Darren has a broad portfolio, having studied fine art & graphic design, originally working in advertising and owning his own graphic design company. After succumbing to his true passion, Darren now operates his own interior design studio and has been a judge on numerous
seasons of The Block.
With all the extra time we’ve been spending at home lately, you can no longer avoid noticing those little things around that you’ve been meaning to do but just didn’t get around to doing. Now is the best opportunity to spruce up a few spaces, especially any of those that you spend a lot of time in or are showing to your colleagues if you are working from home.
Some of the most effective home improvements that can make a world of difference also happen to be the simplest. Of course, there are varying levels of ‘elbow grease’ or DIY knowledge needed but I can tell you now it is well worth the effort and the result will no doubt delight you.
Paint Party
Paint is a super simple way to transform so many things in your home. You can upcycle an old piece of furniture with just a little preparation and a few cans of the right sort of all-purpose binding spray paint. You can add impact to your hallways by highlighting your doors in a feature colour or you can transform a room in its entirety by choosing a bold or interesting colour to apply to every wall in a house. A few hours or days of work will provide a huge transformation, no matter what you’re working on. The best thing about paint is you can always change it if it doesn’t turn out the way you thought.
Wall to Wall
Wallpaper is the next level of transformation from paint, think of it as paint PLUS. Wallpaper and wallpaper murals can provide pattern, colour, texture, interest and whimsy to any wall or walls in a space. Choose them to create the mood and style you want from your home, whether that be the subtle texture of silk, linen or grass cloth, or the playful patterns of marine life, nautical themes, abstract art or the things of children’s dreams.
Wall Panel Love
If you want a real and natural textural punch to your walls, you can apply Carpet Court’s DIY Elevate wall panels. They are real wood veneer applied to a lightweight substrate that you can adhere to your walls. It’s completely DIY friendly and an easy way to add real wood to walls or even ceilings without the need for a carpenter or joiner. The tones and hues of wood vary from deep brown, greys, naturals to even near white, so you can match to your aesthetic whether it be Hamptons or a modern contemporary wall through to rustic charm.
Adorn your Floors
Not strictly a DIY in the traditional sense, however rugs are a relatively inexpensive way to quickly refresh a room. They can make a dramatic impact to a room’s overall look & feel and coming into the cooler months they will keep your toes from touching the cold, hard floor. Whether you have a rug currently in your space or not, take a step back and have a look at your room’s dimensions, query its purpose and contents. From there work out whether a round rug (like Carpet Court’s Evoke range) or rectangular rug would suit best. I’ve shared some tips previously on choosing the right rug, as it’s so important to have the right rug in the right size & shape, and of course in the right place. Do you want to “zone” areas of a larger open plan pace? Or are you looking to make a sanctuary of your bedroom? After thinking on the above this is where you can then come in and add the impact of colour, pattern (think Carpet Court’s Visions rug range) and texture.
Get the Carpet Court Look
1. Wall panels Elevate in Storm Grey 2. Rugs Evoke in Round Silver Flower 3. Rugs Rustic Charm in Beige Silver
