letterbox JULY
INS & OUTS OF BUYING YOUR 1ST PROPERTY HOW TO
MAKE MAKE ANY ANY ROOM ROOM FEEL BIGGER
IN THIS ISSUE
15
HIGHSTREET BUYS TO MAKE THIS SUMMER
THROUGH THROUGH THE THE LETTERBOX LETTERBOX OF OF I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT INTERIORS
2019
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NO.2 FREE
letterbox TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOME
Editor's Note
03
Ins & Outs of buying your 1st home
04
Instagram Accounts to follow this month
06
How to make any room feel bigger
09
Top Picks from the Highstreet
11
A interview with @Iknownothingaboutinteriors
13
CHARLOTTE-NICHOLE@OUTLOOK.COM
to contact the editor
Vitamin C and Home improvements From the Editor
CHARLOTTE
NICHOLE
Haven't we had a hot one recently. As we say hello to the final flurries of Summer, we are settling back into the swing of things here at Letterbox Mag. I have just returned from a sunny break in Crete and we are now tackling the final stages of our home improvements. I've personally found lots of inspiration on Instagram and have loved finding new styles and homes to follow and inspire. This second edition has lots to get you chomping at the bit to improve your home this summer! Let's get stuck in shall we? JULY
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In's & Outs of Buying your first property BY
CHARLOTTE
NICHOLE
The idea of buying your very first home is a huge deal. That’s been drilled into us
KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT
Buying a property isn’t as cut and dry as you may think. There is a lot to be said for purchasing a property, whether it be your first or ninth. You will need to be prepared mentally for the challenge. Chances are, it will be a long and possibly overdrawn process, and that’s not even considering the time it takes you to save. Mortgage applications and property purchases can take months to go through, so this is something to consider, and be aware of.
since its considered a huge and rather valuable investment. Whilst buying a property may not be something for everyone, nor be achievable for many, it should not be down played as huge accomplishment, especially in this current property climate. Your hard earned cash is being put into a property that will one day completely be your own. How awesome is that! Whether
SAVING
Next up, you need to start saving. And this can take years! You will often need 5-10 percent of the property value in savings as your deposit. And this can be overwhelming when you’re looking at somewhere that costs £200,000! But if you’re really determined to buy your own place, unfortunately it is the process in order to get you your own home. Consider things like help to buy equity loans and saving help if you are really struggling to find the cash. Be aware, the equity loan however, can only be used on a new build property.
the investment becomes your retirement income, or something to leave to your family, its something of a financial safety net as so to speak. Whilst the rental market has a ‘black mark’ against it, it’s no surprise many of us consider buying before renting. Buying your very first property is something for a large consideration. Here’s everything you need to know, going alone, with your partner or friend, and the real in’s and out’s of property ownership.
SEARCHING
Now you’ve pooled in the funds, and prepared yourself, you’re going to want to start the property search. And trust me, it’s not as easy as you may think. Whether you are purchasing through help to buy or not, finding a house can be a long process.Really make sure you leave yourself enough time to find, and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Purchasing your first home will by no means be your forever property, however, choosing a sensible property now can save you cash in the long run. Consider your future desires and if you can, purchase a property that will give you the scope to live there for a pro-longed period.
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EXTRA COSTS
I have done a whole post on the real costs of buying and / or moving home so I have all the details in that one. But the long and short of it, there will be extra costs when it comes to property purchases. With property solicitors, surveys, and more, it’s good to have a buffer. It’s a really good idea to have some extra cash, aside from your deposit so you’re not stuck when extra bills and costing arise. RENOVATING
The final consideration is any changes that you want to make to the property you end up buying or considering. If you are buying a new build, then hopefully you won’t have to do any work, just a lick of paint here and there.However, an older, more tired property will need a little more TLC. It’s a good idea to factor in not only the renovation costs, but the time it takes to do it too. Before putting in an offer, be sure to add the overall costing to your outgoings. Whilst some of the work maybe something that is done later down the line, it’s a cost that will effect how much money you will make on the property in the long run. Consider this also when putting in offers, as money you can save now, will pay off massively when it comes to selling the property later on.
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@theonebespoke
@atthelisles
@numbereight_liverpool
6 Inspirational Instagram Accounts to follow
There is no place better than Instagram to find home interior
inspo. Here's 6 of the most gorgeous feeds you should be following this month.
