Often during the home renovation process it’s the smaller detail upgrades that can make a big impact to your project. Case in point, the recent internal and external door hardware upgrades using products from Lemaar that I installed in my own home.

Our house was built in the late 90’s and is a pretty stock-standard build. No fancy tap ware or door handles which would have been a decision made by the original home owners to save some dollars at the time. Fast forward 20 years later, and no longer must we have to settle for cheaply made, standard design items just to fit within the budget. But instead we are spoilt for choice with quality and affordable pieces for our home which can instantly add both character and a sense of luxe to a home.

Lemaar door hardware is an Australian owned business and leader in door hardware across Australia. They are a trusted brand with not only builders and architects, by DIYers like myself too. Their hardware range which is designed in Australia, consists of both classic and on-trend designs which are available in a variety of finishes including brushed brass and black. With entry and passage sets plus privacy handles, the Lemaar range is a great option if you are simply updating one door, or wanting to upgrade and match your entire household door hardware.

When it came to installing both the Lemaar entry and passage sets in our home, we were on our L plates not having changed door hardware before ourselves. But we were pleasantly surprised when both sets were super quick and easy to change over from our existing hardware. To see just how easy, you can view a video of the installation of the Lemaar Almeri entry set in brushed brass on my Instagram here. And the installation of the Almeri passage set in brushed brass here.

We are so happy with both the look and quality feel of the new hardware and love how much it has added to our otherwise plain and boring doors. While upgrading the interior door handles, we also decided to add even more character by DIYing our own door moulding which compliments the new brushed brass additions perfectly. Find that project here.

The Lemaar range can be found at leading hardware retailers.

One of easiest ways to give an interior space a whole new look is by introducing new wall art. And one of the most cost effective ways to do this is by framing art prints yourself. We are spoilt for choice these days with affordable frame options, as well as having art prints available to us at the touch of a button online. One of my favorite online art print stores which I have used in my own home, as well as for clients, is Desenio. With an extraordinary range of on-trend prints to suit a large variety of interior styles, they have an abundance of high quality prints available in a range of sizes, which are very budget friendly!

Today I am going to show you how I have introduced some new Desenio prints that I framed and hung myself in my own home, and give you guys some tips to consider when hanging art prints in your own home. There’s even a generous discount code for you to use at the end of this blog so if you are chasing new art, now is the time 🙌

STATEMENT ART

There is something to be said for the simplicity of one large piece on the wall instead of several small ones. Whether it’s a large piece on it’s own on a blank wall, or filling an empty space above a furniture piece, using a statement art piece instantly creates a wow factor to a room.

If there’s already a lot going on in a space, as there is with this area of my daughters room above, using one larger art print helps to give the space some focus. On the opposite side of this room is a vintage patterned floral wallpaper (see previous blog) which is very bold and eye catching. So to balance with it on this side of this room above the desk, I’ve stuck with the floral and pink style, but have chosen this softer design art print which compliments rather than competes with the wallpaper. Framing it in a light timber frame adds warmth and ties in well with the other wood elements within the space.

GALLERY WALL

Gallery walls continue to be a popular choice for displaying both photos and wall art. They are a great way to fill a wall and add a focal point to a space and can be as large or small as you want them to be!

My son has an ocean themed room which consists of various blue tones and neutral textures. So for the wall beside his bed, I wanted to add some interest and continue the sea theme with some ocean style art prints from the Desenio range. Combining the photo prints with a quote print and a drawn art piece tells the story of the ocean theme while adding depth and interest. I decided to use different sized prints to give a more casual look which I feel works well in a kids space as apposed to frames of all the same size which caters for a more modern and sleek style. When it came to the layout of the frames, I hung the largest one first, followed by the medium then small prints to ensure they were balanced and worked together the wall space. I did use all timber frames though to give some uniformity and balance.

PERFECT PAIR

For me, the artwork is the starting point for decorating a room once the furniture selectionshave been made. After selecting the art, I like to pull tones, textures and pattern from it and repeat via decorative items and soft furnishings to create a cohesive space that flows. You can see how this process works via the images of my master bedroom above. Repeating the beautiful green and brown tones, along with natural textures in the bedding and surrounding items creates an inviting and visually pleasing space.

Using a set of matching prints like I have here is a great way to create a statement in a space as an alternative to using one large art piece. A perfect pair can differ but should compliment one another in some way, be it a repeated tone, texture or pattern.

The Desenio team have kindly given me a discount code to pass on to you guys to use on the extensive art prints range. Simply use code DIYDECORATOR25 for 25% off prints* Get in quick as this code is only valid from Oct 5th-7th. *excludes frames, handpicked/personalised prints.

