Red Box Best of 2021: Bathroom conversion in Wimbledon Village

Red Box Top Projects: Bathroom to Shower Room Conversion in Ridgeway, Wimbledon

Continuing on from last week, we’ll be sharing some of favourite projects of 2021 with our series…

Next up on our 2021 project highlights, is bathroom in Wimbledon Village on Ridgeway.  The clients wanted to convert their existing bathroom and bath tub to a shower room, complete with electric underfloor and a new door.In 2020 we had previously done work on this property with a new client, cloakroom and other projects throughout the house on the Ridgeway near Wimbledon Village.  We returned at the start of September 2021 to convert the bathroom to a shower room to meet the clients needs with a modern and eye catching design.

The client absolutely loves her new bathroom and under-floor heating!

 

 

The work completed included:

  • Conversion of bathroom to shower room
  • Installation of under floor heating
  • Bathroom fitted and plumbing
  • Decorating

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We work with some fantastic suppliers and products to complete our projects.

Products/Suppliers worked with to complete this project:

Bathroom sanitary ware products: From Bathroom Discount Centre – Lefroy Brooks, Merlyn, Crosswater, Burlington, Heritage, Windrush, HIB

Looking for specifics to help plan your new bathroom, here’s the products we used:

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Challenges:

There were issues at the top of the house with water pressure, we used low pressure fittings to fix this

Our favourite feature:

We absolutely love the Mosaic style floor tiles that completed this project from Fired Earth
.

We’ll be sharing more highlights from our top projects of 2021 on our social media and blog throughout February.

If you’re planning to redecorate or renovate this summer, get in touch with Red Box via phone or email to discuss your project.

Phone:020 7381 1539                     /               Email:info@redboxlondon.com

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Red Box Best of 2021: Complete refurbishment of 1950’s two bedroom flat in Richmond

Red Box Top Projects of 2021: Complete refurbishment of 1950’s two bedroom flat in Shelley Court, The Parkleys, Richmond.

 

We completed lots of great projects in 2021, we’ll be sharing some highlights of these over the next few weeks with our #RedBoxTop2021Projects series…
First up on our 2021 project highlights, is a project we completed at Shelley Court, which is part of Grade II-listed Parkleys in Richmond, Surrey, built by renowned development architects Span in the 1950s.

Between May and October 2021, we did a complete strip out and refurbishment of this two bedroom flat in Shelley Court which is part of Grade II-listed Parkleys, built by renowned development architects Span in the 1950s.

 

The work completed included:

• New bathroom fitted and decorated
• New kitchen fitted and decorated
• New flooring installed
• New electrics and plumbing updates, where able to.
• Custom Joinery and storage units.
• Painting and decorating throughout.[vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1720698703371-aa12d39b70ab299764a07515e877a4e8-7″ include=”8420,8410,8409,8408″]We work with some fantastic suppliers and products to complete our projects.

Products/Suppliers worked with to complete this project:

Bathroom products Crosswater, Grohe, Mapei
Kitchen: Howdens Clerkenwell Super Matt White
Lighting: Astro Eclipse, Astro Ascoli, Astro Rio, AstrolNimis
Sockets and switches: Nexus Brushed Steel
Paint: Farrow and Ball Wevet and All White
Ironmongery: Howdens Roundbar Rose Handle
Glass (reeded door glass and toughened splashback) from Brompton Glass
Flooring: Oak Parquet by The Natural Wood Floor Company[vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1720698703475-b0f3f3db78f3479b4b10072f7051a25d-5″ include=”8436,8438″][vc_masonry_media_grid element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1720698703545-caea04505814ca2d5255c83e7cefe794-7″ include=”8418,8417″]

Challenges:

There was some old plumbing from the 1950 which we had to work around as it couldn’t be changed.

Our favourite feature:

We love the finished job and look of that Oak Parquet Flooring from local Wandsworth company, The Natural Wood Floor Company.We’ll be sharing more highlights from our top projects of 2021 on our social media and blog throughout February.

If you’re planning to redecorate or renovate this summer, get in touch with Red Box via phone or email to discuss your project.