@ahousetodreamin
@b.e.x.t.o.n
@improvingparkview
JULY
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#letter erboxhome
#letterboxh #letterboxhome
#letterboxhom
#letterboxhome Join the club. Use the hashtag #letterboxhome to be featured on our page and in next months magazine.
#letterboxhom ome #letterboxhome #letterboxhome
#letterboxhome
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How How to to
MAKE MAKE ANY ANY ROOM ROOM FEEL FEEL BIGGER BIGGER BY
CHARLOTTE
NICHOLE
It’s no surprise many of us now live in a much smaller footprint than the generations before us. Property is becoming more expensive, and less expansive ( unless you can afford it ). And yet having a small, cosy space is really rather appealing, if you know how to utalise and make the most of the space. The best thing about space is that it is all down to perception and what we believe we see. What’s even better is the fact we can trick ourselves and others into believing there is more space, than there actually is.
Interested in knowing more? Here's 8 top tips in making any space feel instantly bigger.
DITCH THE CLUTTER Yes, we all know how much I have chatted de-cluttering and ditching the stuff before. It’s the first step in organising, revamping and of course making any space feel bigger. There is nothing worse than clutter to make a home or space feel claustrophobic and filled to the brim. Conduct a good sort out, ditch the crap and organise bits and bobs that don’t need to be in your space all year round.
BUILD IT IN If some of your clutter can’t be cleared, you could atleast store it well. Unfortunately, some of the most modern storage solutions just don’t suit your space and having something bespoke and unique to the space you do have can work so much better, and create an illusion of more space.Why not consider a built in seating booth for your kitchen space or alcove shelving and units. These type of built in’s can really give the illusion of an enlarged, expansive space.
REALLY CONSIDER YOUR FURNITURE The more furniture you have in a small space, the more crammed and cluttered it will feel. Cut back on the furniture and consider fewer and possibly larger pieces for your room. Make sure they have a purpose too – nothing worse than pointless furniture in any home.Also consider the legs. Sounds silly, but having furniture that exposes the floor beneath it will help the flow of your room, and make it feel open and airy. More so than a low to ground, chunky base piece.
PULL IT AWAY We all love to push our furniture right up against our walls. And whilst it does free up floor space in the middle of the room, it could be making our space feel smaller. If you pull your furniture away from the wall, even just a bit, it can have a huge impact on the illusion of the space.
JULY
ADD SOME MIRRORS Mirrors are a great way to bounce any light you do have, and create the illusion that there is more space than there is. Whether you make a statement with the mirror, or simply add a subtle mirror, there are plenty of ways to incorporate one into your space.
DITCH THE CURTAINS That’s right, long heavy curtains can effect both the amount of light getting into your room, and the amount of space it’s taking up. Whilst they don’t actually take up floor space, heavy curtains will take up wall space, making your room feel much smaller than it is. Consider using blinds inset into the window. This will showcase light and expose wall space.
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LAYER YOUR LIGHT Having just the main, over head light in any room is stark and uninviting. Layering your light using lamps, stanging lights and even candles can help make your space feel bigger and cosier at the same time.
MAKE IT CONTRASTING Whilst you may believe white is best to decorate a small space, there’s something to be said about smaller rooms being on the dark side. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to decorating a small room in the right colour, but there is something to be said about contrast. Whether you opt for dark or light walls, make sure other pieces contrast against that base colour!
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HIGHSTREET
BUYS
01 Woven Bowls 02 Poster 03 Woolblend Blanket 04 Woolen Rug 05 Gold Wire Globe 06 Grass in wicker basket 07 Vivi Lamp 08 Hanging Lampshade 09 Vase 10 Rattan Basket 11 Bronze Vase 12 Brushed Cutlery 13 Ceramic Bathroom Set 14 Plant in potstand 15 Glass Dome & Tray 16 Bumblebee Cushion 17 VegStorage 18 Tanned Duvet Cover 19 Blush Canvas 20 Gold Palm Dish 21 Teapot 22 Pink Specked Dinnerwear 23 Aged Candle Holder
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Letterbox Magazine SNAPSHOTS:
Charlotte - Nichole Editor Did you know, we have a NEW Uk Home decor Facebook group. Here you can share inspo, chat trends and share your home decor social media accounts too. This is ultimately the place to share tips, products, home buys and more. Anything that will help turn your property into your home. Why not join.?
