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S summer comes to a close and the evenings draw in, many people are switching sunfilled days at the beach and long nights out for the comfort and warmth of their own homes. And after a long summer out and about with making improvements to homes and gardens at the back of their minds, many are taking the plunge and getting to work making the most of their spaces. Whether it’s an apartment, villa, balcony or garden, a few quick improvements can transform a space from homely to luxury, and homeowners are now taking advantage of increased time to make those changes. The pandemic has also seen investment in home improvements increase by around 5 per cent, and now friends and families are meeting again and social events are back on the table, many are choosing to host from their homes, making it a must to get spaces look-
INDOOR SPACE: Comfort is high on the agenda. ing their best. In fact, the ability to socialise from home has been driving spending in consumers’ homes and gardens choices, with owners increasingly adapting spaces to become more open plan, freeing them up to be used by multiple groups at the same time, and increasing the space available for entertaining. Meanwhile, the rise in various members of the same family moving back in together during the pandemic, and the need
to be able to host families and friends from abroad has also been driving an increase in the number of people adding bedrooms to a property. Homes and garden trends are also changing spending habits, with the neutral beiges and creams popular in the past decade now being replaced with green to mirror nature in indoor spaces. Comfort is also high on the agenda, with this season’s trends seeing an increase in the use of luxury fabrics in cur-
tains, cushions and sofas to add a hotel-quality feel to homes. In outdoor spaces too there is a trend for luxury, with items including outdoor saunas and luxury pools gaining popularity. The good news is that alongside making homes more comfortbale and luxurious to live in, these home improvements could also be adding to the value of house prices with Spain’s housing market continuing to grow by 0.7 per cent from last year.
Wardrobe clear out
EVERY so often it is a good idea to have a complete clear-out of your wardrobe and organise it. We can’t promise it will last that way, but it’s the intention that counts! First of all, take everything out and clean the inside. Then, take a good look at your clothes and put back in the Organise your clothing. wardrobe the items that you use frequently. Also keep what you can use next season. Anything you don’t use, or haven’t used, you probably won’t be using in future. If it has no sentimental value, you can give it away, donate it or even sell it on certain apps if it is still in new or good condition. At the top of the wardrobe, place the items you won’t be using during that season, such as jumpers in summer or shorts in winter. At the bottom, keep shoes, where possible in their boxes, showing what is inside. The rest can be put on hangers, in drawers or on shelves, depending on the size of the wardrobe.