A note for April from Hiltingbury Interiors
Hello
I'm sitting here writing this on a gorgeous sunny morning with the warmth of sunshine on my face, listening to the birds, and surrounded by fresh green leaves and blossoms - not a cloud in sight! Doesn't it feel wonderful? Those English winters seem to drag on forever, but I think we can finally look forward to warmer days ahead... I'm not quite ready to swap my boots for flip flops yet (that might be tempting fate), but I don't think it's far away!
Commercial and charitable projects
Our recent projects have taken an exciting turn towards the commercial world and charity sector, rather than our usual residential work. It's been refreshing to design different kinds of spaces, though it certainly comes with its own set of challenges! We've had to navigate:
Fire regulations
Commercial-grade durability requirements
Easy-clean and acoustic specifications
Much quicker turnarounds
Not to mention all the regulations and hoops we've jumped through when working on a grant-funded charitable project!
We're thrilled to have delivered both a premium hospitality project and, at the other end of the spectrum, volunteered our time to help with interior design for an amazing local charity, No Limits, who provide vital support to young people throughout Southampton.
No Limits Project
For this special project, we wanted to honour both the beautiful period properties that make up the No Limits HQ while creating spaces that work perfectly for the young people who use their services.
We chose a lovely neutral, historic colour palette for the walls, woodwork, and flooring, which really lets their stained glass windows shine. The front doors got a fresh coat of their signature No Limits blue, while the counselling rooms, drop-in centre, advice suite, boardroom and offices feature touches of their brand colours - green, blue, pink and yellow.
The end result? Practical, hard-wearing spaces that still keep those gorgeous period features, with splashes of fun, calming colours and comfortable, contemporary furniture that appeals to the young people who visit.
We have several more commercial projects in the pipeline that we're excited to work on over the next month, including some corporate hospitality spaces and a dental surgery reception.
Easter Holiday Tips
It's Easter holiday time! Whether you're jetting off somewhere warm, planning day trips, or juggling work and family time at home (I know how that feels!), the school holidays can be the perfect opportunity for a bit of a refresh at home.
If you're thinking about tackling those overflowing wardrobes or toy collections while the kids are home, here are some friendly tips that might help:
1) The 12-month rule – If no one has used or worn something in a year, ask yourself if you really need to keep it
2) Multiples be gone! – Choose your favourite and maybe one backup, then let the rest go
3) One room at a time – This makes the task less overwhelming and you'll see results quickly
4) Have a plan – Know where things will go (selling, donating, recycling) so they actually leave the house
5) Be thorough – Try not to just hide things away; properly sort through them
6) The beauty or function test – If it's neither beautiful nor practical, could you live without it?
My biggest piece of advice, especially for those of you with children or teenagers: Look at how many drawers, storage boxes or baskets you can sensibly fit in a room, and fill these by category. Once they're full, it's time to make choices! If your child's room can only store 3 boxes of toys, they'll need to pick their favourites. If your teenager has space for 5 pairs of trainers, that's their limit!
I know this might sound a bit strict, but most of us simply have too much "stuff". Teaching our children to appreciate what they have, choose quality over quantity, and resist the constant pressure from social media to buy more is such a valuable life lesson.
This Month's Design Tip
Have you tried colour drenching yet? ...And I don't just mean with bold colours! I've been delighted to see the amazing results and hear such positive feedback from clients who've taken our advice to "ban the white" and paint their ceilings and walls in the same (often neutral) colour. We usually pair this with doors, skirting, architrave and woodwork in a slightly darker shade of the same neutral.
I'd love to show you some examples soon... However, unfortunately our lovely photographer Holly Bobbins had a nasty fall while out walking a few weeks ago. She's had major surgery with plates and pins in her leg and ankle, and has quite a recovery journey ahead! We're all sending her our best wishes and look forward to booking those photoshoots we'd planned as soon as she's back on her feet.
I hope you're enjoying this beautiful sunshine as much as I am! Wishing you all a wonderful Easter. I'm very much looking forward to my week off, ending with a big family celebration for my niece's 18th, plus my sister and brother-in-law's 50th birthdays all together. Family time is precious, isn't it?
Warm wishes,
Becci x