Help needed please!!
Lana
2 years ago
Hi, hope you’re all well. I need some much needed Houzz inspiration. I feel as though my hallway and stairway lacks colour and warmth. All advice on any improvements would be very much appreciated. Thanks guys.
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Lana
2 years agoRelated Discussions
garden design ... confused! help needed please :)
Comments (4)Hi Emma Yes - I see what you mean. I think one of the main reasons the garden doesn't work is that it is very open and empty. This means that you see all of it in one go. There is no story, or journeys, focal points or mystery within it. When you sit on your new patio you see an ugly trampoline and fence and a large (if magnificent) Wendy House. The plain area of lawn also shows up how the patio takes up half the depth of the garden - again making the scale feel wrong and the 'green garden area' look small. I think what you need to do is break up the space somewhat and put planting going across into the middle - runninig along the edge of the patio. People often worry that this will make the space feel smaller, but in fact because it means you can't see everything at once the space feels larger and more interesting. The planting coming across into the more central areas of the garden then also acts as screening for the ugly features. Other suggestions would be to turn the Wendy house through 90 degrees, so it is less directly looking at you, deep planting beds around the edges and coming into the more central garden space and lots of climbers on the fences. As regards being over looked - conifers are really horrible screening trees. They get very big and are very solid dark green, so feel very oppressive. A more open canopy deciduous tree with say spring blossom and good autumn foliage colour would be much better. Flowering cherry Prunus Okame is a good example. Your neighbours would likely love it. Finally can I suggest that you watch 'Your Garden Made Perfect' on BBC I-player. It is different to the normal garden programmes in that is discusses the design concepts behind the garden improvements. All of them are great, but you may find the 1st and 2nd ones particularly useful on views, focal points and structure. Good luck!...See MoreGrade II listed help needed please
Comments (6)Personally I vowed never again after a poor experience but had I had a good architect on board I might have been fine. My story was that I owned a Grade II property which had had some unsympathetic extension in the 60s (with wide 60’s picture windows) before the listing was made. I wanted to facelift the 60s part by changing the window apertures so they looked like they were in keeping with the original house. Thinking I was doing the right thing I met with the local councils planning officer who was responsible for protected buildings. He seemed to understand very little about regulations and his fear of getting anything wrong made him paralyzed from stating what actually would be possible and he discouraged doing anything suggesting they would prefer the 60s style windows that were technically protected over something in keeping with the street scape that they were tasked with protecting. He clearly had no buildings experience either stating I had to keep a particular door stating it was original despite it clearly being a DIY store addition complete with barcode on an unpainted edge!! This was very disappointing as I had assumed I would come away from the meeting with a list to follow of materials to use or approved contractors or guidelines about what process to follow in order to be compliant. The motto is find out what has been done to other buildings that are also protected as it demonstrates precedence and find a good architect used to working with the council numpties- an architect who knows the regulations and can assertively and accurately talk to them. And be prepared for slow decisions and some illogical and disappointing decisions from the authorities that you may have to challenge....See MoreBathroom layout help needed please!
Comments (5)It feels a little cramped to me as your access to the bath is so restricted. I’ve just put this layout together that might be worth a try. (it would require a slightly smaller bath) if you can, get some boxes in there to represent furniture and move around it before committing to anything. Also, are you planning a freestanding bath and tap?? this might look squashed in and therefore make the room feel smaller (also really hard to keep it clean round the back) I would consider a back to wall bath with the space you have. re towel rail, bit stumped on that too, could it go behind the door??...See MoreFirst time buyer and reno, layout help needed please!
Comments (7)If you can't move the front door, I wouldn't look to add a hallway as that room will become 1.7ish wide and not much more than a narrow single/office. If you can move the door, I'd go in on the side. Create the 3rd bed from the reception room and make the conservatory a solid brick building that is kitchen/diner/lounge. I'd be wary of the drains/plumbing. I'd guess they're somewhere along the back wall and will be very expensive to move if you want to extend left of the current conservatory....See More
minnie101
2 years agoHi Lana. i would either go for a textured rug or maybe pick up on the caramel tones? I only had a very quick look but a few ideas, not sure if this your thing?
Anthony (Beano)
2 years agoLana
2 years agoLana
2 years ago
Susie D
2 years agoLana
2 years ago
minnie101