to consider before moving in if you can. If you are going to fit your own flooring as a DIY project then here are a few things to consider before you get started:

1. What is your budget? How much money have you got to spend on the floor? This could be determined by the surface area you are considering and also how long you might be planning to live in the house.
2. What materials are most appropriate? Are you looking at tiles, carpet, lino or wood flooring? The use of the room will help you to make this decision.

3. Are you just doing one room? Many interior designers are covering the whole of one floor of a house in a single material these days to create a smooth flow between spaces. This makes it a big job but at least it is all over and done in one go!

4. What does the floor need to match to? Flooringanddoors quite often are the only constant elements in any room as the other decorations get changed more often. Do they compliment each other well or not?

5. Are you going for a classic look or a fashion statement? A carpet in the latest colour might look amazing for a year or so but when the season’s change you may wish you’d gone for something else. If you go for the latest trend then be prepared to replace the flooring regularly.

6. How good are you at DIY? If your skills are limited then pick something which you know you can work with without any problems. Either that or enlist some expert help!

These days the term ‘dining room’ is something of a misnomer as in many homes, they rarely get used for their original purpose.  If you’re embarrassed by the state of your dining room it’s time to do something about it.  It doesn’t take much effort to give it a makeover and a little effort will make a big difference.

First, clear the room of any clutter that doesn’t belong there.  As most people have another place to eat in their home, the dining room can sometimes end up becoming a storage area.  Rethink your storage, put away things where they should go, and once you’ve got a clear room, assess what furniture you actually need in your dining room.

Obviously a dining table and matching chairs is a good start. You might also want to put in a cabinet to store tablecloths, glasses and crockery.  It depends on how big the room is, but less is generally more when it comes to dining rooms and furniture. The last thing you want is for guests to feel that they have to squeeze their way around the dining table.

Go down to some sofa sales to get inspiration from different room sets. The shops often set up sofas in living room sets that include a dining area.  Once you’ve decided on the look you want, paint the walls a fresh colour – or wallpaper them.

You may need to replace your table, but you don’t need to spend a fortune on one. A cheap dining table can look just as good as one that’s five times the price – it depends on the style you’re looking for. If possible get the storage cabinet in a matching wood or colour – as it will tie the room together well.

Add a couple of pictures to the wall, and there you have it, a perfect space to invite people to come and dine with you.

Corner sofas used to be considered the height of sophistication and opulence in the 1970s and early 80s.

Then they became something of an anathema. But they’re back now with a vengeance, bigger, bolder and better than ever it seems.

The great thing about corner sofas is that they use the available space in a room far more effectively than two “normal” free-standing sofas do. But they can also be awkward to fit into a living room; it all depends on the size and nature of the room available. Basically, they work better if the room has a corner, without doors or important fixtures etc. that the corner sofa can neatly back into.

In these cases – as a large piece of space-saving furniture, corner sofas do a great job. Most families don’t need any other chairs or armchairs to go alongside, and filling up the corner of a lounge makes it look a lot larger than it actually is.

There are a lot of corner units out there that also incorporate a sofa bed – which actually makes it possible for three people to sleep comfortably when needs-must, as the double sofa bed takes a couple, whilst the remaining “single” sofa leaves room for a single person at the side; useful for when families are sleeping over as guests at Christmas – or after all those wild parties!

There are also corner sofas that incorporate recliners into the sofa, whilst others have a chaise-longue instead of the second sofa on one side.

Also – a large square-shaped poof that wheels into the corner of the corner sofa can make a nice big platform area for the whole family to settle into in front of a movie on those long, cold winter nights.

Anyway, the corner sofa has certainly made what seemed an unlikely comeback a few years ago.