How then can you create a space that works for everyone in your household– particularly if one of your family members has specific needs?

One solution is to purposely introduce a sensory space designed to meet an individual’s sensory profile, which changes the way they experience and react to their surroundings.

While the term “sensory room” might conjure up images of a specialised therapeutic environment filled with expensive equipment, occupational therapist Julie Farnsworth said the principles can be applied in any home to create a space where family members can relax, recharge or simply escape the distractions of everyday life.

Creating the right environment

Since the purpose of a sensory space is to help a person learn to self-regulate and achieve a state of calm, the first step is to learn about their unique sensory profile and sensory needs.

Take notice of what helps them feel calm and focused, which environments they avoid, and what sensory experiences they seek out.

“A sensory space can be created for a person who is a sensory seeker or a sensory avoider,” Ms Farnsworth said.

“In the case of children, you might think of a seeker as a child who bounces off the furniture after school, while a sensory avoider might be prone to meltdowns because they are overstimulated.

“A sensory seeker needs to release energy, so a trampoline, home gym or posters that encourage movement, such as hopping or jumping, could be beneficial.

“A person who needs a chill space, however, might benefit from a tent or quiet corner set up with soft lighting, a beanbag chair and some books.”

Designing a sensory sanctuary

You don’t necessarily need a spare room, a professional designer or a large budget. By paying attention to lighting, colour, sound, scent and texture – and making imaginative use of things you may already own – even a small corner of your home can become a sensory retreat that the whole family can enjoy.

“Although the initial reason for creating a sensory space is often to meet the needs of one particular person, these environments can have a calming effect on the dynamics of the entire family,” Ms Farnsworth said.

“Each child and adult has their own sensory needs and responds differently to situations. As parents learn how to help their child regulate their emotions and reactions, they often begin to recognise and understand their own sensory responses as well.”

Power of patience

When there is turmoil in the home, the situation can escalate very quickly if both parent and child become overwhelmed, and it may take time to develop good habits. A parent may come to realise that they need to regulate themselves first before they can effectively help their child.

“It’s important to realise that our sensory needs change and fluctuate throughout the day, and this in turn affects our ability to self-regulate in different situations,” Ms Farnsworth said.

“You need to build a list of things that you can do to help yourself or a member of your family in different situations, both inside and outside the home.”

Ultimately, creating a sensory sanctuary is about more than finding a quiet corner of the house – it is about learning to recognise when someone needs a little space, a little support or simply a little patience.

The post Relax and recharge appeared first on RG Magazines.

The rich scent of lilies in your living room, the soft musk of your freshly washed laundry and the enticing waft of bacon from your kitchen on a Sunday morning all have one thing in common.

More quickly than your senses of sight and sound, your sense of smell triggers chemical and emotional responses in your brain that, even on a miserable day, can put a smile on your face.

So, while we may spend hours making our homes look pretty, we’re missing a trick if we’re not ensuring they smell beautiful too.

From reducing stress to increasing energy and stirring nostalgic moments, fragrances can shape the mood of your house and define an individual character for each of your rooms.

Our guide will help you get started.

Living room

Now our scorching Bermuda summer has finally relented, it’s time to get cosy.

Warm, woody scents will help you feel snug on your couch as the evenings get longer and wind and rain lash against your windows from November to March. Experts recommend fig, amber and cashmere – but our choice, with its nod to Bermuda’s heritage, is cedar.

When we breathe in woody scents, our brains release emotions of calmness and we feel grounded. This makes your home feel welcoming to visitors, or a great place to relax at the end of a long day.

But there’s a whole world of fragrances to explore.

If you’re looking for something more romantic, go for a floral option like jasmine or rose; for an energetic vibe, try citrus, which promotes clarity of thought; a green tea or cucumber scent will give your home a sense of cleanliness.

The living room is usually the biggest space in the house, and it’s where we spend most of our time. It’s worth putting extra thought into getting right – and buy some bigger candles to make sure the whole room gets the benefit.

Bedroom

Lavender is usually the top choice because it encourages sleep, reduces anxiety and relaxes the nervous system.

There’s an extra advantage too: its natural oils irritate bugs. Hang it in your closet to keep moths at bay, and it will also deter tiny flying pests like flies and mosquitoes. Cockroaches don’t like it either, but unfortunately it’s only a short-term deterrent and won’t make any difference to an infestation.

Vanilla is a popular bedroom scent as it helps us feel comfortable and safe. It’s got that woody, calm aroma, and triggers nostalgia – invoking memories of making cookies with Nana, or Mom returning home from the bakery with treats.

Chamomile is sweet and fruity, and is a natural sedative, which is ideal for people with a busy mind or suffering from insomnia. A cup of chamomile tea in the living room, before you head to your chamomile-scented bedroom could be your key to a good night’s sleep.