FEATURED ARTWORK

Harper’s Room

• Bed of flowers (70x100cm)

Jack’s room

• Nature creation (70x100cm)
• Sails on the surface (50x70cm)
• Whales (21x30cm)
• Ocean quote (old print)

Master bedroom

• Rustic olive branch (50x70cm)
• Detailed olive branch (50x70cm)
• Charming Home (50x70cm)
• Concrete leaves (50x70cm)

My daughter Harper is SUCH a girly girl! As in loves pink, shoes, clothes, dolls, princesses tutu’s etc. I don’t know where she gets it from and have no idea whose child she actually is, as I am the total opposite! She is almost 3 (going on 13) and has lately been telling me she wants a pink room. Even picking out her own pink paint samples when we are in the paint section at our local Bunnings. Unable to deny that little face, and always keen for a room makeover, I decided that a pink bedroom project was on the cards!

As our home is quite neutral and full of timbers and natural items, I wanted to make sure some of these elements were featured in Harper’s room to help it flow. Instead of using a bright or pastel pink, I opted for a darker dusty pink which would give the room a more vintage feel. Choosing the right tone took a little while, but I settled on Dulux Evening Blush. To continue on with the vintage style, I decided to do half the wall painted in the blush pink, and the other half wall papered. Boho Art & Styling have a great range of removable wall papers that are super easy to install and being a brand I’ve worked with before, I was keen to try out their range. I chose a design called ‘Boho Blooms’ is a beautiful floral design which incorporates soft pinks and browns and is a real statement piece while remaining soft and feminine.

After painting the top half of the wall with three coats of the evening blush, I put up the wall paper. I have to admit that it was far easier to install than I thought it would be! It literally took me 15 minutes on my own to apply the 4 panels to the bottom half of the wall. Each panel is was cut to size and numbered, so it was simply a matter of lining them up on the wall. To finish the feature wall, I used a Porta Timber rail from Bunnings to cover where the paint and wallpaper met. I left the rail as is (raw timber), as it worked well with the vintage look. However, it could have easily painted or stained as an alternative. I used liquid nails to stick the rail to the wall. Holding it in place with masking tape overnight until the glue was dry. When it came to decorating this wall, I kept it very simple due to the pattern of the wallpaper. Hanging a natural rattan mirror from Nook Lifestyle & Living, and custom name print from Boho Art & Styling, hung in a frame from Spotlight.

As Harper plays on the floor of her room quite a lot, I wanted to add in a large floor rug which filled most of the floor space in the room. I went with a 200x290cm rug from Urban Rugs in the design Saffron Kansas, pink. It is a is super lush and soft floor rug that works nicely in the space. The majority of the rug is white which I felt the room needed, being that there’s a lot of pink in there. The soft pink criss-cross pattern amongst the white is just the right amount of colour to tie it in with the other items in the room. The quality of this rug is amazing and having it really helps to finish the room and pull it all together.

I really wanted to add a block out blind to the space as the curtains that were in there didn’t fit with the new scheme and also let in a lot of sunlight. We installed a fantastic custom blind from Blinds In Print which is a fun way to add in some colour and pattern to a room via a practical piece. Before settling on a design, I requested a few samples from Blinds In Print so I could make sure whichever design I chose didn’t clash with the other finishes on the space, and suited the overall look. The design I went with is Clapham Weave in Peach. It’s a beautiful muted pink tone that really works well with both the wall colour and wallpaper. The small detail of the dot pattern works beautifully in to the space. Its a subtle pattern which is a statement but doesnt dirstract from other pieces in the room. Ordering the blind via the Blinds In Print website was really easy. Simply entering in the required dimensions for the blind and picking your design. Installing them was just as easy, with my husband having it up within ten minutes. We chose this blind to be hung over top of the window so that less light would show. Although not as streamline and neat as a blind recessed inside a window frame, it is more practical for a bedroom. *A week after installing the blind, and Miss Harper has been sleeping in later. Proof that a block-out blind is worth investing in!!!

Another important addition to Harper’s room is of course the Scalloped Chantal Occasional Chair I collaborated on with Luxo Living (more stock and new colour options coming soon!). The pink design is perfect for Harper’s room as it is a piece that will grow with her and she can use for years to come. Another new item that I added to the room is the $35 poly-rattan shopping buggy from Target. A cute piece that Harper loves to play with and looks great in her new vintage style, pink palace. I also added the Kmart hacked planter stand which I turned in to a dolls bed (find here).

