Green Couch

This home needed a new layer of paint. Neutral white with a hint of greige (a combo of warm beige and cool grey) gives a fantastic contrast with the pure white ceiling. This tone was a special mixture of the painter. Often people are afraid of pure white walls and add yellow to the paint - especially here in Spain. Perhaps they find it too bright with the harsh Spanish sunshine, but the yellowish paint on the walls can easily look stifling. A slightly greyish white looks softer than pure white yet is still fresh looking.

The location is absolutely fantastic for every golfer - just next to the golf course. Even though birdie and eagle were just simply birds for you, I’m sure you would enjoy the lush green environment. All the rooms have an access to the huge terrace facing to the pretty green field (well, there are some trees to cover the direct sight).

The aim was to update and refresh the interior of the living & dining area, master bedroom and guest room. The old sofa bed was still functioning and in pretty good shape, only the white cover was quite worn out. So the starting point was to find a nice couch cover. It was supposed to be an easy task, but in the end the only solution was to buy 2 covers and make them one. Fortunately I know a talented sewer!

You might guess that the idea of a green couch came from outside - that’s correct! Why not bring the surrounding nature inside! With green natural materials such as jute, sisal and bamboo work perfectly. That combo creates a cosy and inviting look for a holiday home. I often like to add some black, because it sharpens the look without being too noticeable as black is still a neutral tone.

An electric fireplace was on the wish list of the owner. Absolutely a wonderful wish! It is not just a great feature yet a practical one as well. During the winter season it can be pretty chilly inside, even though the sun is shining and it’s warm outside. The electric fireplace warms up the room and creates a cosy atmosphere. A slim simple fireplace which is easy to use - just plug in and adjust the wanted temperature with a remote control - is a perfect choice.

So the couch was the only existing piece of furniture that was kept, all the others were changed. A round glass dining table for 6 persons keeps the dining area light and airy. Also the light TV stand and glass vitrine continue the airy feel even though they are black - the black parts are rather slim & thin so it’s exactly the right amount of this neutral dark hue.

Both bedrooms had already good beds and bedside tables - no need to change them. With new cushions and blankets one can make wonders. The mirrors were placed horizontal opposite the bed in the guest room. That looked a bit outdated, but as the mirrors were in good condition and the frame colour suited perfectly with the colour scheme, I wanted to use them and just rearrange them differently.

There was an empty space between the master bedroom and en suite bathroom. Btw, there was no door to the bathroom, so a sliding door to the doorway was installed to give some privacy. The owner had an idea of a reading corner with an extra bed. That fitted perfectly to this small place.

The kitchen and 2 bathrooms are still waiting for updating, but as they are totally functional no need to hurry. Instead the terrace needs a bit of TLC. That’s the next step together with the utility room.

Now the home is welcoming the family to enjoy their summer holidays!

Living Room Make Over

In Spain you usually buy a house or apartment with furniture. The previous owner takes the most personal items, but often leaves the whole set of furniture and plenty of decor items such as lamps, rugs, curtains, paintings etc. This was also the case with the apartment my clients bought in Benalmadena.

The 3 bedroom apartment was basically move-in ready, but the style was not exactly what the new owner couple wanted. It’s always quite a job to get rid of the old furniture. You don’t want to throw them away, especially when everything is in good condition and made of quality materials as it was in this case. We put an ad on Facebook and immediately received plenty of responses. The whole sets were sold and picked up in no time.

Here’s a sneak peek how it looked

1. at the time of purchase

2. after getting rid of the old furniture

3. when furnished according to the taste of new owners

In the living room the first step was to choose a sofa, and then build up a modern, light & cosy atmosphere to the space. White painted walls suit perfectly to the beige marble floor and together they create a fresh, clean and cosy look.

Couch in cognac was the winner. Below you can see the moodboard I made with the chosen couch. White, cognac, beige and black with some shades of blue create a relaxed yet stylish combo, doesn’t it?

Here’s the result. The floor lamp in the corner was kept from the previous design, but all the other furniture is brand new. The colourful rug is a real statement piece and that’s why we decided to leave the walls without art. Time will show if some art work is needed.

Pale Blue Sofa Part II

Sometime ago I described about the pale blue sofa project. Now it’s starting to be ready. The aim was to make a cosy & harmonious room with lot of storage space - and I mean a lot of!

There was not really a clearly separated entrance hall. It and living area were sort of adjoining rooms. To separate these two functions and adding more storage place - as it was on the top of the list - we decided to add a corner cupboard between these two places.

The back of the cupboard was covered by mdf wall, which makes it easier to place a wallpaper on it. I wanted the wallpaper to be bold & patterned yet matching the soothing colour theme. There was not yet enough storage so one more cupboard was bought and placed in the front of the wallpapered wall.

How do you like the pink armchair? It’s definitely the jewel of the room. The electric fireplace changed the atmosphere and is so practical in winter time - even here in the southern Spain.

Here are some before & after pics!

ps. the owner’s red slippers look so cute in the pic, don’t they?

Pastels

in the living room

Make Your Rental Feel Like Home

How To Make a Furnished Rental Apartment Your Home?

Making a furnished rented apartment feel homey can sometimes be a bit hard. Especially when your decorating options are limited by rental rules. But you can still make a space your own with a few design ideas. Here’s an example:

Laura fell in love with the light and airy feel of this apartment - and with the breathtaking sea view! The flat was renovated and furnished with white pieces, but the style was not exactly what Laura prefers and the living room was not functional for her. She needed a space for practising yoga, making videos and online yoga courses.

First we rearranged the furniture. The couch was pretty heavy but we managed to move it - we put blankets under the leg avoiding scratching the floor - from its original place in the front of the window to the other side of the room facing outside - now Laura can enjoy the sea view and watch TV while sitting on the sofa as the wall mounted TV set is adjustable.

Dining table got its new place by the window. The table will work also ask her home office desk, so it is essential to have as much natural light as possible. Laura had her own chairs, so we replaced the existing ‘antique’ chairs.

Now Laura has one side of the room free from all big furniture and place for yoga. She can make nice settings for her video backgrounds. She has a nice collection of small Buddha figures, yoga pillow and other yoga related items.

After having the pieces of furniture rearranged it was time to declutter. The apartment has two bedrooms and some closet space, so Laura can use the other bedroom (guest room) as a kind of storage room too. Laura prefers clean lines so it was important to remove all disturbing items -such as wall and table decor, and textiles as well - and replace them with Laura’s own ones.

Laura had her own cushions, blanket and rugs. Those are things that make the place immediately feeling your home.

Easy Tips For Decorating a Furnished Apartment

1. Rearranging for a new look

   Rearrange the furniture to suit your needs in the room. Just because the apartment comes furnished it doesn’t mean the furniture has to stay in exactly the way you found it.

2. Rug decor

   With a rug you can totally change the look of a furnished apartment. If there is an existing rug, replace it if you prefer another style.

3. Personalising your space

   You want to make it your home and have your own personality and interests present, in order to feel at home. Remove or replace the knick knacks.

Just add some flowers and plants, and the place is yours!

Homey feeling!

Make it functional for you.

Rearrange the furniture and make it functional for you.

Remove the disturbing knick knacks and replace them with your own ones.

Now there’s space for yoga.

Before

Before. Look at that view!