A Small Room with Big Ideas

You may have a traditional house, but you can still have a state of the art bathroom.

We recently worked on a very small bathroom in a Grade II listed cottage, and even with oak beams, we were able to add an amazing walk in modern shower, as well as a Victorian bath, sink and toilet.

A great way to add style is to be daring in your choice of sink. I love the glass basins, which come in so many beautiful colours from lime green to bright red – a real WOW for any bathroom, and remember you do not have to by a 3-piece set, you can buy the sink, toilet and bath separately. But do remember to keep the style similar.

A soak in a bath is relaxing, and for something a little different why not try a spa or whirlpool bath. Whirlpools are good for massaging, but can be a little noisy. Spa baths are less expensive, but don't have the massaging effect of a whirlpool. They have a much more gentle touch.

Its Just an Illusion

Very often the bathroom is the smallest room in the house, but you can still create the illusion of space.

• Firstly keep the floor clutter free – go for wall mounted fittings.
• Mirrors used cleverly reflect light as well as giving the illusion of space.
• Give the illusion of space by using whites or pale colours. You can give the room a lift by adding a contrasting colour in the towels and accessories. At this point also think about lighting – nowadays you don't just have to have one single pendant light. Look at task lighting above mirrors, and perhaps lighting at floor level.
• Instead of a radiators opt for a wall mounted heated towel rail.
• If the space really is small why not use a corner sink.
• To stream line the entire look position all the fittings along one wall.
• And as always, good storage is the key to staying clutter free.

Light Up Your Life

Lighting from Porta Romana for home in Horsham

Lighting can create or decrease a feeling of space. Your lighting can either make or break the overall effect of your space.

When choosing lighting we can look at 4 main categories:-

Lights for visibility
Lights for pleasure
Task lighting
Design lighting

A bespoke lighting scheme for a chapel

Before you rush out to the shops to buy your lights, ask yourself the following questions:-

• which room do I need to light?

• who is it used by and how often?
• what activities take place?
  
• age of people who use the room?
  
• is it used mainly by day or by night?
  
• are there any interesting features I wish to highlight?
  
• what overall effect do I want to achieve?
  
• how much can I spend?
  

Design Tip : If you have a small room try to light it in at least 3 corners, as dark corners reduce the perception of space. This also works in reverse if you have a large room.

Problem Solved!

I am always being asked about different aspects of the renovation and interior design of a house, and thought I would share with you a couple of questions I have recently been asked. If you have any of your own, please add them, and I will do my best to answer.

Question : I really fancy having a white kitchen and neutral walls, but my husband thinks it will look bland and boring. What would you suggest?

Answer : A sudden splash of colour can make all the difference. It does not have to be much. How about a red-glass splashback behind the hob, or for something a little more adventurous – a red-glass breakfast bar. It will really bring the kitchen to life.


Question : We are thinking of laying oak flooring in our kitchen, but friends say it is not a good idea?

Answer : Wooden floors are very popular and add a sense of warmth to a room. They are easy to maintain and clean, and can be used in most rooms. However heavy traffic can cause scratches and dents and excess moisture can damage it. If using wooden flooring in a kitchen, care should be taken in laundry areas and around sinks. Any spills should be wiped up immediately to prevent water soaking in and warping the floor.

Question : I would like to reuse my existing granite worktops in my new kitchen, but the kitchen company is not keen – why is this?

Answer : I would imagine the kitchen company is concerned about damage to the existing granite on removal. It may be possible to re-use the granite, although it is very much dependent on the removal, fabrication and installation being possible and successful. It would need to be checked by a professional stone mason. The fabricators would need to conduct a site survey and would probably ask you to sign a disclaimer in case of damage to the granite.

Question : Should I have curtains or blinds in my kitchen?

Answer : This is something I am asked a lot. And to be honest it is down to personal opinion. The most popular choice for window treatments in the kitchen is blinds. Venetian blinds are easiest to clean and they come in a huge range of colours, from brushed aluminium to wood effect to vibrant red. You can also get perforated, hammered and metallic finishes. If you want something a little more decorative a roman blind is perfect and can sit either inside the window recess or outside.

Please add more questions......

Managing a Project

Budgets are very important to my clients and to me - I hate wasting money (or those that know me; know I hate spending it full stop), so at the early stages of any project the laborious task of getting two or three quotes for each component part and making sure that you are looking at like for like on the remit as well as quality is well worth the effort.

This process is made easier by scoping out the project, whether a kitchen, plastering, or extension, so ambiguity is left to a minimum.

If the project is to be completed to tight time scales availability and length of job need pinning down so that time schedules can be put together. By asking the trade or supplier for their time scales this puts the onus back on them to quote realistic dates and times – no one likes to be the one who is behind or who cannot give a proper time scale (subject to no unforeseen circumstances arising; of course).

Tip – let all trades and suppliers have access to schedule before final sign off that gives them a chance to tell you they have given you an unrealistic time period, should this be the case.

