CURLY AND CANDID

When it comes to redecorating your home, to breathing new life into a room, trends come and go. Outdoor influences in interior design is one theme that does not go out of fashion. Bringing outside inside couldn’t be easier and it offers you a relaxing, calming and fun space to live in.

Having moved earlier this year we are thrilled with our new spaces. We waited until we’d lived in our new home a few months to get a feel for it and now we’re now ready to inject some colour and redecorate a little. Here are just some of the ways we plan to bring outdoor influences into our home.

Outdoor Influences & Interior Design: The Use Of Plants

It has long-since been a joke amongst my family and friends that the only growing things I’ve been able to keep alive are weeds and Sea Monkeys. Well, folks, it turns out that there are plants that I can keep alive (~~so there~~). I’ve opted for aloe vera plants, spider plants, some ferns and have my eye on some cacti. These all look great and help with oxygen in the house (seriously, plants in the house are really good for you).

I’m looking to expand my houseplant collection soon. I’ll also use the plant theme in some artwork around the home.

Outdoor Influences & Interior Design: Soft Furnishings and Windows

One of the quickest and easiest ways to breathe new life into a room and incorporate the outdoors theme is to use soft furnishings and window coverings that are inspired by the outdoors. We’ve been looking at Swift Direct Blinds for some curtains to pull together the plant-inspired prints, rugs, cushions and more that we have picked out. We’ve gone for soft, textured and with muted greens, creams and accent colours to create the look we want.

Outdoor Influences & Interior Design: Use Natural Materials

Scrap the MDF and flatpack. Look for real wood pieces to add to your home, from a rustic coffee table to driftwood on the mantle piece if the beach is your thing. You’d be surprised by how easy it is to add natural materials in a practical way to help build up the layers of your outdoor inspired home or room. Seagrass carpeting can be very practical and fits in perfectly with this theme. My favourite place for wooden creations is Nashwood Crafts – well worth a look.

Outdoor Influences & Interior Design: Natural Light

Light is important when creating a feel in a room. For areas inspired by nature, it makes sense to use natural light. Choose window coverings carefully so as to maximise the natural light coming in while maintaining privacy, arrange your room so as to make the best of the light, use mirrors to brighten darker corners and open the windows.

Yes, open the windows. You’d be surprised how some genuine natural fresh air changes the atmosphere in the home and it definitely has health benefits.

Outdoor Influences & Interior Design: What Top Tips Do You Have?

These are some of the things that I am doing or plan to do in order to bring outdoor influences into my home. I welcome any top tips that you have to offer on anything from paint colours to furnishings. If you’ve created an outdoor look indoors please feel free to comment and tell me what you feel worked best.

Strange Sounds In Your Home Explained: Scratching

Scratching sounds in the walls are usually a sign that creatures are living in there. The most common pests to lurk in walls are mice and rats. Other signs that you have these pests may include droppings on the floor or signs of chewing on cardboard containers. Pest control services should be able to determine if you have mice or rats and may be able to lay down traps.

Other pests that could cause scratching may include birds, which can sometimes nest inside walls. Bird removal services may be needed to remove these birds. Bats and cockroaches could be other culprits (although they tend to be a lot rarer).

Strange Sounds In Your Home Explained: Whistling

Whistling noises in the walls can be due to a variety of causes. If it’s a windy day, it’s possible that drafts could be getting into the cavity walls through tiny cracks and causing the whistling. Sealing up these cracks could prevent air getting in. Another common cause could be pressure hammer caused by air pressure in the pipes. Getting rid of this air pressure may involve cutting off your water supply and then draining the pipes.

Strange Sounds In Your Home Explained: Banging

If there’s a banging noise coming from your walls, it could be water hammer. This is when water slams against a closed valve, usually after just turning off a tap or flushing the toilet. Modern pipes tend to all contain air chambers for preventing water hammer, but sometimes these chambers can lose their air. Draining your home’s pipes could help to let air back into these air chambers and prevent your pipes from making that awful banging noise.

Strange Sounds In Your Home Explained: Gurgling

Gurgling noises could also be the result of trapped air in pipes. A common cause is air trapped in radiators, which can lead to groaning and gurgling. To prevent these noises, you should try bleeding your radiators. Every radiator should come with a bleed valve which you can open using a radiator key – this can help to get out the excess air causing the gurgling. If the sound is coming from internal pipes, you may want to consider hiring a plumber as this could be a much more technical job.

See, no need to burn the house down or get a paranormal investigator in. Feel better now?

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Original content here is published under these license terms:		X

License Type:	Read Only

License Abstract:	You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). No other copying or use is permitted without written agreement from the author.