How To Divide Your Open-Plan Layout

How To Divide Your Open-Plan Layout

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Open-plan layouts are a very popular choice amongst homeowners, particularly for those who love the modern look. It is important though, to partition your open-plan so it doesn’t just end up being one large room. Here’s how you can do that:

 

Choose Different Flooring

Having different textured flooring in different parts of your open-plan space is a great way to seamlessly divide the sections, particularly between the kitchen area and the lounge area. Because water is more likely to be spilt in the kitchen area, it’s preferable to have tiles, whereas a timber flooring is more suited to the dining and lounge areas.

 

Divide Zones With Furniture

Dividing the spaces with furniture such as cabinets and shelving is another great way to create subtle barriers between the relaxation and the more functional zones. This also helps to make it more intimate in the areas you are more likely to lounge in.

 

Colour Co-Ordinate

Just like with furniture and flooring, another way to divide the different areas is with the colour scheme. Think about giving your dining area an inviting look by having some brightly coloured chairs, or try to contrast the colours with the scheme that is in the kitchen. Choosing different colours for each area makes your home look more hospitable and less like one giant room.

 

Place A Rug Under Dining Table

As simple as it may seem, adding a rug under your dining table can do wonders for the general aesthetics of your open-plan layout, and it also creates the distinction between the other spaces. Not only that, but it will feel lovely under your feet when you are seated and enjoying your meals!

Loft Conversion Ideas

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A loft conversion usually represents the best way to add an additional bedroom in your property. APT Renovation has looked at some potential ideas for you if you are considering a loft conversion:

 

Simple Loft Conversion

Sometimes planning permission may not allow you to fit in dormers, so if this is the case, you should think about a standard open-plan loft conversion, which is the best bet in terms of expenditure. All that is required is some insulation, refurbishment and some homely lighting installed.

 

Conversion With Bathroom

If you’re lucky enough to have lots of space in your roof, then you could opt for an additional bathroom for your loft conversion. Installing roof lights will create a very airy and relaxing space for when you want to relax in the tub.

 

Rear Dormer

If you want to maximise the head height in your loft, then this is the best option for you. This type of conversion usually complies with planning permission, as the front slope of the roof remains unchanged. A rear dormer is a great way to boost the functionality of your loft, ensuring that it becomes an important part of the house.

 

Mezzanine

 

If the floor-to-ceiling height in your roof is lacking, then you may want to choose to create a mezzanine to accommodate new space. By choosing a mezzanine, you get the chance to compartmentalise 2 different levels and you can fit in some skylights, and bring in a healthy amount of natural light.

make your home eco-friendly

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient And Eco-Friendly

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Here at APT Renovation, we always strive to make your home as energy efficient and eco-friendly as possible. We have taken a look at the best solutions you can take for sustainable living:

 

Insulate Your Walls

Ideally, you want your home to be warm during the winter, and nice and cool during the summer. The type of insulation you use has a big impact on the overall temperature, and eco-friendly options such as wool and recycled denim allow your walls to breathe, making it far more energy efficient. The government has been encouraging homeowners to go down this route, and introduced a grant (Energy Company Obligation) that can help with the costs.

 

Insulate Your Windows

If you want to get the best level of insulation from your windows, then you should triple-glaze them. However, this may not be possible in a listed building or a conservation area, so you may want to consider caulking and weatherstripping around the windows to stop air from coming in.

 

Use Solar Panels

Using solar panels is an incredibly effective way to lower the carbon footprint, and can be used all year round to heat up your water. Once you have paid for the installation of the solar panels, your hot water costs will drop dramatically and the carbon dioxide levels will reduce, thanks to this green, renewable heating system.

 

Only Choose Sustainable Wood

For your home to be considered truly eco-friendly, the wood that you use must be sourced responsibly and legally. There are many plantations that do all they can to respect and conserve trees and the surrounding wildlife, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find sustainable timber.

 

 

What Our Architects Can Do For You

What Our Architectural Designers Can Do For You

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architects

APT Renovation is a design & build team, meaning that we have our own in-house architectural designers that have designed some of the most stunning projects you will see in London. We have laid out some of the top things that our architectural designers can do for you:

Come Up With Amazing Ideas

You will already have your own idea on what you want done to your home, and our architectural designers will take this on board, but they will also have brilliant ideas of their own that you will not have even considered. Our architectural designers have amassed so much experience in terms of interior designs as well as extensions, so they know exactly what to do with spaces and how to make the most out of them.

Work Around Your Budget

One of the benefits to being an all-in-one team is that our architectural designers will work around your budget with you, and this information will be shared throughout the design & build team. This means total clarity for you along the way, rather than dealing with third-parties and the risk of getting your wires crossed. We will even advise you on how to avoid making any unnecessary costs.

Re-create A Style You Like

If you happen to have a picture of some interior design that you may want to emulate, then you can take that straight to our architectural designers and we can replicate this as much as possible, parameters permitting. Our architectural designers know where to source every type of material and have access to all the specialist suppliers around.

Incredible Attention To Detail

At APT, our architectural designers do not miss a thing, every little detail is of paramount importance. We take pride in designing and building your dream home, and we leave no stone unturned. Our architectural designers go the extra mile when designing your home project, with every millimetre accurately covered.

Amazing Staircase Ideas

Amazing Staircase Ideas

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A staircase not only serves as an important functionality in the household, but it has the potential to create a stunning effect to complement the rest of a property. APT have looked at some incredibly inventive ways in which you could transform your staircase:

 

Use Wires Instead Of Walls

Getting rid of the walls beside the staircase is a fantastic way to create a more seamless and open-plan effect between 2 storeys. Using wires instead of walls is a stunning aesthetic alternative, and gives off the illusion that your steps are floating.