Phone:020 7381 1539                     /               Email:info@redboxlondon.com

Email Red Box

Top Tips When Improving Your Home from Red Box

Summer holiday home renovation

Top Tips When Improving Your Home

 

You have probably decided at this stage to improve your own home rather than move and it is surprising what you can achieve with a little thought and ingenuity for a fraction of the overall cost of moving house. The following suggestions are a summary of our 15 years in the business, which you will almost certainly find helpful. Some might seem obvious but it’s surprising how often they are overlooked.1. Explore what’s possible with a company like ours, preferably recommended,to find out what’s possible within your budget.

You may be surprised as to what can be achieved without needing an architect or planning permission.

 

2. Obtain a specification which is worded in a way that relates to your home and without hidden costs.

 

3. Agree a proposed timescale and how you may be affected.

 

4. Check company credentials and agree apayment plan.

 

5. Ask for references and possibly seeing a finished project.6. Request a copy of the company’s insurance and expect around £2million Employers’ Liability and a minimum of £2million Public Liability insurance.

You might wish to consider Home Works Insurance Policy too.

 

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7. Receive written confirmation of any planning permissions and party wall awards8. Speak to neighbours before any planning application or party wall awards have started. Your neighbours may carry out similar works in the future, so demonstration of goodwill helps!

 

9. Ensure that your chosen company introduces themselves to neighbours up front and provides them with a reliable point of contact and business card or leaflet.

 

10. Alert neighbours in advance of any particularly noisy work or deliveries.11. and lastly ensure that your company does tidy up properly at the end of each day including pavements.

If you’re planning to redecorate or renovate this summer, get in touch with Red Box via phone or email to discuss your project.

Phone:020 7381 1539                     /               Email:info@redboxlondon.com

Email Red Box

Monthly Project Update – July 2021

Kitchen island with bar stools and pendant lights photographed during a July 2021 project update

Monthly Project Update – July 2021

July was another busy month for the Red Box team and our projects. We are happy to confirm we are still able to take on new projects, repairs, and renovations across South West London and beyond.

If you need repairs or upgrades completed, Red Box can help, give us a call on 0207 391 1539, our teams are observing all guidelines on working practice and social distancing.

In July we completed work on:

On Trevelyan Road, SW17, we have installed a new kitchen (by Howdens), patio door and replaced the flooring and skirting.

In SW16 on Lytton Grove, we have completed floor restoration and internal decorating.

And over at New River Head in Clerkenwell the new flooring is completed along with the plumbing, electrics and decorating work.

We’ve also begun some new projects in the past few weeks:

On Doughty St, WC1N we’ll be working on a roof redesign for their extension, installing a new kitchen plus work on the electrics & plumbing.

Over at Garratt Lane, SW17 we’re fitting a brand new kitchen, flooring plus work on the electrics & plumbing.

And up in NW3 on College Crescent, we’ve begun work on balcony repairs and tiling.

Up in Bloomfield Road, N6, this week,  we begun a complete renovation including new flooring, wiring, plumbing structural work, exterior work, painting & decorating, joinery, new kitchen and 2 new bathrooms.[vc_single_image image=”7911″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”7912″ img_size=”large”]

Here’s some of the projects we’ve continued to work on in July:

In Hampton, TW12 on Gloucester Road, we’re almost finished and we have completed work converting the garage to a utility room, after Easter we installed a Howdens Kitchen. In May and June, we continued work on the other internal jobs including a new cloakroom, electrics, flooring and decorating – finishing touches and checks are in place.

Hopping over to West London, to Barandon Walk, W11 we have some major repairs to joinery going on, plus work on ceiling, tiling, kitchen and decorating to work on after a previous builder failed to meet the client’s needs. We are currently awaiting delivery of bespoke doors to fit to complete the project.

On Netherwood Road, W14 we’re due to sign off completion on this project this week – we’ve installed a new Howdens kitchen, plus a new bathroom, and redecorating of the flat have already been completed. We’re now on final electrical fittings and certification before signing off the project.

Over in SW6 in the Piper Building, Peterborough Road – we have completed work on the new bathroom installation and custom joinery, kitchen fitting with Roundhouse is in progress,and we’re awaiting new stairs to be delivered and installed.

At Kingswood Road, SW2 the brand new bathroom and custom joinery are completed and we are installing the requested new Velux windows.

And in Parkleys, TW10 we have begun work on the new bathroom, but the new flooring is already completed.

On Ridgeway, Wimbledon SW19 – work on the electrics, bedroom decorating and custom joinery is complete, and we are now starting work on the new bathroom installation, with kitchen refurbishment also on the cards.

