Making Room To Live

- Carol Burns

DECLUTTER

REFRESH your living space with a spot of removal. Living rooms can magically fill themselves with plants, candles, lamps, knick-knacks and cushions, books, your prized collection of Cornwall Life back issues and more. Take out everything and look afresh at your furniture. Is it time for recovering the sofa, replacing the side tables, or giving the room a lick of paint? Only put back what you want in the room and store the rest.

WINDOW DRESSINGS

The short days mean our window dressings are on display for much of the time. Are they looking good? Has the sun faded your voluptuous velvet? At the very least take any window dressings down for a good clean.

I’m vaguely obsessed with shutter blinds – which offer a touch of class and good insulation – and are now widely available. Bespoke companies will come in and measure them for you to fit – but expect to pay four figures. If your budget is a little smaller, head to online shops like blinds2go. com and you can measure them yourself and cut a zero off the price. Still not sure? Start off with a small window first.