Bathroom

Clean citrus notes will help your bathroom feel fresh, and make you feel sharp as you take your morning shower.

Citrus fragrances can also get rid of unwanted odours. The natural liquids in lemons, oranges and limes break down the bad smell which means they don’t just mask it – they get rid of it.

A little psychology is also at play. We’ve spent so many years associating lemon-scented kitchen disinfectants with cleanliness, our brain cuts to the chase. We smell citrus – we know something is clean!

Soft floral scents are also good for the bathroom, if you like to take long relaxing baths. Try jasmine as an alternative to lavender. The natural moisture and warmth of your bathroom will release jasmine’s fruity-floral notes, sending a message to your brain that it’s time to wind down.

Clean musk is a more neutral choice that will give your bathroom that fresh laundry feeling.

Home office

Pick an uplifting scent that boosts productivity. Just as citrus and green tea cleanse the body when you drink them, their fragrances can help clear the mind as you embark on that intense work assignment.

Eucalyptus is traditionally used in steam rooms and spas. If you’ve experienced that enough times, your brain will naturally link its fragrance with clear breathing and open air and prime itself for action.

Entertaining

If you’re hosting a dinner party, your home’s fragrance should subtly add ambiance without interfering with the fine aromas coming from your stovetop.

Citrus and herbs operate as a fragrance in the same way they do on a menu: they refresh the palate but don’t get in the way of the main show.

For a cocktail party, tobacco fragrances can provide a touch of glamour and sophistication. They’ve got a honeyed richness and can set off memories of family gatherings and holiday dinners. Pair them with leather or whiskey to complete the smoky, boozy vibe.

When it’s a more intimate gathering, soft spices or cashmere can make your place feel warm and welcoming.

Sources for this article include chickidee.co.uk, artes.com.au, bigelowchemists.com and neomwellbein.com.

The post Make your home smell beautiful appeared first on RG Magazines.

Q: Is it possible to minimise pet odour?

Absolutely. For cats, odour control starts with the litter box. Choosing the right litter, cleaning regularly and finding a suitable location all make a difference.

Litters fall into three main categories: clay, silica and plant-based. Each has advantages for odour control, cleaning, disposal and environmental impact. Plant-based litters, including paper, corn, pine and cassava, are popular with our customers.

Scoop daily and place the litter box somewhere quiet where your cat feels comfortable. Some households benefit from having one more litter box than cats. Automatic litter boxes and odour-trapping waste containers, such as the Litter Genie, can make cleaning easier.

A good litter mat also helps prevent litter being tracked through the house.

For dogs, regular grooming and paw cleaning are essential. Paw washers are particularly useful for removing sand and mud after beach trips.

Q: How does regular grooming help keep the home cleaner?

Brushing removes loose hair before it ends up on furniture, floors and clothing. Keeping long hair around a dog’s paw pads trimmed also reduces the dirt carried indoors.

Regular grooming improves your pet’s comfort and health while making household cleaning easier.

Q: What grooming routines help reduce shedding, dander and odours?

A good de-shedding tool, used regularly alongside a shampoo designed for shedding and odour control, can make a remarkable difference.

For households concerned about cat allergens, Purina Pro Plan LiveClear is formulated to reduce allergens in cats’ hair and dander. Customers have reported noticeable improvements after switching.

Q: What should owners look for in shampoos and cleaning products?

The more natural, the better. Pets can have sensitive skin, and harsh ingredients may cause irritation.

At Noah’s Ark, our shampoos are detergent-free, and we recommend choosing products suited to each animal’s needs.

Dogs with facial folds, for example, benefit from specialised products such as Squishface. Gentle ear wipes are useful between baths, while natural shampoo bars containing apple cider vinegar are another favourite.

Q: Which areas of the home need particular attention?

Pet beds are a priority. Choose beds with removable, washable covers and use pet-safe laundry cleaners.

For accidents on carpets, remove solids immediately, blot up liquid and apply an enzymatic cleaner. Avoid using ordinary detergent first, as it can interfere with the enzymes. These cleaners break down odours that might otherwise attract pets back to the same spot.

Door mats help catch dirt, while car seat covers protect upholstery. Lilly Brush pet hair removers are particularly effective for removing stubborn hair from carpets and furniture.

Q: What simple habits help keep homes fresh?

Consistency is key. Scoop litter boxes daily, groom regularly and clean accidents promptly.

For older dogs or puppies, washable pads placed inside their beds can absorb accidents and reduce laundry.

Small animals can also learn good habits. Rabbits can be litter-trained, while some birds can learn to relieve themselves on command.

I taught my Moluccan cockatoo, Puff, to respond to a hand signal before leaving her cage. It made keeping the house clean much easier!

