If you have decided to convert a room in your home to create an office, it’s important that you plan this room well to accommodate your working needs. Choosing the correct furniture and the best type of storage space is important. You will also want the room to be comfortable as you may be spending long periods in this space and a colour scheme that aids calm and stree-free work would be ideal…

1. Lighting

Choosing the correct lighting for your office is probably one of the most important things to get right. If you are going to be sitting at a desk most of the time a good quality table lamp – such as those featured here on Homebase – will help to protect your eyes from straining. Get as much natural light as possible – without staring directly into the sun – and use lamps and lights to illuminate your desk once the sun goes down.

2. Colour schemes

An article in the Guardian says that working from home can be difficult due to distractions from family members or the TV. It states: “However, if you have set up a home-based business you have little choice but to make the best of your home office, customise your living space”.

This could mean painting your office in totally different colours than the rest of your home, therefore setting the tone that this is somewhere where the serious business of work is carried out. When choosing the colours for an office you will want something neutral and not distracting. Gentle shades with a brilliant white ceiling should do the trick for a calm but functional living space.

3. Storage space

The online magazine Creative Digest explains how every office should be clear from clutter and as tidy as possible. This is not always an easy task, but it is important. If it is possible then keeping all of your important documents on a computer, rather than printed out and put in a filing cabinet, will save you space and reduce your carbon footprint. For those items you simpy have to have in hard copies, there is a wide range of home storage solutions on the market and these can vary from click together plastic boxes to cardboard folders which can be stored on shelves. Get items that pack in the maximum amount of items into the smallest possible space so that your office doesn’t become cramped.

4. Choosing the right furniture

When you’re setting up a home office it is important that you choose the correct furniture for your needs. If you’re going to be using a computer most of the time then having a comfortable chair and desk is the first thing you should look at. If you draw out a plan of the room, with the dimensions, you will be able to decide where items of furniture will fit. You don’t want to block radiators or electrical sockets. Making the most of your office space will allow you to have more room to relax in while working. You could install an easy chair too, as you will need to take breaks if you’re using the computer all day.

5. Blinds or curtains

Once you have planned your office and are ready to work you’ll also need to decide what you’re going to do about the windows. Most big businesses just have blinds or clear glass with no covering at all, but when you’re working from home you’ll want to stop any distractions. If you have built your office on the ground floor then people passing by could irritate you, so having blinds might be the best answer. This is all a matter of personal taste but it’s important to remember that you’ll have to be able to focus once you enter your office in order to carry out your work. Blinds allow you to shut out as much of the outside world as you wish.

An infographic brought to you by www.kellystorage.co.uk

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An infographic brought to you by www.kellystore.co.uk

The housing market is constantly changing. Many of those who plan to move overseas and want to cash in on low property prices may find healthcare and planning restrictions have blighted their dream. Only sell if you’ve carried out the research.

Buying abroad

Recent changes in UK pension legislation mean that many older Brits can invest their savings in an overseas dream. Low prices overseas tempt investors of all ages, but what looks good on paper or on a tempting TV programme often turns into a nightmare in reality. Local taxes, kickbacks and ancient property deeds mean that you must seek the advice of UK based experts. VP Notaries in London may be able to help you with the preparation of documents required to register your purchase and with some of the intricacies of international property legislation. You may think you speak a foreign language fluently, but once you’re faced with a legal document, often phrased in arcane dialect, you will need help.

Even if you have money, you can’t always borrow

Only sell if you can afford to buy. Many of those who received a mortgage in 2010 or earlier will not be eligible for a mortgage in today’s tough financial climate. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has instructed all lenders to ensure that all borrowers can afford to repay any loans they want to take out; this includes mortgages.

If you received a mortgage as a result of the old self-certification scheme, then check your credit rating to ensure that you can receive a new mortgage under the new rules. Your credit score is an important factor, so, even if you think that you’re financially safe and can easily afford to sell your house and obtain a new mortgage, your credit score might say otherwise.

Interest rates

With the recent announcement in The Telegraph that the era of cheap mortgages was at an end, make sure that you are aware of all the facts. You may sell your house at a wonderful profit, but banks and building societies have recently announced an increase in interest rates, and this is in advance of the Bank Of England’s projected rise. You’ll have to do some arithmetic and take into account the worst possible scenario before you can commit to buying a new home.

An artificial market

There are some who believe that the current housing market is artificial. While on the one hand the BBC states that ‘the housing market is hotting up’ on the other hand reports claim that ‘foreign criminals are driving up UK house prices.’ The number of approved mortgages has increased but this was mainly due to low fixed rate mortgage deals.

Think before you sell

If you have to move for a job or for other reasons then go ahead. Otherwise don’t let your future happiness depend on the headlines. Estate agents write very good press releases that find their way into journalists’ copy. What’s the point of selling your beautiful home in Northampton, for example, in exchange for a rabbit hutch in London? Before you sell, read everything you can, check your credit report and think about whether you’re investing in a future home or just a transitory business transaction.

Just about every interior presents its own set of challenges when it comes time to decorate, but this doesn’t mean you should have to compromise your sense of style. Rather, a little creative problem-solving might be in order! No matter what kind of budget you have available or what type of living space you’re working with, you can always get the look you’re after by making the right choices and shopping with a bit of savvy. Even your condo can look like an urban loft, if you play your cards right! We’ll talk about a few decoration and design tips that will help you inject some truly modern, “urban” sensibilities into just about any condo or apartment.

Use the Space You Have

Something that a lot of people might not realize about interior decoration and design is that the results you achieve are based as much on the thing you decide to include in a room as it is on the things you decide not to include in a room. Sometimes a more open and airy layout is best, especially if you’re wanting to make your living space more open.

