Style Edit - Melissa Parisi

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the STYLE

EDIT

with MELISSA PARISI

THE HOLIDAY HOME STYLIST

6 COMMON DECORATING MISTAKES TO AVOID!

Creating a well-balanced and beautiful room is the result of careful planning and consideration. Here are some of the most common decorating mistakes people make and how to avoid them.

1. Missing the Common Element

Using a variety of furnishings in a room makes your space feel rich and layered, however, take care to choose items that share a common element. For example, if your sofa has square arms, choose an occasional chair with similarly shaped arms, not rolled arms. Avoid your space looking “too perfect” like it’s out of a catalogue by choosing a combination of items with common elements that bring your room together.

2. Keeping Furniture that Doesn’t Suit

Holding onto existing furniture that is not in keeping with the style you are trying to achieve, will never give you the look you want. I’ve had so many people say to me “I’d like my room to look like this… but I want to keep this old sofa that’s completely the wrong colour and style – will that work?” The answer is NO! A room is only as good as the sum of the items in it, so don’t let one piece of furniture compromise your style. Why hold onto furniture when it doesn’t bring you joy and it doesn’t achieve what you want it to. Give yourself permission to find an alternate use for it, or sell it and buy something more suitable. If your old sofa is a classic shape but the wrong colour, perhaps consider having it reupholstered.

3. The Wrong Scale and Proportion

Scale is how an item relates to the size of the room, while the proportion is how an item relates to other items in the room. It is easy to get this wrong. A larger room can handle furnishings and decor that are larger in scale and vice versa. The main furnishing item in the room determines the scale of all the other furnishings. For example, an oversized sofa and a delicate side table may look silly next to each other. Filling 60% of your floor space with furniture and leaving 40% open makes a room feel complete without appearing overcrowded. Take a good look at your room, if something doesn’t feel right, rearrange it, remove it or replace it until it looks right.

4. Living with Clutter

Having clutter in a room can make your home feel messy and disjointed. Unclutter benchtops by packing things away and creating specific spots for items to be stored out of sight. Try to avoid decorating every square inch of your home. Leaving clear space gives your eyes and mind a chance to rest and creates a clean and clutter-free aesthetic.

5. Heavy Curtains

Heavy curtains can overpower a room making it feel dark and oppressive. Instead, consider using a consider a roller blind in a neutral fabric paired with light-coloured sheer curtains. Sheer curtains make a wonderful transition between indoor and outdoor living spaces. They can enhance a room’s ambience by softening incoming light, frame your windows and create an impression of a higher ceiling.

6. Arrangement of Accessories

So often I see accessories in homes either arranged in a single line or spread throughout a room which makes the room look cluttered. Instead, accessories should be grouped in arrangements, usually, the rule of grouping in 3 looks best. If you have décor items that are arranged in a single line on a hall table or spread throughout your room, try grouping them together and see what a difference it makes.

It can be difficult to spot our design mistakes when we have been living in a room for a long time. Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to see the areas in our homes that could do with a change. Ask a friend for an honest opinion or when it’s feasible, hire a designer for guidance. There are many designers and stylists who charge by the hour and have clever design tips that can help you transform your room or home. 0449 17 18 17 Melissa@holidayhomestylist.com.au holidayhomestylist.com.au holidayhomestylist

A Place to Call Home

Tree change, sea change, or stay put? Retirement can mean everything is on the table, and all options can be examined. Are you planning on downsizing to reduce the time you spend on home maintenance and upkeep? And what about your environment? Do you love the hustle and bustle, or want a serene, tranquil locale?

At peaceful, secure Marian Grove, just a few minutes from some of the region’s most stunning beaches, with boutique stores, tennis courts, cafes, restaurants, RSL Club and cinema in the charming seaside village of Sawtell, you can have it all. For the golf enthusiasts, not one, but three courses, Bonville, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour are also located a short drive from Marian Grove.

Another consideration when choosing an ideal retirement home and lifestyle is being able to access additional care should you ever require it.

With access to doctors, services, Coffs Harbour Health Campus (hospital) and Coffs Harbour Regional Airport all within 10 minutes by car, Marian Grove offers peace of mind for the future that allows you to live fully in the present. Co-located within the village’s beautiful 40 acres of land is residential care home Mater Christi, and new service, Sawtell Home Care, is quickly growing a reputation for unconditional kindness and support. The continuum of care at Marian Grove is always evolving and adapting to the needs of residents as they change over time, sustaining independence and enhancing quality of life.

Research shows that social connection to community, family and friends results in longer, happier, healthier lives. Marian Grove Village is well-known for its welcoming and connected community. Living in Marian Grove means having the company of like-minded neighbours, who will always give you a smile and a ‘hello’ as you pass by.

Marian Grove’s “Our Lady of The Way” Chapel hosts regular services and The Link, a huge 3.6-acre garden affords residents an exceptional lifestyle opportunity right in their own backyard. In addition to the activities already on offer, The Link provides access to the gardens for events, games, walking, picnics and spending time with visiting family and friends in a tranquil, protected environment.

Resident Mary Lou puts the lifestyle in a nutshell; “Marian Grove has everything. It’s a walk to the shopping centre if you want to walk, a short drive to the beach and cafes and shops at Sawtell – which even has its own cinema! My daughter and her family are close by, I have a friend who takes me around to different things on offer in Coffs Harbour, not to mention all the activities right here in the Village. I play cards and table tennis, I joined the choir and play scrabble and honestly, I’ve been too busy to do much else!”

For the traveller, there’s the safety of being able to lock up and leave, secure in the knowledge that you have neighbours close by who know you and care about your welfare.

So, you see, you can be as involved in the community, or as independent as you choose!

These days more than ever, there are so many wonderful options available for a fulfilling and rewarding retirement. Marian Grove offers a no-stress lifestyle in your very own piece of paradise, with home options to suit every taste, from villas, to townhouses, to apartment living, and prices to suit every budget.

If you’ve decided that Marian Grove might be for you, why not come along to our Apartment OPEN DAY on Saturday May 7th from 9 am to 12 noon, or give us a call and arrange for a visit with our friendly sales team, we’d love to hear from you. There really never has been a better time to come home to Marian Grove, where your new lifestyle is waiting.

Call us on 02 6653 1241 or 0490 522 596, email mariangrovesales@scca.net.au or visit our website at www.scca.net.au/ independent for more information.

Marian Grove Village is well- known for its welcoming and connected community. Living in

Marian Grove means having the company of like-minded neighbours,

who will always give you a smile and a ‘hello’ as you pass by.