Q: What products can help pet owners?

At Noah’s Ark, we stock everything from natural cat litters, automatic litter boxes and Litter Genies to de-shedding tools, shampoos, paw washers and enzymatic cleaners.

For birds, seed catchers prevent scattered food and bedding reaching the floor, while specially designed bowls discourage parrots from tossing their dishes.

For small animals, absorbent bedding and litter boxes help control moisture and odours while making cages easier to clean.

Noah’s Ark on Reid Street, Hamilton, is open seven days a week. Its store on Marsh Lane, Devonshire is open Monday to Saturday. For more information, call 236-1533.

The post Keep a clean home – even with pets! appeared first on RG Magazines.

The BDA Home Pros website is owned by the husband-wife team of George Andrew Simons and Pauline Juneann Cameron-Simons.

Keeon Minors of Lead X Design is the web developer of www.bdahomepros.com and is responsible for its maintenance.

Mr Simons said his plan is to have the business fully operational online by year-end.

Anyone seeking home improvement help will be able to post the job they want done on the Home Pros website, including detailed requirements, budget and time frame for completion.

Trades people who are interested in taking on the project will reply to indicate their interest and provide a quote for the work.

Mr Simons said: “If you’re struggling to find a professional for your home repairs and renovation, BDA Home Pros will be the right place for you.

“We will help homeowners and tenants to choose the right professional for their work. No matter how small the work is, we will have experts specialising in each job.”

Once the work is complete, clients will be able to leave feedback and give ratings online for each professional who contributed to the job.

Mr Simons said: “This will give prospective future clients an idea about the services and quality of work of each professional.

“Trades people will be able to increase the chances of someone choosing them for a job by posting previously completed projects on the BDA Home Pros website. That way, potential clients will see their work and become inspired to hire them.”

He said the organisation’s vision is to be the “go-to platform” in Bermuda for all professionals who serve the homes market on the island. The service will also be available to the managers of commercial properties.

Mr Simons said trades people have begun to register on the BDA Home Pros website, which is live for people to view but has not fully launched.

A wide range of memberships are available for professionals, from a one-day option for $5 to a 12-month package for $120.

Membership in BDA Home Pros is free for homeowners and tenants, who will be able to post their home improvement needs on the site in six languages: English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Filipino and Cebuano, the latter two of which are spoken widely by citizens of the Philippines.

If needed, contractors will be able to translate a message into any of those six languages.

A forum on the website provides articles with tips and hacks about home improvement. Current article topics include the importance of creating a seasonal home maintenance checklist, how regular exterior painting can protect your home, home improvement projects that add value to your property, and more.

Mr Simons said he and his wife, Pauline, came up with the BDA Home Pros idea some years ago after seeing the popular HomeAdvisor site in the United States. They have been working steadily on getting the business up and running ever since.

He said: “We just thought that Bermuda needed a hub: a bridge between contractors, homeowners, tenants, and office managers. BDA Home Pros has been received quite well by the people I have spoken to about it. Now, it’s a matter of getting it fully launched and out in the wider public eye.

“Right now, we are focused on getting our brand out there, and building trust in it with contractors, homeowners, tenants and office managers. We are creating something that has never been done before in Bermuda that we believe is marketable.”

He said BDA Home Pros has become a member of the Construction Association of Bermuda, the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

The post Hire a professional appeared first on RG Magazines.

Once installed, flooring is difficult and expensive to replace, so it needs to be able to last the test of time, as well as be durable and able to withstand Bermuda’s climate.

Flooring experts Randy Stafford and Gordon Benson of the Stafford Group, sat down with RG Home to explain the different products available, the considerations homeowners should factor into their flooring decisions and what they would choose if money was no object.

If money’s not a matter, Mr Stafford recommended natural stone or wood.

“Natural stone has its own mother nature look, which can’t be duplicated,” he said.

He warned, however, that both these materials come at a substantial maintenance cost as well as a monetary one.

Natural stone is porous and needs to be regularly resealed, and Bermuda’s damp, humid climate doesn’t go well with solid wood. If you are importing it, you need to wait several weeks before installing it to allow the wood to acclimatise.

“Real wood is a hard product to look after,” Mr Benson said. “You go away, you don’t put the air-conditioning on, and then the place is like a greenhouse and the wood swells, and it’s all ridged and cupped.”

LVT

Is it possible to get the wood or natural stone look, without the high cost? Yes! Mr Stafford and Mr Benson recommended luxury vinyl tile (LVT), which is available in plank or tile form. LVT isn’t new, but its quality has improved substantially in recent years.

“The reproduction has come a long way,” Mr Benson said. “It used to look like plastic. You could tell what it was. But now, quite often, you would be hard pushed to tell the difference between a real engineered wood floor and a vinyl floor.”

