If setting up the apartment is a problem ...
Birgit Knutzen
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 1. I do not know which home color suits me. How do I find that out?
Birgit Knutzen: On a color palette you choose your basic tone. Then let a lighter and darker nuance work on you - so you recognize your feel-good color. If you combine it with a contrasting color, your basic tone will be more pronounced. Exciting is, for example, a mix of eggplant and curry or blue and orange. But attention: use the second tone only sparingly!
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 2. The walls of our apartment are very low at 2.50 meters. How can you optically gain height?
Birgit Knutzen: Cheat with colors or wallpaper! Whether narrow lines or wide block tracks - vertical strips stretch rooms. But it is advisable to use only light colors, such as sand or pastel blue. The ceiling should make you a bit brighter than the walls and illuminate with ceiling lights. Then the low altitude is no longer apparent.
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 3. In the corridor still hangs an ancient cork bulletin board. We are now looking for a contemporary information board.
Birgit Knutzen: How about a "magnetic wall"? Coat any wall area with magnetic paint as a primer. Paint the surface in your favorite color or, for the stunning effect, in the wall tone. Magnets are available in stores for office supplies. Information can be found here: www.magnetfarbe.de
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 4. A fireplace would be my biggest living dream. But the landlord walls. Is there an alternative that looks deceptively real?
Birgit Knutzen: Even fireplaces where bioethanol burns cast real flames and provide comfort. Even better: The environmentally friendly fuel smokes and does not smoke. It leaves no residue. For the purchase you need neither a chimney connection nor the operating license of your chimney sweep. In addition, bioethanol fireplaces are as mobile as furniture and can be moved into any room at any time. The manufacturer Ecosmart even offers a fireplace as a room divider: www.ecosmartfire.com
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 5. My new bedroom lacks the feel-good atmosphere. What makes the room more character?
Birgit Knutzen: Fabrics are mood-makers. But make sure that one main color sets the tone for curtains, bed linen and wallpaper. The room also gets more personality through a self-made headboard for the bed: a simple kitchen worktop made of solid wood looks modern. A romantic retreat is your bed with a thick quilt in warm tones as the bed head. To attach the fabric, simply punch rings in the quilt and hook into the wall.
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 6. I decorate often - sometimes far eastern, sometimes modern. Which closet does that make?
Birgit Knutzen: Sliding door elements can change their look. For this, a carpenter makes wooden frames in which you staple monochrome or patterned fabrics that can be swapped out quickly. Photo prints on fabric are very popular at the moment - you can now have your favorite photos printed on cotton or linen in any size: www.aufleinwand.de And the manufacturer Raumplus makes custom-made sliding doors with trendy fronts: www.raumplus.de
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 7. Our boys share a room. How can the two stake their territory?
Birgit Knutzen: By giving each child their own color range: Tom's cupboard is painted red, Paul's blue. For larger rooms, entire wall surfaces can be colored. Even mobile room dividers on wheels quickly turn two children's rooms into two separate play worlds.
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 8. Small rooms hardly tolerate color. How much can I allow myself?Birgit Knutzen: Use bold colors only as an accent, with accessories such as pillows or vases, and work extensively with pastel shades. The same applies to patterns: strong designs crush small spaces.ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 9. We have brown tiles and beige 80's fronts in the kitchen. How do we polish it cost-effectively?
Birgit Knutzen: Little cost decorative tiles from the hardware store. These are coatings that adhere to the old tiles like a film and are easy to remove when pulled out. As far as the fronts are concerned, there are also adhesive foils. However, there are new fronts from the carpenter, which he refines with table-cloth. The cost more, but the kitchen looks like new.
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: 10. Above the dining table hangs a great design light. But even though we dim her light in the evening, it feels cool. Why?
Birgit Knutzen: Good lighting is always a mix of multiple light sources. The table should be brightly lit, but the lamp should not dazzle. Always combine this light with floor lamps and ceiling spotlights.It is important that all lamps can be switched and dimmed separately, so that you can switch from a matter-of-fact to a sensual atmosphere as required. And another tip: Energy-saving lamps have a reputation for emitting cold light. This is no longer true for the new models. Economical in consumption and environmentally friendly are also LED lamps.
