Learn From Manchester’s Interior Designers
How to turn a Student House into a Home: We team up with Manchester’s Interior Designers
The team here at Luxome® understands the importance of making your time at university a memorable experience, in a place you can call your home. All of our homes are finished to an extremely high quality and attention to detail is at the heart of everything we do, but that being said, we still want you to make our homes, now your home, original and unique to you.
We’ve teamed up with Manchester-based interior designers, Jan Carter from Kharis and Kale Interiors, and Lucy Burt from Nest Interior Design to give you practical advice for your new home. We asked Jan and Lucy 5 questions on how to make your creative space unique to you.
Can you give our residents some easy hacks to make their student bedrooms their own?
The easiest way to make a furnished room your own is to use cushions, throws, and a few accessories teamed with a couple of plants. Green plants will bring a little nature indoors and create a calming feel to the room. A few cushions in a colour you like, adding a throw with some texture and the same colour palette will warm the room up and create a cosy feel. These are also practical for propping yourself up with a cup of tea while watching TV. Finally, a few accessories will add a personal touch and make the room feel like your own.
Jan, Kharis and Kale Interiors
What can our residents do to create a productive workspace to get them in the zone?
Always try to have a dedicated space for work. Creating a quiet corner with a clear desk will allow you to focus and concentrate when you sit down to study. A clean and well organised desk – ideally by the window or in the path of natural light – means you can maximise the work time you have available rather than spending time moving clutter out of the way to clear space at a potentially shared dining or coffee table. Invest in a directional desk lamp if you’re working at night or lack good light. Make sure you’ve got plenty of files & folders to store work in, so you know where everything is. A comfy & ideally adjustable desk chair means sitting for long periods won’t leave you with a cranky back and adding a plant or two (artificial if you’re not good at watering them) will inject a dose of colour – live plants are thought to reduce stress, increase productivity and creativity and clean the air.
Lucy, Nest Interior Design
What are the most common mistakes landlords make when furnishing and decorating properties?
Many landlords don’t consider their target market when refurbishing; instead, they opt for the cheapest fittings and materials. In addition, they don’t consider the needs of residents and how they will live at the property. An essential aspect of the renovation is space planning and considering how your target market will use the space. Finally, decorating the whole room in a warm neutral will appeal to all, but not too much use of grey, which has been overused in many refurbed properties I see on the market and can make them look very dull. Furniture needs to be both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Unfortunately, too many landlords only consider the functional element of the furnishing. In today’s market, how the furniture looks is just as crucial. Presentation is key.
Jan, Kharis and Kale Interiors
What tips would you give to any aspiring young designers?
Whilst theoretical knowledge will always be useful and provide the foundation to your work, you will never learn more than on live projects. Get as much practical experience as you can, work shadowing, internships, volunteering, offering design help to friends and family. All of these will provide real-life experience whilst building up your portfolio and network.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Inspiration comes from many areas. Nature, travel, and just taking note of my surroundings, what is good and what can be improved, and how I would do that. Inspiration for a colour scheme can come from a piece of art that is the client’s favourite. When doing residential design. I will take my inspiration from the building, the period it was built, and the location, country, coastal, and city, then combine this with my client’s likes and requirements. If staging a property for sale or rent, the property’s style and the target market will inspire the finish.
Jan, Kharis and Kale Interiors