Mr Stafford added: “One of the manufacturing groups that we represent, they have a piece of real wood, and a piece of LVT connected and it’s like, choose which is the real [wood]. It’s very hard to see, unless you touch it.”

Mr Stafford works with the LVT brand Karndean, whose LVT flooring options include a variety of stone and wood designs.

“The stones, in particular, are a really good substitute for tile,” said Mr Benson.

LVT is also durable and can withstand not just moisture, but also the “massive differential of humidity between the winter and the summer”, which makes it a popular choice for Bermuda’s homes.

It is also more cost-effective to install than a lot of other flooring options, and more comfortable to stand on than a porcelain tile.

“There’s an inherent comfort in the construction of the material,” said Mr Stafford, who explained that this is an important consideration for harder working rooms, especially the kitchen:

“You don’t stand in your living room, unless you let a lot of people in the house. You sit on the couch. You go to your bedroom, you lie on your bed. So, your kitchen is where you stand. That’s where the LVT has a great advantage.”

Another benefit is its versatility. LVT comes in a multitude of different colours and styles.

Engineered wood and tile

Two other products that also stand up well to Bermuda’s climate are tile and engineered wood.

Where solid wood is made from a single piece of timber, engineered wood has a real hardwood top layer and then a manufactured, softwood or multi-ply core. If someone is committed to having a wood floor, but is concerned about the maintenance, or they need to install new flooring into an old home, and want the floors to be in keeping with the historical nature of the house, “engineered would be the best product,” said Mr Stafford.

Tile also remains popular, particularly for bathrooms, and where an internal floor leads to an outside space such as a veranda or pool deck. Some of the manufacturers they work with have a matching indoor and outdoor floor tile, but the outdoor version has a grip to prevent you from slipping:

“We just finished doing a pool house and a pool surround and that was a tile that went from the pool house and then out to the pool deck,” shared Mr Benson.

“It was the same look of tile, but the inside tile was regular tile, which is a thinner version, and then the outside was a thicker exterior tile. It looks the same. It blends the same. It’s a seamless look.”

Another popular tile trend is for large format tiles. It’s not unusual for them to supply 24 x 24 or 24 x 48 sized tile and even, on occasion, 48 x 48. These large sizes work well for large spaces and, while their size makes them more expensive to install than smaller tiles, a popular benefit is fewer grout lines to clean.

Colour trends

Like most décor, fixtures and fittings, flooring trends, particularly colours and shades, are cyclical.

Mr Benson said “blondes are very much back in fashion,” which is something they first witnessed in the early 2000s when Scandinavian colours, such as light wood shades, became popular.

For the previous five to seven years, shades of grey were very much in vogue, and the cycle before that, he said, was dark wood.

Once again, however, it’s light, yellow-gold and oak shades that people want for their homes and, he added, “there are probably 50 or 60 shades of it,” to choose from.

Choosing your flooring shouldn’t be a quick decision.

“You need to put a lot of weight into your thinking of that,” Mr Stafford said.

“The floor that you take and choose becomes the backbone or the look of your design and your expression of life.”

The post Flawless flooring appeared first on RG Magazines.

At Habitat ReStore & Gallery, you can pick up a gently-used couch and chairs, dining tables, chests of drawers – and many more items in good condition – while also contributing to the welfare of the community.

The net proceeds of sales at Habitat ReStore help finance projects by the Bermuda chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Furniture, household goods and decor items for sale at Habitat ReStore are donated by members of the public and localbusinesses. They are resold at greatly reduced prices compared with normal retail rates.

On a recent visit to the store on King Street, Hamilton, items for sale included a variety of comfortable couches for $400 apiece, a circular dining table and four chairs for $150, two half-moon tables for $50 each, a TV stand and entryway table for $150 each, a bookshelf for $50, an outdoor furniture set for $500, plus a variety of chairs, and sets of hina, cutlery and glassware. Delivery is available for a flat fee of $50.

Store manager Collin Cluett said people often furnish their entire home with purchases from the shop.

“We do that all the time. A lot of new people on the island will come in and buy. Just the last person I did, he got three beds, three sofas, four dressers, and a dining room table. He got everything through us, down to his forks and knives and his plates and his cups.

“It goes in seasons. At the beginning of the summer, there were about four brand new people on the island that furnished their entire place. But at that same time, there were probably five people leaving the island and we got their entire place.”

You need to be quick

Mr Cluett said turnover is often swift, so it’s advisable to keep checking back to keep on top of new inventory.

“It depends on the item. If it’s a good bed, sofa or dresser, sometimes it doesn’t even make it off the truck. Whoever’s in the store will see it and buy it.