Quotes agreed, time scales set.

Waste/rubbish plan agreed

Any pre work confirmed e.g. client to strip wall paper before plasterer arrives

Let the project commence…………. We have a refurbishment starting end of September.

Watch this space.

Bedroom Interiors

Your bedroom should be your personal sanctuary, somewhere to relax and express your feelings. So clear away the clutter, the kids toys and the dirty linen and lets think romance, relaxation and warmth.

The Bed

The bed is the focus of any bedroom, and to make it truly romantic you need to make it as cosy as possible. Beautiful bedding and plumped up pillows will look and feel wonderful. Plenty of cushions create a really luxurious feel. Try different textures for best effect – faux fur, suede, silk etc. And if you really want to go to town consider draping voile over the headboard.

Ambiance

Soft lighting will enhance the mood, whilst bright lights can detract from the ambiance. For a lovely romantic evening or special occasion, nothing adds romance like the warm glow of candles (make sure candles are never left unattended) and the aroma of essential oils.

Colour Choice

When you think of romance you think of pinks and reds, but do you particularly want these colours for your bedroom? Many people are concerned about colour and want something a little more neutral, in this case look at soft neutrals for the walls, and add a dash of red or bright blue in a throw or cushion, or perhaps in the candles. Layers of gold or chocolate can look amazing and bring the room to life.


If you want a bit of drama in the bedroom then look at adding deep reds, rich blues or greens but use in moderation. You don't want the look to be overpowering.

Choose the Right Team

It’s so tempting to go to a builder who says he can do the whole project. But can he?

For me it is important that the person who carries out the work is insured and that the work undertaken is to industry standard. It can be signed off by the relevant controlling body and you can sleep in the knowledge that your buildings insurance is not affected. Also, when you come to sell the property you have the relevant certificates to pass on to the new owners.

Should your building work require a planning application then the work will be carried out in accordance with building regulations; there will be a buildings inspector appointed to keep an eye on things and they will stipulate at which stages of the project the work needs to be checked and signed off. The buildings inspector can sign off the installation of windows for example which under normal circumstances would need to be fitted by a FENSA registered fitter. So work with a planning application can negate the need for some specialists.

Personally, I prefer experts to do their part of the project.

Choosing an expert
Take a realistic look at your project, it may be costing a lot of money in your eyes but not in everyone’s. A small extension and a big building firm don’t match for several reasons:-

You’re a nice to have project but not top of the priority list. If the firm has a larger project running and there is a problem, workers may be pulled from your job to accommodate the crisis.
Often larger firms have ‘messy’ workers, they are used to working on building sites and the last thing you need is the rest of your home to fall down to that standard.

The larger company has a reputation to maintain but it is not as important to the employee as it is to the self employed individual whose next job relies on it

When the project has been completed it is often difficult getting people to return for any snagging items.

As well as taking the plans and building you need someone to listen to what you have to say and work with you so that the completed job is exactly as anticipated by you.

So choose individuals registered with a relevant organisation

• an electrician who has looked at the existing supplies and can tell you if the present wiring is in line with current legislation and provide you with the options for adding the extension. NICEIC


• Get a plumber who can tell you if your existing boiler can take on the added capacity required to heat the extension and if not what the options are, ask him about the btu output required and how it can be achieved – this may involve an insulation specialist. Get a quote for all the options and ask if there is Government aid available – you may be surprised. Gas Safe, CORGI


• Find a brickie that can talk ‘loads, padstones and beams’ and looks at the trees in your garden when talking about footings.

Most importantly find a team who know and like one another, who have worked together in the past and get on well together and get detailed quotes from them all.

Listed Buildings - The Low Down

What is a listed building?
A listed building is a building or structure which is considered to be of 'special architectural or historic interest.' This includes a wide variety of structures and buildings ranging from cathedrals to walls and historic telephone boxes as well as residential properties.

Who selects buildings for listing?
English Heritage is responsible for listing, and it does this on the basis of a set of national criteria.

How are buildings selected for listing?
When a building is assessed for 'listing', both its historic interest and its architectural interest are considered. Its condition is not as important a consideration and buildings may be listed although they are in poor condition. Buildings are selected for listing on the basis of their architectural interest, historic interest, close historical association or group value. Age and rarity are important considerations.

The criteria for listing buildings
For a building to be listed it must meet a number of criteria outlined below.

• All buildings built before 1700 which survive in anything like their original condition.
• Most buildings of 1700 to 1840, though selection is necessary.
• Between 1840 and 1914 only buildings of definite quality and character, including the principal works of the principal architects.
• After 1914 only selected outstanding buildings
• Buildings that are less than 30 years old, if they are of outstanding quality and under threat

The difference between the grades
Listed buildings are graded to show their relative national importance. The three grades are I, II* and II.

Grade I are buildings of exceptional interest (nationally only about 2% of listed buildings are in this grade).

Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest (only about 4% of listed buildings)

Grade II are buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them (94% of listed buildings)

There is no legal difference in the protection given by these grades.

What is listed ?
The whole building or structure is listed, including both its interior and exterior. This is the case for all grades of listing. Boundary walls and other structures within the building or structure's historic curtilage may also be included. There is no such thing as a listed facade or an interior only, and even modern elements of a building are included. It should also be assumed that fixtures and fittings are listed.

If in doubt, ask the Conservation Planner for advice on individual cases.

Important to note
List descriptions are intended primarily for identification purposes and are not a definitive list of important features. Just because a feature is not included within the list description does not mean that it is not included within the listing. Many list descriptions can be obtained at Images of England.

Each listing gives the following information: address; grade of listing; grid reference; map reference number; building reference number; a list description; details on ancient monument status; and, details of any national archival records. The list descriptions are intended for identification purposes only and do not define all the features of special interest. In many cases there is no reference to the interior of the property.

Five DIY Mistakes

Its the time of year when many households start DIY projects. However, it is important to get a job done correctly by knowing your own limitations and the limitations of the tools that you own.

Most of all, if you are looking to sell or lease the property it is important to have certification for work undertaken on the property. ‘Jacks of all trades’ are useful people to know but in this ever increasing legislative world get an expert to do each component part of the task in hand, that way you can sleep easy at night and be fully insured.

Here are what I consider to be the 5 biggest DIY mistakes:-

1. Not enough preparation. This is the most important part of the job, read up on what needs to be done and do it to the letter. Get the tools together that are required to do the job and make sure you have all the materials you need, a trip to the DIY shop part way through is time wasting and can be dangerous when tools are left around and there are bits sticking out of walls or ends not capped off that only you know about.



2. Not knowing enough about the job to be done or the situation that you are starting with. This can catch professionals out, they can’t see behind walls any more than you can, but they do have the knowledge and experience, and failing that, usually someone to refer the situation to.



3. Under estimating the cost of the project. Your time is money, several trips to the builders merchant is time and petrol and if you have to get someone in to sort out what you have started as well as completing the job…… need I say more?



4. A quick fix without looking at the bigger picture. An extra radiator can be one too many, the small window without planning permission, putting a sealant on a damp patch without finding the cause, this list is endless.



5. Starting anything without the marriage counselling session booked in advance.

Recipe for a Good Kitchen Refurbishment

Recipe

Interior designer/kitchen planner
Project manager
Cupboards
White goods
Flooring
Work tops
Lighting
Taps
Heating
Small pinch of plastering
Skip

Method

Talk through with the interior designer/planner how you cook, what you cook and what is important to you in the kitchen and come up with a plan and order components needed to complete plan.

Ask project manager to give a price for the job including all of the various trades and agree time schedules.

Rip out the old kitchen and place in skip, get electrician to complete any alterations to wiring requirements at the same time plumber needs to make sure that the plumbing requirements are ok.

Complete any plastering needs along with any flooring preparation.

Arrange and fix cupboards, insert white goods and add work tops.
Connect any plumbing and electrics and complete flooring.


Heat oven to Gas Mark 4. 375°F, 190°C go bake a cake


Trouble shooting
Too expensive – you did not agree with the interior designer the type and price and worktops required prior to commencement. Take time to complete this part of the project the interior designer will work to your budgets to help you achieve what you want.

Not a perfect finish – you used ‘jack of all trades’ to do the whole job. Use individual trades.

Work men arguing on site – No one was there to organise the work and prepare the trades schedules. Use a project manager and a team that know one another.

Top Tips for a Top Refurbishment

• As the first ever Tsarine blog we thought we would give you the benefit of our advice on how to ensure a trouble free refurbishment.
  
  
  Use a company with individual tradespeople.

• Where possible get sign offs from a relevant organisation or body for each component of the project ie. heating, gas - CORGI, electrics - NICEIC etc.
  

• Get referrals from others who have similar works completed.

• Look at the size of the firm in relation to project for best attention.

• Talk through the project with the project manager, interior designer who can then arrange for you to meet relevant builders, achitects, structural engineers etc.


• 
  Try to visualise the end of the project and then work backwards eg. light and heating, flooring and colour.
  

• Do you and your family have any needs that should be taken into account when planning the project eg. arthritis and taps spring to mind!

• Will the same space be used in the same way in 10 years time
  


• The more thought and planning - the more likely the budget will be met.
  


• Never ever be afraid to ask questions.
  

• Always employ someone who will take the time to listen to your ideas and be able to give you the pros and cons for using various materals, fixtures and fittings.
  


• Make sure comprehensive quotes are obtained.
  

• Ask to meet the team who will be working on the project - you need to be happy to invite them into your home as a guest.
  

• Lastly, be clear about specific timings and requirements.

Tsarine Limited are always on hand to help with a refurbishment from the concept to project managing to building work, and even sourcing the furniture and curtains!