And finally in SW15 on Mexfield Road, we’re doing some exterior work for an existing client, including removal of an old shed, whilst installing new decking, paving and wooden step restoration. We’re working on the finishing touches and hope to finish this project within the week.

In July we completed work on:

For August, we’re still working on our project schedule, as many people are taking summer holidays it’s often the best time to get refurbishment completed, when you’re away!

We’ve already booked in new projects such as:

In W14 on Abbotsbury Road, we’ll be working on painting & decorating, plus bathroom & kitchen refurbishment.

Nearby at Kensington West (W14) we will be completely renovating the property.

W8, on Edwardes Square we’ll be repairing a roof and replacing conservatory glass.

On Lacy Road, SW15 and Battersea Rise, SW11  we have a bathroom refurbishments starting.

Further ahead, on Bertal Road in SW17 there’s a kitchen installation to begin in September.

Get in touch to discuss your home renovation, repair, building or other maintenance work today on 020 7381 1539 or email us here  – we are ready to take on new projects for Autumn 2021.

How To Paint A Room Like A Professional With These Expert Tips

How to Paint a Room Like a Professional

How to Paint a Room Like a Professional

 

The best way to paint a room will of course depend on your home, your tastes and the look and feel that best fits. The best way to paint a room will of course depend on your home, your tastes and the look and feel that best fits. There are countless home painting ideas and products available for you to choose from, whether that’s using specialist paints, artistic wall painting techniques or textured, non-standard finishes. The world is your oyster.

Do a good job and you’ll be a DIY hero, but make mistakes, take shortcuts, make poor choices or fail to prepare and the results can be messy, costly and time-consuming.The secret is preparation. You should before anything else, draw up a detailed plan and ensure you have all the materials that you’ll need for your decorating project to hand. There’s nothing more frustrating than running out of something or realising you never had it half way through a job.

As well as paint and brushes, ensure you have all the dust sheets, cleaning products, masking tape and rubbish bags you’ll need before you start. A tidy job is a happy one.

Key to moving forward is understanding how to professionally paint a room from the first moment’s inspiration to a completed job. It is why we’ve created this quick guide. Whether you are new to the task or know how to paint a room like a pro, we think you’ll find some useful insights here.

If none of this is for you, then remember Red Box painters and decorators can do the job for you. It might cost less than you think too.

The Challenge Of Painting A Room

The easiest way to paint a room is to read the interior painting guidelines from your chosen paint supplier alongside following professional painting and decorating tips like these. They will help you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes as you go.

When prepping a room for painting, a common mistake is underestimating costs or the time it will take to complete.

Remember coats of paint can take hours, days sometimes, to dry so knowing how many coats of paint on a wall is required is important.

Running out of paint is an avoidable frustration too. This is particularly important if you are using an unusual or bespoke colour combination that may not be kept in stock by your supplier.

Ordering more might leave a job half-finished for a while. It’s also worth taking the time to be sure you have measured your room carefully and triple checked any calculations.Then it’s a question of making sure you have the time and space to complete the job. In our experience, children and pets make decorating a challenging task, so best to try and keep the family out of the house for a while perhaps.

Once you are ready to start, it’s important to make sure you have the right tools for the job.

Choosing The Right Equipment

The best painting and decorating tips are all about selecting the right equipment. If you are looking to learn to paint and decorate, one of the most valuable lessons from professionals is that cheap brushes and rollers are a false economy. Cheap paint brush bristles fall out and inexpensive rollers fall apart. It is sensible to invest in the highest quality options you can afford to give you a better, cleaner finish whatever the job.

If you’re taking on a large painting job or you fancy a more professional approach, you may want to try a paint spray gun and air compressor.

They may be the best way to paint a room efficiently but using them is a skilled job not to be taken lightly. We would definitely recommend a dry run before attempting major painting and decorating using these tools.Other equipment you will need to consider includes ladders always prioritising your safety, plumb lines and spirit levels, decorator’s edges, dust sheets and masking tape, filling and a filling knife, sandpaper or sanding blocks, paint buckets, pails or trays, paint thinners and cleaners and paint stirrers and mixers. You might want to consider overalls, to protect your clothes, and breathing masks to protect you from paint fumes.

