Xtra touch blog

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  Introduction to 'The Xtra Touch' with Sian Astley

  We know you want to able to provide a bit more than just an excellent painting and decorating service. Suggesting stylish scenes or consulting on creative colour schemes are ways to do this - but where do you start when offering customers design advice? That's why we've introduced The Xtra Touch, a new, monthly blog from Manchester-based interior design guru Sian Astley. With an extensive portfolio of transforming and renovating properties, as well as having her work featured on BBC 3, ITV and Channel 4 shows, there is no better expert to give you that Xtra Touch of design panache.

  If you want some inspiration or have a design related question for Sian, simply comment on this blog or tweet @Moregeous. Not only could it be the subject of next month's Xtra Touch blog, but you could also win some gift vouchers.

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About Sian Astley

Sian is a Manchester based property renovator, interior designer, TV presenter and residential landlord. A client recently called Sian a 'lady builder' - a great description as she re-designs, re-builds and house doctors other people's houses with her team.

Having started off in 1996 with £1 and a heap of enthusiasm, Sian self manages a portfolio of residential properties, so spends her weeks looking, chasing and tidying up after a lovely bunch of tenants. Sian has been working in the world of property for fifteen years now and though hard work, there's no job she'd rather do.

Sian is part of the Moregeous team which consists of Sian, Mr Moregeous, her other very handy half and her team of Merry Moregeous Men - together they make their own and other people's properties not just gorgeous, but more than gorgeous. Sian has featured on BBC3's 'How to Live with Women' in April 2011 as a property expert, and one of her Morgeous projects came away with gold prize on ITV's 'May the Best House Win'.

Decorating in 2012 - Clementines aren't just for Christmas

Don't be surprised this year if your customers want to brighten things up a little and add some eye-popping brights to their home decor. When times are tough we could all do with a bit of cheering up which is why citrus shades, such as tangerine orange, are making a comeback in 2012 to get everyone smiling. From fashion to handbags to kettles, orange rocks. The question is, how do you successfully incorporate or suggest it into a decorating scheme?

Bright shades work well together - pop a lime next to a Satsuma and that's all too clear - however it takes a very brave customer to opt for a bedroom this zingy. These types of colours would probably work best in a room flooded with natural light and for a customer who doesn't have difficulty sleeping!

Hallways are a perfect location in the home to choose some colour because there tends to be few soft furnishings to co-ordinate with or furniture to 'match'. This orange hallway on the Martha Stewart website manages to be both fun and elegant, proving it can be done tastefully.

Tangerine hues work well with white or warm creams, but can also give personality to a room full of earth tones, which could be accused of being a bit dull without its fruity walls.

Customers who've used super trendy grey in their home decor will find that orange is a fabulous accent colour, whether used in stripes, blocking or whole walls. I would recommend using a tester card first to match up the best shades.

Also, don't forget it's not just walls you can paint! Virtually anything can be brought bang up-to-date using the correct paint finish. I love the way this period style bath has been given a fresh zesty twist.

However, if a tangerine shade is just too much for your customer, but they still want an element of the look, suggest they tone down the shade for a more subtle and elegant style.

This bedroom feature wall colour gives a contemporary edge to the room, especially as it is teamed up with feminine furniture and lighting.

If you have any questions about how you can best use a citrus colour scheme, then leave me a comment on here or get in touch via Twitter @Moregeous.

Beige doesn't have to be boring

Interior designer Kelly Hoppen has become synonymous with the colour taupe - a brownish-grey neutral which complements many interior schemes - but the shade often comes under criticism for being a little, well, boring!

Kelly's schemes are very high-end and usually include luxurious textures, fabrics and finishes which give the individuality and style ideal for any interior. Unfortunately this isn't something which everyone can afford, so how can you give a basic neutral scheme that all important element of personality, without going over budget?

Well here's the good news… it's easy to bring a room to life through the clever use of colour, so why not help your clients with some well researched colour suggestions.

To complement taupe shades with golden undertones, try some sunshine accent colours, bold stripes or full feature walls in yellow or orange. After all, taupe lies between these two hues on the colour wheel.

Kelly is also partial to a touch of regal purple within her schemes, so maybe suggest a deep lilac or rich damson to your customers - perhaps on one wall, as a wallpaper choice, or for bed linen or accessories.

For a light contemporary feel, you could recommend teal or turquoise to bring a calm energy to a neutral look. These shades work brilliantly as blocks or botanical patterns and particularly well if your customer has furniture in lighter shades of maple or oak.

Whatever the final decision, remember beige doesn't have to be boring and your suggestions, and a couple of tester pots, might make all the difference and give your customer's home that wow factor they've been looking for!

If you have any questions about how you can boost a beige colour scheme, then leave me a comment on here or get in touch via Twitter @Moregeous.

Prevent winter blues with a bright setting

There are still a few weeks to go before winter sets in, so now is the perfect time to speak to your customers about decorating the outside of their homes in preparation for the colder months.

Wind, rain and the already forecast snow can cause havoc with exterior woodwork if it's not properly protected. We all know the basics of recommending a suitable coating that will preserve the woodwork in these demanding environments, but why not encourage your clients to let their personalities show on the outside of their homes too?

If you are working on a timber front door, for example, once you have sanded off the remains of any cracked or peeling paint and have applied the exterior undercoat, why not suggest a more contemporary colour for the gloss rather than the traditional shades of black and white, which many people often opt for.

Who wouldn't smile when returning to a door like one of the ones pictured? It's great to welcome your customer home with a sunshine yellow shade, a flash of vibrant lime green or a pillar box red. I'm currently working on a house with a candyfloss pink door, which makes me smile every time I approach it!

As another idea, why not suggest colour matching your customer's external flower boxes or plant holders in their favourite shades, to keep their garden looking colourful throughout the winter and ready for planting next spring.

Even garden sheds can look amazing with a lick of paint, they don't have to be varnished wood or stained green. Customers who love the vintage look could try pastel shades, or maybe a racing green for someone a bit sportier.

Suggestions like this will keep you one step ahead of the competition, and ensure your clients think of you with a smile every time they step outside!

If you have any questions about how you can brighten up the outside of your customers' property, then leave me a comment on here or get in touch via Twitter @Moregeous.

Lighten up the end of summer

Everyone seems to have that 'end of summer' feeling already, but there are ways we can bring a little light into our customers' lives with clever use of products and materials. Not only can the right specification and design help brighten internal spaces, but it can also stop the dreaded Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or winter blues, as I call it!

It's a subject I've been thinking about a lot recently, as I've been working on a cellar conversion with just one window. The shower room in this basement flat has been tiled with gorgeous linear slate tiles. It's a fantastic material to work with and has a very luxurious feel, but because it's so dark, there is a risk it might feel a little claustrophobic.

It's a brave choice to work with such deep tones in an underground space, so for balance, I'm recommending that the ceiling is coated with Dulux Trade Light & Space in Absolute White. The paint has reflective qualities, so it really enhances any available light around the room - perfect to brighten up my client's showering experience and creating a clean contrast with the tiles.

As well as using light reflective paints, there are other design tricks you could suggest to your customers to illuminate dark rooms. Why not experiment with unusual lighting schemes? Coloured LEDs or lights controlled by dimmer switches can be good ways to inject extra brightness into a dark space and are a fun alternative to standard lamps.

If you have any questions about how you can brighten up your customers' homes with design tricks, then leave me a comment on here or get in touch via Twitter @Moregeous.

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