Top tips

Top Tips

As we finish the tour of my home, I wanted to give you some final tips and tricks I have used here to really make it a special place.

• We looked into the option of having a fully cantilevered stone staircase, but the cost was eye-wateringly expensive. Instead, we constructed the staircase from breeze blocks and rendered it in lime plaster. Opting for balusters and the bannister in iron gives it a feeling of Provence.

• Our guest bedroom has a really pretty original window, and while it's not particularly draft proof, we couldn't bring ourselves to change it. It's part of the history of this house and brings so much character.

• I always lean towards keeping bedroom schemes calm and simple, choosing off-white colours and neutral tones.

• Having multiple zones of spaces that guests can relax in makes your home incredibly welcoming and relaxed.

• When hosting a lot of guests at a table, use round placemats instead of rectangular to fit more people in.

• Treat your garden like you would any room inside your house by adding comfortable touches; take your cushions outside and lay your outdoor table with napkins and colourful glasses.

• Consider the artwork that will be included within a room at the early stages, so you can use it as a starting point when building your scheme and choosing complementary colours.

• I always say that art should be an impulsive purchase, meaning you see it and instantly love it. Art is personal and should give you that instant feeling and mean something to you.

• When hanging a group of artworks, I will always lay them out on the floor first to play with different arrangements.

• I would always recommend hanging art at eye level for optimum viewing ease, regardless of the ceiling height.

• I believe that every room should have its own moment of drama; from small hallways to your main sitting room, every space should sing.

Sourcebook

• Artist Daisy Sims Hilditch
• Artist Betty Sims Hilditch