There are bound to be other jobs that come up while you are decorating so keeping a standard tool-kit nearby too is probably worth it. Like the Boy Scouts, painters and decorators ought to always be prepared.

Selecting Your Paint

The most important of all painting wall tips is selecting the right paint for the job. It can seem like the range available is bewildering but, relax, we have some guidance for you here. They should help you understand how to professionally paint a room

The most common types of paint are divided into two main types: oil based and water borne. While oil-based paint has traditionally been seen as tougher and more durable, today’s water-borne paints are nearly as durable. They don’t have the painstaking cleanup, smell, yellowing and environmental hazard that you get with oil-based paints either. This is why water borne paints are by far the most common for home applications.

Which finish to have? Paint in most family homes takes a bit of a bashing from children, pets and, being honest, clumsy adults too. That’s why hardy paint finishes such as egg-shell and satin are generally better home painting ideas.Once you’ve selected your type of paint, the thorny issue of colours springs to mind. Interior designers suggest you don’t rush into choosing colours but think more broadly about the ambience you are looking for, the type of light your room gets, the style of your home and, of course, your personal style and tastes. This should lead you to a colour palette that you can experiment with. We would suggest that, whatever wall painting techniques you plan to use, you start with a tester pot!

It’s worth working out which direction the main window in the room faces and whether you will get morning or evening sun. Will you get sun at all? Or is it shade? What colour will make your room brighter? What colour will make your room feel bigger?

As a general rule, lighter paint will reflect natural light and open up a room. Darker hues will make any room feel cosier and more intimate. The best painting tricks are about using this knowledge to your advantage,

You should, we hope, now be full of ideas for painting your house interior. It’s time to prepare for the work itself.

Preparing The Room For Painting

How to prepare a room for painting? Our experts have helpfully broken down the process of prepping a room for painting into four handy steps.Firstly, mask the room up ensuring you cover everything you don’t want splashed with paint. You can do this by buying a poly-wrap film that has the advantage of being slightly sticky or using more standard dust sheets.

Secondly, wash the walls you intend to paint with sugar soap, which you can buy from DIY stores cheaply. Add it to a little warm water and then wash the wall with a sponge, wringing it out regularly.

This gets rid of any grease and grime on the walls that will interfere with the paint’s finish. Once complete, let that air out and dry off before phase three.

You need to check the walls for any holes or cracks that need repairing, If you use a filler, this will need to dry and be sanded smooth before painting.

You can use 180 grit sandpaper for most things, but large repairs might need something coarser initially.

Finally, once the wall is properly prepped, wipe it down again with either a dry or damp sponge and vacuum the area to make sure there’s no excess dust laying around and you are all ready to go.

The Correct Order To Paint A Room

The advice, like many things in life, is always to start at the top. Painting a ceiling first means you don’t have to worry about spraying or splashing on the other walls. Once that challenge is complete and dry, the logistics become much easier to manage.

We would suggest painting the walls next, leaving the detail of skirtings, window frames and door frames to last. If you are painting multiple rooms, having a routine you can master will mean work gets quicker as you become more confident.

Cutting In And Edges

The best way to cut in corners when painting into corners is to carefully create a straight line using masking tape, paint up to the tape and then peel it off. You can get a range of tools to help you keep a straight line if you are worried about your eyes or steady hands.

The challenge is avoiding seepage through the tape and peeling off the original paint-work. One of the more useful ‘paint cutting in’ tips is to paint the masking tape itself with the original colour so it forms a more rigid and impermeable barrier before using it.

There is really no easy way to cut in, so we would suggest you practice before launching into any major project or you might want to consider getting professional help from the team at Red Box of course.

Dealing With Spillages

If it all goes wrong, don’t panic. Most waterborne modern paints can be cleaned with hot soapy water and a standard scouring pad. As long as the paint hasn’t dried it should come up with a bit of elbow grease. Dry paint should be attacked with rubbing alcohol to break it down.

If you have spilt or splattered small amounts of paint on a tiled or laminated floor it may be better to let it dry fully and chip it off gently.

If you follow this advice we trust there won’t be any disasters though. If you want to avoid the risk altogether it might be worth contacting Red Box for a no-obligation quote. Our painters and decorators are Which? Trusted Traders and Professional Decorating Association members.