• Bedding, Adairs (old) find similar here.
• Pink throw, Spotlight.
• Cane bed head, gum tree find.
• Bedside table, Ecosa.
• Large framed print, Boho Art Styling.
• Table lamp, Kmart.
• Pespex shelves, find similar here.
• Chest of drawers, Fantstic Furniture.
• Pink suitcases storage, Bianca Design.
• Dolls house, DIY project. Find here.
• If  you would like to know where anything else in the room is from, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or my social media platforms.

I am so happy with the overall result. For such a small room, we managed to add a lot of pink. A lot of girly detail. However, using the more vintage style not only works well with the rest of our home, but is also a space that Harper loves now and is sure to love as she grows older too. It’s a space that won’t need updating any time soon as it has everything a girl needs. As I write this, Miss Harper is currently playing in there with her doll house, chatting away having a great time! She spends so much more time in there now and really enjoys the space. That makes me as both a mum and interior decorator very happy!

Zoe Gilpin
The DIY Decorator

Mudroom; A small room or entryway where footwear and outer clothes can be removed before entering a house. 

Mudrooms are something that we are seeing a lot more of in Australian homes, and in ones that aren’t necessarily the traditional farm house style. When we think of a mudroom, we often think of large built in cabinetry either located at the entry of a home or perhaps in the laundry. Scour pinterest and you’ll find that most images containing a mud room are in American homes, and one’s that are quite grand and fall more in to the line of traditional interior styles. But at the moment, browse any Australian home magazine or the social media accounts of some well known stylists, and you will spot mudrooms being used in homes of many interior styles.

So what exactly what is a mudroom? And what does it contain? Mudrooms are area’s of the home where you can pop your bits and pieces as you enter it. The perfect place to hang your handbag, sit down and remove your shoes and chuck them neatly out of the way. Having an area like this is especially handy when you have kids. By removing their dirty shoes, wet jackets and hats and leaving them by the front door, it stops them trailing the mess through your home. As I mentioned previously, mudrooms can be large and grand. However, if you have a standard sized home like mine, you can add in a simple bench to sit on, as well as adding a few baskets under the bench to pop shoes in. Hang a coat rack on the wall above it to give you somewhere to neatly store bags and coats. It’s so simple to create these areas in your home with just a few furniture pieces.

Enter Willow & Wood. An Australian small business based in Melbourne. Owner and ‘head furniture chick‘ Rebecca created her first piece 25 years ago with help from her dad. A piece she still has today which has lasted the test of time due to it being built with love and made to last. Rebecca continues to carry this philosophy in to every piece created and sold via her business. All of the pieces are designed by the family owned business to be quality, timeless pieces that are both functional and decorative. To view their extensive range of beautiful timber pieces, which are not only perfect to use in entries and mudrooms but other areas in the home such as bedrooms and bathrooms as well, head here to their online store.

Using four pieces from the Willow & Wood range, I have created both a mudroom space in our entry, as well as using some pieces from their range in two room within our house. Our home was built in the late 90’s and is a very stock standard design which lacks character. The walls are square and gyprock. The overall design of the house is very basic. So to give it life and create interest, I’ve had to add the character in to it myself. Adding something like a mudroom to the entry of the house brings in some life with the addition of warm timber and eye catching pieces.

The entry space to our home is basically one wall. So I had to make sure that whatever went there wasn’t in the way upon entering. In the past I’ve had floating shadow boxes and framed prints on the wall which looked great but wasn’t overly functional. So by adding in the Country Farm Bench as well as the Recycled Timber Hooks in white above it on the wall above it, I have created an area to hang my bag when I walk in to the home, as well as a place for us to sit and put shoes on or off as well. By adding a few decorative baskets to store shoes in, the space is now not only functional, but looks great as well. To finish the space, a small jute rug to wipe dirty shoes on before popping them in the baskets. For decoration, a simple dried floral arrangement hanging from one of the hooks to a pop of colour with greenery which is all the space needs to feel complete.

In our master bedroom, I used the French Country Bench at the end of the bed. As the room is quite large, I like to extend the bed and fill the space with the use of a bench. This design instantly brings character, charm and warmth to a room with the tone of the recycled timber and stunning crisscross sides. It again works as both a decorative and functional piece. The perfect place to sit and put your shoes on while getting ready, or somewhere to place clothes on at the end of a busy day. To match this piece is the Country Timber Hooks. Also made from a recycled timber, it is the perfect piece to accompany the bench seat, or is a stand out piece on its own. I have used ours as a decorative feature and somewhere to hang a hand towel and some decorative items from in our laundry. A piece which could also be used as a towel rack in a bathroom.

So when you enter your home via the front door or perhaps your laundry and don’t feel like that space is quite right, consider a mudroom. A practical and easy to install addition to any home that is not only functional, but can look amazing as well!

Zoe Gilpin – The DIY Decorator