“Otherwise, an hour or two, maybe a couple of days if you’re lucky. I brought in a really nice three-piece sofa set on a Friday afternoon. It was sold Saturday morning, so it’s very quick.”

He added: “That $100 to $500 price range is key. A lot of these items that you see at the $400 or $500 mark, they are $3,000-plus items if you were paying retail.

“Some new people on the island come in on a weekly basis and thank us for being here because there’s nowhere to go to get good, affordable furniture. The turnover here is remarkable.”

He said the shop’s inventory is “all community driven”.

“We do have a lot of corporate and office donations, especially of appliances and other larger items. Companies all know what we do, so anytime they’re doing upgrades in their offices, they will call us to see what we would want.

“Every day, the phone is ringing with people in the community wishing to donate. Sometimes, someone has passed away. Other people are moving away, or downsizing, or have ordered something that they just don’t like and then they’ll give it to us.

“I think we are very much front of mind for a lot of people because they do know how much their donations go back into the community.”

Donors include a supportive plumber, who donates toilets and sinks, while truckers have been known to drop by Habitat ReStore on the way to the dump with a client’s unwanted furniture.

Mr Cluett said: “If it’s decent and we have space, we’ll bring it inside.”

Supporting the vulnerable

Habitat for Humanity was founded in the United States in 1976. The local affiliate was established on the island as a registered charity in 2000.

It has adopted the Habitat model, ‘A Brush with Kindness’, which is about restoring neighbourhoods one home at a time by providing home renovations and refurbishments.

These projects aim to rectify common issues such as leaky roofs, mould, broken windows and doors, and severe electrical or plumbing problems which can lead to insecure and hazardous conditions for families.

Last year, the organisation completed 25 such projects. Taking on some larger undertakings this year, Habitat for Humanity was working on helping its 14th household of 2026 when RG Home met with them in early September.

Sandra Christensen, executive director of the Bermuda chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said: “All the money that we raise here at Habitat ReStore goes to support our projects, which help the vulnerable and underserved in our community who are living in derelict homes. We go in and rehabilitate their homes to a standard of safety and make them habitable.

“With regard to our large-scale projects, we do maybe one a year or every two years. Our focus is on the community projects right now, the smaller ones, which benefit seniors and families with children living in really derelict and unsafe homes.”

She added: “A lot of the donations that we receive don’t even end up being sold here because we find a need in one of our projects. For example, cabinets which are donated are ideal for our projects.”

Mr Cluett added: “In one instance, a woman at one of our project houses didn’t have a bed. I actually had a bed in the back of the van, so I immediately went and got it, brought it into the house, and set it up.

“We were towards the end of that project, and I just so happened to be there with the bed in the back and now she has it still to this day.”

Mr Cluett, the lone employee at Habitat ReStore, supervises a team of 14 volunteers.

He said: “We are adding volunteers all the time. We’re always looking for volunteers.”

The Habitat ReStore furniture and decor showroom is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am. If you have items to donate, contact [email protected] or call 296-0256.

The post Good cause … great furniture appeared first on RG Magazines.

While marble countertops, statement chandeliers and custom-made furnishings might be on many homeowners’ wish lists, there are many ways to achieve a sophisticated look without stretching the household budget.

According to Hamma Galleries, the secret is paying attention to the smaller details that can make even modest furnishings look more expensive.

“Design is all about the details. Even lower-cost larger items can be enhanced with thoughtful accents, like hardware, to create an expensive and luxurious appearance,” they told us.

With a little creativity and some carefully chosen finishing touches, homeowners can transform ordinary rooms into elegant, welcoming spaces without taking on a major redesign.

Simple but effective

One of the simplest places to start is with existing cabinetry and doors. Replacing standard handles and knobs with more stylish hardware can make a surprising difference, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms.

Brushed brass and oil-rubbed bronze can give a more polished look to your kitchen cabinets, built-in storage units and interior doors, without the cost of replacing them.

Lighting is another area where small changes can have a dramatic effect.

Rather than relying entirely on ceiling fixtures, try different sources of light throughout a room. Table lamps, standing lamps and smaller accent lights can all help create a softer, more inviting atmosphere.

“Use warm-coloured bulbs instead of harsh white ones to create a soft, inviting glow,” the company advised.

Small lamps placed on bookshelves or side tables can also add interest to corners that might otherwise go unnoticed. Cordless lamps are especially useful because they can go wherever they are needed without worrying about access to electrical outlets.

Installing dimmer switches is another relatively inexpensive improvement allowing you to change the atmosphere of a room throughout the day.

A brightly lit living room might be ideal for family activities, for example, while softer lighting can create a more intimate setting when entertaining friends in the evening.

Texture is equally important when trying to achieve a luxurious look, particularly in rooms decorated in neutral colours.