Red Box Painters and Decorators

The Red Box painting and decorating team can advise you on all the practicalities of styling your home from picking colours to choosing the right finish. If decorating your home is a task you would like the professionals to help with, get in touch. We would love to hear about your ideas.

The Red Box painting and decorating team can advise you on all the practicalities of styling your home from picking colours to choosing the right finish. If decorating your home is a task you would like the professionals to help with, get in touch. We would love to hear about your ideas. 

We’re Hiring a Project Organiser/Administrator (Part time)

RedBox London are recruiting for a Project Organiser 

 
This is a Part time role which would ideally suit an administrator or project manager. Two hours a day initially, based in our Hurlingham Studios, London SW6 office or with some work remotely. 
 
Our Project Organiser is a new role and is to oversee project tracking and management as well as liaising with our Project Managers routinely. who are out in the field.
 
Please contact Rupert Robertson on 07920 054344 for more details or email your CV and covering letter to info@redboxlondon.com

Expert Ideas for Improving The Look Of Your Home

Floating white sideboard with open shelving and a large houseplant in a decorated interior

Expert Interior Decoration Tips To Improve Your Home

 

At Red Box, we specialise in delivering successful interior decoration projects that our clients dream of. If you’re investing in improving your living room space, upgrading your kitchen, sprucing up your bathroom, refreshing a bedroom or creating a home office, we have plenty of home decoration tips and interior design tips for beginners and old hands alike.

We have set out our top home decor tips and ideas here before going on to discuss rooms in turn.

Define your home improvement style

You shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to improving the look of your home.

To make missing out on your goals less likely, it is important to clearly understand your likes and dislikes, tastes, and vision for the future.

This may sound grand, but it is an important first step. Take your time to consider your home’s overall style goals – even scribbling down a few lines in a notebook, perhaps.

If you’re struggling, look in your wardrobe, check out the art on your walls or even the movies you like. What do your favourites have in common?

That is all down to your sense of style. With a family, of course, agreeing on a style between might be a challenge, but it is worth giving it a go to save indecision and argument down the line.[vc_single_image image=”7746″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”7751″ img_size=”full”]

Create your home interior decorating ‘Do and Do Not’ lists

Once you have established your style, it should help you filter your thinking around things that will fit, and perhaps more importantly, things that won’t fit in your future home.

Large bold colour statements might not be your bag. It’s fine.

Traditional floral prints might remind you of stuffy old grandma and be off your list too. There might not be a place for dad’s military memorabilia collection either.

There are no right or wrong decisions, just personal rules to follow.

Agreeing your Do and Do Not lists with your partner or family will, again, cut down on headaches, arguments and hesitation overall.

Set a Home Improvement Budget

Here’s where talking to professionals like Red Box Painters and Decorators might be useful. We can discuss quotes and budgets with you before you fall in love with any particular ideas.Clarity around what you wish to spend, and what you might get for your cash, is going to make decision-making a whole lot easier.

Clearly, you would want everything to be of the highest quality, but there may be a case for balancing high-ticket items with more cost-effective solutions elsewhere.

Trading off high-quality paints that will last years with cheaper kids furniture they’ll grow out of, for example, might be a sensible move.

Having put some thought into how much money you have, and where and how you want to spend it, conversations with interior designers, painters and decorators and other professionals will be a lot easier to manage.

Remember Red Box can help you with no-obligation quotes whenever you need them. Just get in touch.

Having set some ground rules, let us look at some interior design tips and tricks you can apply to each room in your home.[vc_single_image image=”7753″ img_size=”full”]

Ideas for Living Room Design

If you’re wondering how to layout your living room or how to plan a living room design, we have some top tips that might be up your street. The living room is, of course, one of the most important spaces in your home to get right whether you are bingeing a box set on your own, letting the kids run riot or socialising in the evening with friends.[vc_single_image image=”3846″ img_size=”full”]How do you design a living room? Ideas should probably start with key bits of furniture. Of all the furniture decisions to make, the biggest is probably your sofa or suite.

It will dominate the space, draw the eye and inevitably be a focal point. Increasingly, televisions and their stands come a close second. You may instinctively move the big furniture to the walls to create space, but this might not always be the best answer. Think creatively!

Interior design tips for living rooms inevitably turn to colour and texture. Paint and fabric choices should feel sympathetic to your focal point whether it’s your sofa, TV, large artwork or bay window. It is common sense to say that you should aim for the highest quality products possible.

