Rosie Corriette

Notes from a retired blogger

Author: Rosie

  • 3 Kitchen Design Must-Haves for Your New Home

    3 Kitchen Design Must-Haves for Your New Home

    Moving into a new home is always an exciting, albeit stressful, process. You are embarking
    upon an entirely new chapter of your life, but you are also trying to do so as quickly,
    comfortably, and efficiently as possible.

    House prices in good neighbourhoods only seem to go up with each passing year, meaning
    that you might not be able to afford a home that is as functional as you want it to be for the
    amount that you are able to spend. Unfortunately, this means that one of the areas in which
    you will have to sacrifice is most likely in regard to the design of a house.

    Design features like wall colours, bathroom finishes, and flooring are all things that can be
    addressed over time. When you are purchasing a home, it is more important to get the
    space you want in an ideal layout. The location of your new home should also be high on
    your priority list.

    Once you move into your new home and get settled, however, you can start addressing the
    design issues that you would like to change. As one of the most important rooms in your
    home, it makes sense to begin your design adventures in the kitchen.
    With that in mind, here are three kitchen must-haves that you should definitely incorporate
    into the kitchen in your new home.

    kitchen shot of light wall cabinets and dark grey base cabinets and marble worktops with a dining table in front
    1. Elegant Worktops

    As the feature of your kitchen that is going to receive some of the most wear and tear, it is a
    good idea to kick things off by choosing some new, elegant worktops. You want to opt for a
    material that is just as durable as it is lovely, so take your time to review all of your options.
    You should consider visiting a showroom to get a good sense of how the various worktop
    materials would look in your kitchen. Have a look at granitetransformations.co.uk for
    inspiration.

    2. Creative Storage Solutions

    If there is one thing that most kitchens are lacking these days, it’s adequate storage. No
    matter how well you pack your items into your kitchen cupboards, there are always too many
    things still out cluttering up your countertops.
    When you are able to start addressing some of the design features in your kitchen, make
    sure to incorporate some creative storage solutions. These will help you make the most of
    the space that you have available, even if your new kitchen is on the smaller side.

    3. A Large Sink

    You will thank yourself down the line for adding a large sink into your new kitchen design.
    Even if it means sacrificing a bit more of that precious countertop space, a larger sink will be
    well worth it in the end.
    A large kitchen sink will give you more space to wash dishes and be able to accommodate
    even your biggest pots. Moreover, such sinks provide a timeless look to any kitchen that you
    can enjoy for many years to come.

    Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

  • 5 Benefits Of Doing Your Own Home Maintenance

    5 Benefits Of Doing Your Own Home Maintenance

    When it comes to household maintenance, many homeowners will simply call out a professional when any kind of work needs doing. While this certainly can be an effective way to keep the household in good condition, you will find that it is much better to do basic maintenance and repairs yourself. While there are obviously situations that will require a professional, you will find that often it is work that you could do yourself and there are a number of reasons why you should be doing this. Keep reading to discover the main benefits of doing your own maintenance and how this could help.

    Collection of DIY tools laid flat on light wooden background

     

    1. Save Money

    First, you will find that you can save a huge amount of money by doing the work yourself. Calling out a professional will always be expensive, so doing the work yourself when you can is a chance to make big savings. You can find electrical supplies that you might need like wires and light switches from wholesalers like powerpointelectrics.co.uk, which will help to keep costs down while ensuring that you are using the best products.

     

    2. Prevent Large Issues

    Often, situations that require a professional arise because a smaller issue has not been dealt with. When you are performing basic maintenance on your home throughout the year, it allows you to keep the home in the best possible condition as well as identify any small issues before they become much larger issues that need a professional to repair.

     

    3. It Is Rewarding

    There are few things more rewarding than solving a household issue by yourself. Once you have felt this once, it is sure to inspire you to do more and these days you do not have to have any previous skills or knowledge to do basic maintenance and repairs yourself. You can always find easy to follow guides online and join online communities where you can get advice for any task.

     

    4. Good For Your Physical and Mental Health

    You will also find that doing maintenance and repairs yourself is good for your physical and mental health. Taking care of household problems can be physically demanding with even tasks like vacuuming being a good workout. On top of this, household maintenance and repairs create new challenges for you that can be good for your brain and you then get the boost of completing the task by yourself as mentioned above.

     

    5. Build Confidence

    Leading on from this, you will also find that doing your own repairs and maintenance is a great way to boost your confidence. Many homeowners find that they are embarrassed by how little they know about how the home works, but when you start doing your own work, you can develop this knowledge and feel a lot more confident in yourself.

     

    Hopefully, this post will encourage you to get started with your own maintenance and you should start to notice these benefits and others before long. It is understandable that people leave it to the pros, but when you consider the financial, physical and mental health benefits, it is clear that DIY is the best option in many cases.