Although an all-white or beige interior can feel calm and elegant, it can also appear flat without enough variation in materials and finishes.

Mix it up

Hamma recommends combining fabrics such as linen, cotton and wool with natural elements like wood and stone. Woven materials and fabrics with a slightly uneven or textured surface can add depth and interest without introducing bold colours or patterns.

“Mixing linen, cotton, wood, and stone elements helps create a rich and grounded aesthetic,” the company said.

A sofa, for example, can be given an entirely different appearance simply by adding a selection of soft linen cushions in complementary colours and textures. Draping a throw blanket over the arm or back of a chair can introduce warmth and make a seating area feel more inviting.

The key is to create a layered look, with different materials working together rather than competing for attention.

Paint is another affordable way to transform a room, whether refreshing tired walls or giving an old piece of furniture a new lease of life. A fresh coat can make an interior feel cleaner, brighter and more contemporary, particularly when the right finish is chosen.

For walls, Hamma recommends matte or eggshell finishes, which generally create a softer, more modern appearance.

Gloss and semigloss finishes can be effective in the right setting, but they require careful application because imperfections tend to be more noticeable.

Homeowners can also experiment with paint on second-hand furniture or pieces they already own.

An outdated chest of drawers, side table or cabinet might be completely transformed with a new colour and finish, offering an inexpensive alternative to buying something new.

For those who enjoy a little contrast, a carefully chosen high-gloss accent piece can add an extra touch of glamour.

Another approach is to invest selectively in “noble materials” — natural materials such as marble, stone and wood that are valued for their appearance and lasting appeal.

Although these materials can be expensive when used extensively, smaller decorative pieces can give a sense of quality without a large financial commitment.

A marble bowl on a coffee table, a wooden tray on a sideboard or a decorative dish can all add interest while serving a practical purpose.

Trays are particularly useful for grouping smaller objects together, helping everyday items look more organised and intentional.

An accent table made from a beautiful natural material can also become a focal point, providing a stylish surface for a lamp, books or other decorative accessories.

Window treatments offer another opportunity to make a room appear more impressive than its dimensions might suggest.

“Hang curtains high and wide to make your windows appear larger and your ceilings feel taller,” Hamma advised.

Floor-to-ceiling drapes also introduce softness and elegance, particularly when made from fabrics that fall naturally and complement the surrounding furnishings.

Get creative

Artwork can have a similar impact.

Rather than filling walls with numerous small pictures that may get lost among other furnishings, Hamma recommends choosing oversized pieces that immediately draw the eye.

A large painting or canvas can create a striking focal point, bringing personality and drama to an otherwise simple room.

There is no need to spend heavily on original artwork. Homeowners with a creative streak might consider making their own canvas pieces, choosing colours and designs that suit their existing décor.

Plants and flowers offer another easy way to bring life into a space.

A large leafy plant in an attractive container can soften a bare corner, while flowers arranged on a dining table or entrance console can make a room feel instantly more welcoming.

For those concerned about the ongoing cost of fresh flowers or the maintenance involved in keeping plants healthy, Hamma suggests considering good-quality artificial alternatives.

Perhaps the most affordable improvement of all, however, is simply clearing away clutter.

“Keep surfaces clean and open; a clutter-free space instantly feels more intentional and expensive,” the company said.

It also allows carefully selected decorative pieces to stand out, rather than becoming lost among everyday belongings.

Ultimately, creating an expensive-looking home is less about how much money is spent and more about how thoughtfully each element is chosen.

The post Luxury for less appeared first on RG Magazines.

In Bermuda, many of us view landscaping as a ‘one and done’ activity – something undertaken to gain Department of Planning approval before construction work and then given relatively little thought going forward.

Sure, the grass gets mowed and the hedges trimmed, but once the initial planting is in place, we get on with the rest of our lives until a change of ownership or hurricane damage forces us to do otherwise.

But if you give your garden enough love, it will pay you back in spades and provide beauty, colour and variety for you to enjoy all year.

Four seasons of colour

Landscape architect David Cox said one of the most effective ways to introduce colour back into your garden is to use plants whose leaves have different colours and textures that will provide interest all year round.

“Colour can be quite personal,” Mr Cox said. “But whatever your preferences, it is important to remember that flowers are seasonal, and you need to think about what your choices will look like when they are not in bloom.”

One way to bridge seasonal gaps is to make greater use of contrasting foliage.

“Putting Match-Me-If-You-Can alongside silver buttonwood, for example, creates an

immediate contrast and visual interest even when other flowering plants are not in bloom.”

The showier the flower, the shorter its blooming season tends to be.

Rather than choosing several varieties that reach their peak at the same time, select plants with different flowering cycles so that one display begins as another starts to fade.