Not every condominium can have a loft’s grand, high ceilings, but by producing a relatively sparse arrangement and by choosing furniture with lower profiles, you can definitely work to create a sense of space and openness in your home.

Keep It Simple & Stylish in Equal Measure

Getting the “urban loft” look just right involves more than just laying out your space properly. It also involves picking out the right pieces, so your furniture communicates your sense of style and sophistication. You can really get the look of an artist’s loft by making sure to select simple, clean furniture designs. Look specifically for pieces that fit the mid-century modern aesthetic. These pieces usually have simple, stark lines that helps them communicate a sense of effortless style.

Industrial Designs Are Where It’s At

Another great way to communicate an urban aesthetic is by picking out pieces that were made with, or heavily feature, industrial materials. The combination of mid-century or modern design sensibilities with industrial elements is a great way to give your home urban flavor. Industrial steel cubes are a great example of modern simplicity that can play a versatile part in your home’s decor. Like most great furniture, cubes are modular, which is another way to get a great urban feel when you’re decorating your condo or apartment. Focus on pieces that will give you a variety of use so you can truly open up your home.

Author Bio: Carolyn Clarke is a marketing coordinator for Urban Loft, an interior decor merchandiser with a focus on mid-century modern design. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys blogging, yoga, and rearranging her bedroom furniture, which she is still trying to get just right.

There’s no point in denying it, buying a house can be a pretty stressful experience, it’s possibly even the most stressful thing you’ll ever do. It’s unrealistic to think you can just sail through the whole process without a worry but it is possible to remove some of the stress from the process. Here’s some tips to help you to do just that…

Timing: Jumping in at the wrong moment will make the whole process a lot more stressful. If you’re planning a family, for example, try to get your move done and dusted long before your baby arrives. Trying to move when heavily pregnant or looking after a young baby is no fun. Ideally you’d buy your home when your work and home life – and your finances – are settled.

Finances: Speaking of which, money matters. Make sure you’ve properly budgeted for the cost of your move – taking into account the full cost and not just the deposit. You can pick up some great tips here on the sorts of issues you will encounter and how to overcome them – including how to find the right mortgage for you and the details of the sorts of affordable housing schemes that make it easier to fund a deposit. Things will move along a lot more smoothly – and less stressfully – if you are fully clued up on the costs that you’ll face and have saved enough money to one side. Unexpected and costly surprises equal a great deal more stress.

Planning: Part of the secret to getting the timing and finances aspect of house buying right is in the planning. Think – and talk – everything through – from the initial idea, saving the money you need, searching for the right property, finding the right mortgage deal right through to the move itself. If you’re buying as a couple then share the responsibility and halve the paperwork load. Keep all of your paperwork together so that it’s to hand when you need it. Once the purchase begins in earnest start packing your things as soon as possible – and label everything up. The stress of the move can be the worst part if you leave it all until the last minute.

Help: Get help and advice at every step of the way. If you bottle up your concerns or queries you’ll simply make things even more stressful. Call on professional support from a financial advisor but also, equally importantly, get emotional support by calling on your friends and family. Speak to people who have recently purchased a home and find out what worked well for them – that sort of advice can be invaluable. They might also be able to give you an all-important hand on moving day. Having a small band of trusted friends and family around you on the moving day can be of great comfort.

Be prepared: You need to treat your house move seriously, plan it properly, get your finances in order and, not be afraid to call for help. By doing all this you’ll be in the best position to react swiftly to anything unforeseen that comes up and make the process as stress free as possible.

Make sure you keep the eventual goal in your head at all times too. If you focus on the positives that you’ll get from owning your own property it’ll be the light at the end of the tunnel and get you through the hard work of buying and moving.

Is your home starting to feel too small? There are tricks to create the feeling of having more space, but what you probably require is actual space. Whether it is your family or your shoe collection that has grown since you moved in, there just isn’t enough room anymore. If you love everything about your home except the lack of space, then before you contact the estate agent to start looking for somewhere bigger, here are a few ways that you could make extra room in your current house.

Have a sort out

Our houses tend to be full of things that we no longer need and it could be that by clearing this out you are left with a lot more space. There is no need to just throw it away either! With sites such as Freeads you can make money for your unwanted possessions. It will take no time at all to post your ad, which won’t cost you a penny! Then you can de-clutter your home as well as making a bit of easy money that you can put towards something new to help organise it.

Make use of your loft

Our lofts are primarily used to store junk. If we don’t know where to put something it tends to end up there to keep it out the way until the day we might need it. Since you have realised you won’t ever need the things that were up there and have just got rid of most of it during your sort out, why not make the most of your loft space and turn it into an extra room? This could be a playroom for the kids, a guest bedroom or even an office!

Effective Storage

Think outside the box and make the most of unused space by turning it into something useful. There are many awkward spaces in the home, including sloping ceilings and empty space under the stairs. But these can be transformed into a handy storage solution. Perhaps you could turn a bay window into a window seat, which will provide both extra seating and extra storage underneath or use spare wall space to add cupboards or shelving.

Multi-Functional Furniture

When purchasing furniture for your home, look for something that is going to be multi-functional – furniture that will provide you with what you require from it whilst also offering storage for efficient use of the space. A fold up kitchen table is handy for providing space when not in use, or how about a coffee table with inbuilt shelving? Your bed, for example, takes up a huge amount of your bedroom, so by purchasing one with either space or storage underneath you are putting an area that would otherwise be wasted to good use.

Build an Extension

Are you are still feeling space-deprived? By having an extension added to your house you could make an existing room bigger or create new rooms. Not only will this provide you with the space you need when you need it, it will also add value to your house for when you do come to sell it.