     

    Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

  • Why you should consider having hardwood flooring in your home

    Why you should consider having hardwood flooring in your home

    If you’re considering doing a home renovation anytime soon, one of the aspects you will need to consider is flooring. There are many different options to consider, and the right one for you will depend on various factors such as budget , personal preference and of course the room itself. However, one style that is definitely worth considering is hardwood flooring. Here’s why.

    hardwood flooring obscured by a partial shadow

     

    Classic appeal

    Let’s face it, wooden flooring is never going to go out of fashion. It’s been around for hundreds of
    years and continues to be popular today. Due to the fact that each section of wood is subtly
    unique, it gives your home a natural and authentic vibe that only gets better with age. This is true
    even if your home is modern, or if you accessorize your floor with a rug or two.

    Easy to clean

    You’ll be pleased to hear that hardwood floors are actually very easy to keep clean and hygienic.
    You just need to sweep or vacuum them, and occasionally give the flooring a deeper clean with a
    special product. Unlike carpet you don’t need to worry about debris accumulating or spillages
    causing stains and smells. In fact, for those who have allergies stand to benefit more, as they don’t
    trap pollen or other common allergens.

    Lots of options to choose from

    Hardwood flooring actually comes in many different styles, as you’ll see if you search for ‘ wooden floors Balham ’ or a showroom in your local neighborhood. The various types of wood will each give
    their own unique color and finish, and you also have the option to have your floor sanded or
    stained to further customize it. This also means that you’ll be able to find options that fit a range of
    budgets too.

    Suits many styles of decor

    One of the biggest benefits of having hardwood floors is that they complement a wide variety of
    interior design styles. So it doesn’t matter if your home is traditional or modern, what color your
    walls are or what type of furniture you have, you’ll be able to find wooden flooring that matches.
    That also means that you can redecorate your walls or get new furnishings without having to worry
    about changing the floor too.

    Boosts the value of your home

    Having hardwood floors can be a huge selling point for your property when it comes time to move,
    meaning you’ll increase your home’s value and might even get a return on your investment. The
    popularity of wooden flooring also makes it easier to find a buyer, helping you to sell more quickly –
    just ask any real estate agent!

    Stands the test of time

    Not only do wooden floors look good, they’re also durable and can withstand a lot of general wear
    and tear. As long as you have them installed professionally and look after them, they will last for years without losing their appeal. As an added bonus, wooden flooring is also ideal for use with
    underfloor heating!

    Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.

  • Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Review and Downloadable Activity Sheets

    Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Review and Downloadable Activity Sheets

    If like me you’ve been wondering who Princess Aurora is (she literally features on everything Disney, yet to my shame I couldn’t work out which Princess she was) you’ll be pleased to know that she is the one and only Sleeping Beauty.

    Disney Sleeping Beauty DVD

    The Disney classic was first released in 1959 – having taken nearly a decade to produce! The classis tale begins with the birth of Princess Aurora, the precious daughter of King Stefan and his wife. To celebrate the arrival of the Princess, three good fairies – Flora, Fauna & Merryweather bestow gifts of magic on Aurora, but an evil sorceress named Maleficent places a curse upon the little Princess – that she will die on her 16th birthday after touching the poisoned spindle of a spinning wheel. Merryweather tries to undo the damage by casting a spell that will allow the Princess to awake from an ageless sleep with a kiss from her one true love.

    Boo loved shouting for Princess Aurora to “HOLD ON” as Prince Phillip was on his way to deliver her kiss and awaken her. Despite being over 50 years old, Sleeping Beauty delivers the same magic as all the other Disney classics and is the perfect addition our growing collection.

    Seeing as Princess Aurora is already a firm favourite in our house, these downloadable activity sheets are perfect for some half-term fun especially as the sun is reluctant to make an appearance anytime soon.

    You have three activity sheets to choose from; You can help Merryweather find the right path to Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, or Help Princess Aurora find the path back to the castle or for the littlest of Disney Princesses, there’s the classic Princess Aurora colouring sheet.

    Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is released on Blu-Ray, Digital Download and DVD on 2 June 2014.

    Disclosure: We received a copy of Sleeping Beauty on DVD to review. No payment was received and all opinions are 100% honest we promise.

  • Spring Fashion Fix at Centrale Croydon

    Spring Fashion Fix at Centrale Croydon

    Over Easter, Centrale hosted its annual Spring Fashion Fix giving fashionistas the chance to get all of the tips and trends for the upcoming season. On Thursday 17th April, Centrale was jam packed with fashion fun including style fix and colour consultation workshops throughout the day.

    Centrale is pretty local to me and is the perfect shopping destination if I don’t fancy the trip into the centre of London, plus much more child friendly with ample car parking and plenty of places to stop and refuel aka babyccino and soya decaf latte!

    I was lucky enough to sit down with Pam, an image consultant who went through what colours work best for me and I’m happy to say that black is officially one of best colours – like I’ve always said I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker colour!

    Centrale Spring Fashion Fix

    It was great to catch all the latest looks that had been put together by the team at Centrale which are perfect as we move from Spring to Summer; the models at the fashion show looked fabulous and the girls from Clinique were on hand to help advise on the best make-up trends to match sunnier fashion.

    Centrale Spring Fashion Fix
    The Clinique team proving that anyone can wart coral lips this season

    Centrale’s Spring Fashion Fix was the perfect excuse to spruce up my wardrobe ready for the summer.