“Hibiscus is a hardy evergreen shrub that can bloom for much of the year,” Mr Cox said, “while Easter lilies and roses often put on their best displays in the spring, and oleander flowers profusely during the summer months.”

Whatever you decide to plant, water requirements must be part of the planning process. New plants in particular need adequate water during their first year while they establish a healthy root system. Before adding anything to your garden, consider how you will keep it watered throughout Bermuda’s inevitable periods of hot, dry weather.

Work with what you have

The good news is that refreshing a tired garden does not necessarily mean digging everything up and starting again.

If you are working with an established garden, you can make a considerable difference while preserving the unique character of the Bermuda landscape.

Start by taking a fresh look at what is already growing, then identify a couple of key areas where a little attention could have the greatest impact, keeping in mind your budget and the amount of time you can devote to the project.

“There is no need to tackle everything at once,” Mr Cox said. “You can achieve a big impact by focusing on a small area and keep the rest of your property relatively maintenance free simply by removing or relocating a few plants to make room for carefully chosen splashes of colour.”

Take careful consideration of the location of your plants.

“Before adding a plant, consider its light requirements as well as the size and shape it will eventually achieve,” Mr Cox said.

“As a rule, rounded growth plants such as plumbago or bird of paradise need to be planted away from walls and buildings, while varieties of ground cover such as African iris and flax lily will do well near a house.

“Most people plant things in planters that are too small or beds that are too close to the house – even roses can be a challenge to maintain if they are growing too close to a wall and can’t be pruned correctly.”

There are plants, such as lady of the night and pseuderanthemum, however, that grow vertically and don’t take up a lot of space, making them ideal for breaking up space visually on the side of a house.

Maintenance

Trees and plants never stop growing and changing.

Flower beds that once seemed spacious can gradually become overcrowded, leaving plants competing for sunlight, space and water.

Mr Cox said: “A bed that was once in a sunny location can gradually become shaded, causing flowering plants to stop blooming, or it can become overgrown with invasive species such as Chinese fan palm and Mexican pepper.

“Neglecting a garden for decades can be complicated and expensive to remedy, particularly if tree removal is required, unless skilled and consistent maintenance is employed over the years.”

Native and endemic plants

Bermuda’s native and endemic plants are ideally suited to our harsh growing conditions. So even though many of them are shades of green – and not particularly eye-catching – Mr Cox insisted they have their place.

For a small island, Bermuda has a diverse ecosystem, and the impact of sun, shade, wind and salt all need to be considered when selecting plants. Some species simply won’t survive in exposed locations, while others are particularly well adapted to salty coastal conditions.

“Olivewood or Bermuda cedar make a great backdrop for inland properties, while buttonwood and sea lavender seemingly thrive in exposed coastal areas,” Mr Cox said.

Sometimes all a tired garden really needs is a fresh pair of eyes. A little thoughtful editing might be all you need to turn a bland overgrown outdoor space into a colourful oasis.

The post Splash of colour appeared first on RG Magazines.

Our island boasts a mass of breath-taking views – and many homes from which to enjoy them.

With housing stock in high demand, however, homes with views come at a premium. We sat down with some of Bermuda’s real estate experts discuss whether they’re worth the asking price.

In demand views

The definition of a good view is very much down to individual opinion, but valuation experts Suzanne Stones and Steve Bowie of Bermuda Valuers & Appraisers agreed that the most valuable views are not just of the water, but are active water views.

“Hamilton Harbour, St George’s Harbour, Salt Kettle, where there’s a water view, but there’s stuff going on,” Ms Stones said.

Mr Bowie said: “There’s always something going on and of course, people like the sunset, so if you’re in the Hamilton Harbour, looking out towards Dockyard, you will get the sunset.”

Valuable views aren’t just confined to the central parishes.

Ms Stones continued: “There’s some beautiful little coves up in St David’s where there’s a really lovely water outlook.

“You go up to Somerset and you’ve got Ely’s Harbour or Cavello Bay, where there’s always something going on.”

Other popular views, they said, include those of Harrington Sound, South Shore looking down the coast, and Boss’s Cove.

Albert Moura, operating principal of Keller Williams Bermuda, appreciated the value of water views, and added that some buyers also enjoy the “serenity of South Shore”.

The best views, he added, “would probably be panoramic, as opposed to a corridor view between trees”.

He explained: “So, a good view would affect more than just one room. You could see it from the living room, from the dining room, from the bedrooms, from the pool area. That would be a great view.”

How much is a good view worth?

“Water views are always going to attract a higher premium versus something that doesn’t have a water view,” Mr Moura said.

“Unobstructed views of the Hamilton Harbour, the Sound, or the South Shore are going to attract the biggest premium.”

One centrally located property Mr Moura recently helped sell had views looking northwest and southeast.

