How to enhance your home in a few simple steps

How many times have you thought about changing something in the house, but got stuck because you didn’t know exactly what? Do you dream of giving a different touch to a room, but you don’t know where to start?

You may find the answers to these and other home renovation questions in book Sarah’s advice by Sarah Balivoarchitect and consultant specializing in interior design, who aims to help you study your habits, to create a moodboard with what you really like (and what you don’t) and what you want for your spaces, as well as to establish a budget to dedicate to the project you have in mind, whether small or large.

Moving from lights to plants, from curtains to carpets, from wallpaper to protagonist furnishings, the author proposes a clear and stimulating path that examines how to intervene room by room and according to their own financial resources (there is also a chapter on the recovery of old furniture).

Following #iTipsOfSarah and the many explanatory images, you will learn to think like an interior designer, to mix style and rationality and you will finally be able to transform your home into a welcoming place and suitable for your needs.

To get even more into this manual and understand what to expect we have done a chat with the author.

Sarah, what are the most common mistakes that people who want to renovate make?
«The first ever is the not use of color. I don’t understand why color scares, it is that touch that creates variation in a composition and is essential to make everything come alive. Just one contrasting color is enough and everything regains energy. Another mistake is light, always underestimated in the position and in the typology. I hope that my book, which could not fail to have a dedicated chapter, will help us stop making this kind of mistake and help people to have the right light in the right environment ».

There are pieces passepartout which are always good when you want to renovate your home? (If so, which ones)
“Surely the iconic pieces of design are a guarantee. If we think of some lamps from the 70s that are still so current, I would say that inserting one regardless of the style of the house is certainly a nice passepartout. Other elements that are always valid are the antique furnitureperhaps inherited from their grandmother or bought in an antiques market: they serve to give soul to an environment, especially if placed in a very contemporary space ».

Well, now we want some ‘secret’ advice to reveal to our readers.
“Sure! Here they are. In the first place it is necessary to do a needs analysis: “What do I want to do in this environment? What would make me happy in this space? ”. Only in this way can you understand what to look for to satisfy your needs in terms not only of aesthetics but also of functionality. Then it is absolutely essential do a lot of research, whether they are trade magazines, websites or social networks, so as to identify what we like but above all what we don’t like and highlight it in order not to find it at home. I then suggest to build a moodboard with images, textures, materials, and everything we would like to have in our home. In this way it will be possible to understand the balance of the elements and, if everything goes back, to have a composition that will convey completeness to us. Don’t underestimate the definition of color palette: we often opt for neutral colors to avoid mistakes but this, if not done in the right way, can make the environment flat and anonymous. Do not immediately buy all the furnishings and accessories for a new home in which you are going to live. I always recommend to buy only the essentials in the first place (kitchen, bed, sofa, table, chairs) and then live the house as much as possible to really understand what we need and would like to have. Give importance to the position of the lights: the right light is the magic that transforms even the most confined spaces; it is that theatrical coup that deceives and bewitches. Always study very carefully the lights suitable for each environment, but above all always choose them based on the function of the environment itself. In the end, don’t be afraid to dare“.

Here are some advances of Salone del Mobile.Milano 2022: iconic pieces, multifunctional furnishings, complements with a strong impact and bright colors that will inspire you to renovate your home in the right way.

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