This is when engaging with a specialist decorator firm for independent advice comes into its own.

Red Box can advise on all your painting and decorating needs based on decades of practical experience.

Interior Design Tips For The Kitchen

What are the must-have kitchen design features? How to design kitchen spaces? What practical considerations should I be making? If you’re updating your kitchen, you’re no doubt asking yourself such questions – wondering how to design a kitchen the whole family will love, how you’ll meet all your practical needs and how you’ll create a stylish addition to your home.

To a large degree kitchens are defined by their function. Easy access to your sink, fridge and cooktop ought to be a priority. It is best to think of the three in a triangle with no more than 6 feet between each of them. Then it becomes a question of how to design kitchen islands, storage space and work surfaces around that triangle. Clever, efficient design will cut down hassle and make cooking a breeze.

Once you’ve established the design of your kitchen layout, the mind should turn to kitchen storage. As a general rule of thumb, you can’t have enough cupboard space so investigate every nook and cranny for places to tidy things away.Whatever style you aspire to, it’s unlikely to involve darkness so look for opportunities for light too. Under-cupboard lights brighten countertops and are often a hit with busy cooks. Lighting, of course, needs power as do washing machines, fridges and cookers.

Our final tip is not to forget electricity, gas or plumbing. Committing to a new kitchen layout without planning to connect everything up could prove costly.

Once you’re happy with your layout, the world’s your oyster. Traditional cottage kitchen or ultra-modern minimalist food preparation area? Wood, metals, colour, patterns, boldness or pastel shades.

Whatever you have planned, Red Box professional kitchen fitters can help ensure it all runs smoothly.[vc_single_image image=”1607″ img_size=”full”]

Interior Design Secrets for Upgrading The Bedroom

Wondering how to design a bedroom? We have interior design tips for small bedrooms, master bedrooms, kids rooms or guest rooms. Asking ‘what is my bedroom design style’ is probably a good place to start. How do you want to feel? More than any other room in your home, Bedrooms should feel safe, happy, comfortable places.[vc_single_image image=”1786″ img_size=”full”]When considering how to design a bedroom layout, the bed ought to be your primary concern. It is the central feature of your space after all. Where does it sit in the room? What does it sit on? Rugs, carpets and flooring are key decisions. Colours, artwork and fabrics finish off your look. If you’re wondering how to design a bedroom wall, think about one single key feature that will draw your eye.

Remember some colours are inherently relaxing and calming. Others, such as organic browns and greens, imply cosiness and comfort too. These might be more suited to a bedroom than big, bold primary colours. The choice, however, depends entirely on what you want to achieve.

If you’re wondering how to design a simple bedroom or something more grand and elegant, the team at Red Box can help with all your painting and decorating needs.

Interior Design Tips For The Bathroom

A visually appealing bathroom is a key asset for any home. If you’re wondering how to design a new bathroom, how to design a bathroom remodelling project or even just considering refreshing your existing space, there’s a lot to think about.

How you design your bathroom layout is likely to be defined by practical needs – shower, bath or wetroom? It’s worth investing in the highest quality suite you can. Why not luxuriate in the rolltop bath or powerful zinging shower? You deserve it.

You may have to design a bathroom in a small space but fear not, there are plenty of tips to make the most of every nook and cranny.Build a shampoo niche into the wall, rather than rely on additional shelving for example. Bench seating, perhaps, in marble is another space saver.

You can’t have too many ledges for your knick-knacks and other bits and pieces. Use them as an excuse to add a touch of colour too.

If you are not designing for a small bathroom, consider a barn door to access your walk-in shower.

What could be more than luxurious? Remember safety though and add grab bars or handles to avoid slips.

How do you design a bathroom that’s right for you and your family? There are so many choices, it can feel a bit overwhelming. The good news is Red Box can help you at every stage of your project.

Contact us to get quotes on every aspect of bathroom fitting and decoration.[vc_single_image image=”3425″ img_size=”full”]

Interior Design Tips For The Home Office

Many of us have had to work from home in recent times and, as a result, have been on the lookout for home office decorating tips. Comfort, practicality and efficiency are probably the most important features when it comes to how to layout a home office. Health and safety decrees where and how you sit, work and use technology but such things do need careful consideration. The world is full of poor home office layout examples that have led to bad backs, poor posture and weakened eyesight.