“So, two bodies of water and even within the same neighbourhood, that probably would have sold for 15 to 20 per cent less with zero views.”

“The more central, the higher the premium. As you start to go further east and west, the buyer pool starts to shrink so the competition for those views will be less, so the premium becomes less.”

An exception to this, he said, is Tucker’s Town – location, while important, is just one factor that will impact the value of a home with a view.

“Topography plays a role as well. You could have a great view, but just a slope in your yard versus no view and a nice flat piece of lawn. Some people would value the flat land more than they would the view because at least they have a yard. That’s individual,” he pointed out.

Market trends

While demand for views has always been high, 15 or 20 years ago Mr Moura found that “there was a mental block going past Barnes Corner and the Causeway”.

This is no longer the case:

“Today, more and more people are considering the eastern and western ends of the island,” he said. “The market’s changed in the sense that the demand is so high that people are now considering moving further east and west. It’s just not going to command as high a premium as the central parishes.”

Thinking of recent sales, Mr Moura explained: “Some who wouldn’t have ordinarily considered St George’s or Somerset have moved there because the view was a difference maker; in order for them to get that view, essentially they would have had to have paid hundreds of thousands more.”

As an indication of just how competitive the housing market is at the moment, Ms Stones estimated that about 60 per cent of purchases are cash buyers.

Another change Mr Moura observed is that even though views are in demand, privacy now commands more of a premium because it’s becoming harder to find.

“Getting a property in a location where you can’t see any others, some people may prefer that to having a view,” he said.

Is it worth it?

In terms of saleability, Ms Stones said that if you have two similar houses in the same neighbourhood – one with a view, one without a view – the one with the view will “100 per cent” be easier to sell.

“There’s always been a demand for homes with views,” confirmed Mr Moura.

“A good view is a good view, no matter where you get it, and it’s always going to give you a return. And, if you have to sell it, and whether you’re in a good market or a bad market, your view’s still going to command a premium and it’ll be in higher demand than a house that doesn’t have a view.

“Anybody will buy a house with a view, but some people won’t buy a house without a view.”

The post A sight to behold! appeared first on RG Magazines.

In Bermuda, where renovations aren’t always practical and moving isn’t always affordable, making the most of every square foot can make a surprising difference.

The good news is that creating more space often has less to do with buying a bigger home than using the one you already have more cleverly.

Ikea, the multinational home furnishing brand famous for designing and selling ready-to-assemble furniture, suggests looking upwards.

Using walls for storage can open up the space dramatically, particularly in kitchens and other compact rooms.

Cupboards themselves can often hold more than you think. Shelf risers create a second level for plates, mugs or pantry items, while stackable containers make better use of the full height of a shelf. In deeper cupboards, pull-out baskets can also make items stored at the back easier to reach.

Floating shelves, pegboards and wall hooks can all free up cupboards while keeping everyday items within easy reach. Tall bookcases and shelving units also make use of space that often goes unnoticed.

The furniture itself should also work harder.

Better Homes & Gardens magazine recommends choosing pieces that serve more than one purpose. A storage ottoman, for example, provides somewhere to sit while concealing belongings inside, while coffee tables with hidden compartments provide extra storage without taking up additional floor space.

Beds can also provide valuable storage. Built-in drawers are one option. Good Housekeeping magazine recommends using the space beneath a bed for things that are not needed every day — bulky bedding, out-of-season clothes, luggage and less frequently worn shoes.

Boxes on wheels make belongings easier to retrieve, while vacuum storage bags can reduce the amount of room taken up by bulky items.

Other unused spaces are worth considering too.

Better Homes & Gardens suggests attaching organisers to the inside of closet doors to hold smaller items. The tops of wardrobes can accommodate luggage or things used only occasionally, while hooks can turn otherwise empty walls or the backs of doors into useful storage.

Apartment Therapy, a home decor and lifestyle website that teaches readers how to organise and beautify their homes, suggests looking for storage that disappears when not in use. A wall-mounted drying rack, for example, can fold flat against the wall rather than permanently occupying valuable floor space.

Hooks near the front door can provide a home for keys, bags and coats, while drawer dividers can bring order to kitchens, bathrooms and desks. Good Housekeeping recommends baskets to make better use of awkward spaces, including the area beneath a bathroom sink.

Better Homes & Gardens recommends regularly removing things that are no longer used, while Good Housekeepingalso puts decluttering at the heart of organising a small space.

A cupboard full of gadgets that haven’t been used in years or clothes that no longer fit takes up valuable room, no matter how neatly everything is organised.

The aim isn’t necessarily to fill every available corner with storage. Leaving some surfaces clear and avoiding too much furniture can also make a small room feel less crowded.

The post Making space appeared first on RG Magazines.