You and 389 people liked this. Jo Harper Member of UK Home Interiors & Decor
Leave a comment...
Sharon Becks Member of UK Home Interiors & Decor So excited to see our home come together with the use of colour! Thanks so much for everyone in the group that helped inspire me to make the leap and use bold shades! Here's a few snaps of how its all coming together!
JOIN THE GROUP FOR YOURSELF
CLICK HERE
You and 407 people liked this. Leave a comment...
THROUGH THE LETTERBOX OF
@IKNOWNOTHING ABOUTINTERIORS We are already onto the second
Francesca has beautifully decorated her home
installment of our 'Through the Letterbox of....'
with thought behind the original features. So
feature. Every month we will bring you
what style is she trying to achieve in her period
someone with a passion for interior in the
property?
hope to inspire you and find new muse. Our second edition takes us to a home
'I’ve found it really hard to pinpoint what my style is, I like to think its minimalist and scandi but I probably
which oozes modern features and subtle
have too much clutter for that to be true! So probably
colour. They're not afraid of the odd DIY
cluttered scandi (apart from the kitchen, that’s its own
either. We are with
thing).'
@Iknownothingaboutinteriors.
The women behind the account, Francesca, lives in her first home, a 1880 Victorian Terrace in Leeds. With stunning light, space and original features, Francesca has managed to create a simplistic, modern and somewhat classic home. We caught up with Francesca to discuss the house behind the 'gram and what inspires her in her home. 'I started my account because I was posting pictures of my house on my personal Instagram, but I thought I would make a dedicated account to save people having to see my interior pics that didn’t want to! We've been in our home over a year and now we are revisiting every room. Our big mistake was decorating as soon as we moved in. We hurriedly painted and rushed all of it because we wanted it finished. Now I have a better idea what works in the house, and what we actually like, we are having to redecorate.'
So where does Francesca find her inspiration when it comes to home decor? My main inspiration comes from instagram as opposed to Pinterest. I find a lot of Pinterest stuff is not very attainable, and I like to follow accounts on instagram that have a similar size and /or layout house as mine, because it means that a lot to the inspiration is actually do-able. Don’t get me wrong, I love to follow the big mansions (just to dream a little) but I find it hard to imagine my house looking similar if its 10 times as big! So, let's talk about that kitchen, it's stunning and it's a DIY job! Was painting your own kitchen a risk? We did take a huge risk on our kitchen. I'm not necessarily a fan of bold colors but we went with painting our kitchen pink and green. Since we were painting the old units, and we knew it wouldn't be a long before we buy a new kitchen, it meant we were more prepared to take a bit more of a risk. It massively paid off though because I love it and it's so different to the rest of the house.
A period property with modern simplicity One thing to note over at @iknownothingaboutinteriors is the stunning palette of colours. The neutral tones, and bold injection of dark, deep hues. 'I would completely agree. I am definitely into the neutral tones at the moment, ever since I did the bedroom in F&B School House White and Downpipe, I want those colours in every room!' So what's the latest projects over at Francesca's? Well, the garden needs a lot of work.It’s
THE QUICK 5 -@IKNOWNOTHINGABOUTINTERIORS
good enough to host bbq’s etc. but there is some more expensive stuff that needs doing like decking and fencing. Finally. what's your favorite place in your home? Our main bedroom is defiantly my favorite place in the house. Its simple and
SOMETHING EVERY HOME NEEDS Mirrors, I rely on them a lot, particularly in rooms that are north facing or small. It’s not until you get one that you realise what a difference they make!
relaxing which I think is important for a
FAV 2019 TREND
bedroom - I’m now trying to channel that
I’m currently all about pine furniture and white washing it. I think it looks so natural and simple but also white washing it makes it look more modern and less country.
look throughout the rest of the house!
FAV HIGHSTREET STORES It’s a tie between H&M Home and Homesense.
INSTA ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW @bombyhouse, @@him_at_home @the_wiggleroom. @rebecca.wakefield
TOP TIP :
Don’t decorate your house in a rush! Take your time to really plan each room and perhaps live in it first so you get an idea of what kind of light you get in each room. Light is a lot more important than you first think!
Letterbox Home Tour
Coming soon.. Only on IGTV
letterbox JULY
2019
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NO.2
CHARLOTTE-NICHOLE@OUTLOOK.COM
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