Choosing the right room in the first place is the first task when it comes to how to design a home office. Ideally, there’d be a bit of separation between home and family life. Choose a room with a door you can close and feel comfortable, away from hustle and bustle.[vc_single_image image=”7761″ img_size=”full”]Let it inspire you too. You will be alone, perhaps, for a lot of your working day so don’t forget artwork, ornaments and personal items. They could be postcards from favourite places or portraits of favourite people.

Keep things fresh but swap items rather than add to the clutter. Your home office should be a pleasant place to be.

Don’t, in all this, forget the practicalities when arranging your home office layout. Your work will need a desk, a suitable office chair, more storage than you think you need and technology.

A beautiful office without a strong internet connection is unlikely to be a success in 2021.

As always, if you are wondering how to design a home office, it is worth talking to the professionals. Red Box can talk you through all your design, painting and decorating needs.

Is It Worth Hiring An Interior Decorator?

Having read our easy decorating tips, you might be asking yourself ‘Should I hire an interior decorator?’ The answer is specialist help will always add a level of professionalism and quality to your home it is difficult and expensive to replicate through doing it yourself.

Professionals can ask you questions and guide your decision making thanks to their experience and know-how. They will know about the latest trends and technologies. They will have relationships with suppliers – from kitchen appliances to paint – so you can be confident in always getting the best.

The next question is ‘how much does it cost to hire an interior decorator?’ The answer is probably less than you think. Add in the time and hassle you’ll save and it might represent a bargain. The way to find out is to ask for a quote. The team at Red Box will provide one on a no-obligation basis. Just pick up the phone.

Plan your eco-friendly home for Earth Day!

Bright period living room with cream armchairs and oak flooring after an eco-friendly home update

Plan an Eco-Friendly Home for Earth Day!

 

Celebrate Mother Earth Day on April 22nd by using these tips for your home renovation plans!
To celebrate Earth Day today, we wanted to share a few tips to help you make your home more eco-friendly – ideal if you are planning a renovation – add these to your plans.

1. Loft insulation is vital

Loft installation tends to be fitted as standard in most homes but some older properties may be inadequately insulated and letting out the heat in the winter.

You can insulate the loft yourself with the right materials from your DIY store or call a professional to insulate and renovate your loft.  Why not consider a loft conversion and make better use of the space too?

2. Ensure you have double glazed windows

Modern homes tend to have these already, but a surprising number of older houses in the UK letting out the hot air through the windows. By installation double glazing you can help reduce your energy usage and costs plus help retain the heat into the home – ideal for the winter months!

 

3. Looking for new furniture? Consider second hand furniture

Don’t panic! Second hand does not always mean dirty old tat nobody wants. Sometimes there are some fantastic items to be found almost brand-new from online and local reselling websites. Scuffed or slightly marked items can be made good as new with a refurbishment project too – lots of ideas of YouTube and Pinterest.

By purchasing a pre-owned item, you’re recycling – helping your budget and the environment. It may also help you add something different to your home no longer on sale on the high street.[vc_single_image image=”7695″ img_size=”full”][vc_single_image image=”7696″ img_size=”full”]

4. Manage your electrical item usage better, purchase some smart plugs and switch off.

Leaving items plugged in all day and night, even if not in use, can still use energy. Whilst companies are making devices more energy efficient, making sure they are switched off is always a more effective solution.
If you are forgetful and never remember to unplug or turn off electrical items when rushing out the door to work or before going to bed – smart technology has the answer.
Smart plugs are inexpensive solutions (can range from around £15-30 each) will save you money in the long run – lowering your electricity bills and using less energy. You can also time them to turn off or on at certain times and even control them from your mobile device.

5. Install a smart thermostat.

Smart thermostat technology is becoming increasingly more popular. Companies such as Nest & Hive are two of the UK’s most popular as the trend grows. Nest boast having saved over 8 million kWh of energy worldwide to date.
How does it work? The smart thermostats will learn how you use your energy in your home, and manage your routine, adjusting the temperature to your typical needs. When you leave the house, it turns it off to save your heating bills – and of course you can turn it on, off, up and down from your smart phone when you are not home.

Our teams can help install smart technology into your home, to make it more efficient and eco-friendly – call or email us to discuss your home renovation plan this week – visit our profile for links.