The Covid Tier Home Audit
Interior stylist Amy Wilson shows Country Child how we can utilise all the space in our homes as we find ourselves naturally spending more time indoors.
There has never been a better time than now to perform a home audit. Sounds complicated? Not at all – it is simply an opportunity to look at your home with fresh eyes. A chance to change up your home to make it work better for you and bring you more joy in these challenging times.
Right now with no one coming into your house the interior rules can go out of the window. Who needs a spare bedroom when no one can have house guests? Just think of the opportunities that this lonely room can present. If you don’t have a spare bedroom how about your landing, the neglected dining room, that dumping ground under the stairs?
It is now time to reclaim the unused corners of your home or simply temporarily redefine them. Need some inspiration?! No problem…..
Home cinema- always fancied a home cinema? Grab yourself a white bed sheet for the wall, surround with fairy lights, throw the sofa cushions on the floor and start working your way through the box sets. Projectors can be picked up for less than £40 and as long as the room is nice and dark you will be good to go.
Games room- I am not thinking full size snooker table or gaming suite but why not clear a corner, pull over the coffee table, add a table light and start dusting off the old board games and jigsaws? Alternatively, the best lockdown purchase in our house was a ping pong set for the kitchen table. For just a few pounds there were hours of entertainment and the added bonus was the dinner table was cleared much quicker by the kids.
Reading nook- this can turn the smallest part of your home into a cosy hideaway for escaping to. If you are blessed with a deep windowsill this would be my first choice- plop on a couple of cushions and a blanket and you’re good to go! Comfort and lighting are key…..kids respond particularly well to a new reading space and seem to favour the floor so drag out the spare duvet or sleeping bags and peg up a bed sheet to achieve maximum cosiness.
Crafting table- as someone whose children can confirm my aversion to their requests to ‘get the glitter out’ I cannot believe I am making this suggestion. But 3 kids and countless crafting projects later I have worked out the key is containment. So one table, ideally sat on a massive sheet for gathering up the mess later. Then start foraging- branches, leaves, old magazines, scraps of wrapping paper, packaging and get creative. This year those homemade Christmas gifts are going to mean more than ever to your loved ones.
Hit the spa- remove the toilet brush, the spare loo rolls, and the towels from the bathroom floor…bring in plants , baskets, candles & a glass of something special. Grab a magazine and lock the door!
Home bar- if you spend any time scrolling though pics on social media you will have seen countless examples of home bars. Clear that shelf, side table or tray and get styling. Include some pretty glasses, your favourite tipple, a stem of holly or similar from the garden, a dinner candle plonked in an old wine bottle and ideally something mirrored or a wee disco ball for glamour. Oh and if you are looking for a more child-friendly version how about a hot chocolate station?
Yoga studio- now clearly not many homes can offer space for a yoga studio but with a bit of imagination perhaps a home gym is not too unrealistic? Without the need for the dining room table or spare bedroom right now-it’s time to push back the furniture and make space for the yoga mat or a few hand weights. A window view is ideal & some jugs of cucumber or lemon water on hand for refreshments.
Christmas department- ending on a biggie but I think it is my favourite. Pick a room and grab those boxes of Christmas decs from the loft now and then decorate like you are merchandising a department store. Cover every inch of the space with every decoration you have- even the ones that you have not put up for years need to be seen here. This is your very own Christmas department- there are no rules and no judgement just pure sparkly joy.
So there you have it just a few ideas of how to rethink your home for the new tier system we are living in. Your home should be your safe space, your sanctuary so whilst no one is looking make it work for you!