 

Exposed Undersides

Exposing the undersides of your staircase will create some beautiful geometric angles that can add a whole new dynamic to your décor. Also, if your staircase is white, there is more chance of bouncing off natural light and creating subtle shadows.

 

Insert Storage

If you are running out of places to store things in your home, then one ingenious method to solve this is to insert drawers into the stairs. These are ideal for storing things such as shoes, particularly when you have a lot of people living in the house.

 

LED Lights

Using LED lights on your staircase can create a very mystical ambience in your home. If you have wooden steps then you can really achieve a dramatic effect if you fit the lights on both sides. This will illuminate the wood and give it a far more pronounced look.

How To Make The Unsightly Attractive

How To Make The Unsightly Attractive

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It’s safe to say that in any household, there are aspects and items that are not attractive to look at. This includes the inevitable clutter that seems to manifest from nowhere as each year passes by. Here’s how you can make these unsightly items seem more attractive:

 

Obscure Your Wheelie Bins

Let’s face it, wheelie bins are not the most sightly things to see, as they appear cumbersome and are generally an unfavourable swamp-like colour. This is especially noticeable if the exterior of your home looks radiant. A good idea is to conceal them with a storage hut of some sort, and only bring them out once you need to use them.

 

Combine Your Clutter

Sometimes we can be very reluctant to let go of clutter, so to make the most out of this hoard mentality, why not experiment by combining random items together to see if they complement each other? If you move the items onto some neat shelving, and combine and contrast the colours, then you may be impressed with your results!

 

Manage Your Paperwork

Piled up paperwork is an unavoidable fact of life. Most of the paperwork we receive through the mail probably ends up being worthless to us, but when it comes down to the essential files that we need, we should really keep them some place safe, rather than sprawled out in different locations. Creating an attractive, colour-coded storage system for your important paperwork will do wonders in decluttering your room, as well as your mind.

 

Spruce Up Your Staircase

If your staircase is unattractive, then there are ways to make it look more pleasing on the eye. Firstly, you should consider brightening it up with some paint, adding a runner or putting colour on the risers. You could also revamp the bannisters and add some creativity to them by adding framework, metalwork, slats or opting for glass.

How To Make Your Child's Dream Room

How To Make Your Child’s Dream Room

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A child’s bedroom is so important to their upbringing and development, so you want to ensure that you get it right for them. Here’s how you can make your child’s dream bedroom:

 

Give Them Input

You will want to make sure that your child’s bedroom corresponds with their interests and favourite hobbies, so it’s definitely a good idea to get them involved in the design process. Think about what activities they are most likely to do and work around this. So for instance, if they like to draw, put in a table, some bright lights and give the room an artistic vibe.

 

Compartmentalise

When it comes to children, it’s safe to say that their concentration levels can be rather erratic, so you will want to segment their room into areas that they can distinguish. For example, if they have certain toys that they use a lot, then you should place them in a certain part of the room so that they know where they are and where they need to be put back.

 

Encourage Creativity

A great way to keep your child occupied, and to encourage creativity, is to give them a surface for them to draw or write on. This could be an assigned wall or even a chalk or whiteboard. This will make your child feel like they really belong in their room, as they get free reign with creating designs.

 

Low & Comfy

Children love to play on the floor with their toys or colouring pens, sometimes it’s like they have no need for chairs! Placing down some comfortable and padded cushions or bean bags will make their bedroom much more accommodating and encourage them to spend time in their room. Make sure to select a fabric that has soft fibres and is not irritable to your child!

Maximise The Space Underneath Your Staircase

Maximise The Space Underneath Your Staircase

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The space underneath a staircase is often overlooked, but this can often be a great place to add some storage or even create a mini room. APT have looked at the ways that you can maximise this space:

 

Install A Study

Putting in a little study underneath the staircase is a great way to make the most out of this redundant space and also won’t set you back much in terms of money. All you need to do is add a desk, a chair, some low-key lighting and perhaps fit some storage units into the wall.

 

Miniature Art Gallery

Instead of wasting the wall space, why not add your own mini gallery with all of your favourite pieces of art? You could also use the space to put up pictures of your travels, or even photographs of you and your family.

 

Bicycle/Pram Storage

If you or any of your family members are cyclists, then you could use the free space underneath the stairs to store bicycles, rather than have them take up space or run the risk of getting them stolen outside. Additionally, pushchairs or mobility scooters could also be stored in this space.

 

Play Den

It’s no secret that children love playing in enclosed spaces such as tents and dense, so if you do have kids, think about creating a play den underneath the staircase. You could make it very cosy for them by putting in some cushions and bean bags, while you could also add some vibrancy to the space with toys and bright colours on the walls.

 

Transform Your House With 3D Wall Surfaces

Transform Your House With 3D Wall Surfaces

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Transform Your House With 3D Wall Surfaces

3D wall surfaces are being used more often in home renovations than ever before, as there is so much scope for design and creativity. APT Renovation has looked at some brilliant 3D wall surface ideas that can transform your home:

Wave Patterns

To create a sense of calm and tranquillity in your home, why not got for some waved textures in a light colour? This can bring a very relaxing ambience to your home, and also gives the illusion of a longer wall. It’s probably best not to overdo it with the textures though, and use it for only one wall, as it can create a nice contrast with painted brickwork or stonework.

Stone Surfaces

While many 3D wall surfaces are used to create a contemporary effect, using a stone is an effective way to make your property look more traditional and rustic. Using stonework on the walls near your garden area also gives the impression that the outside is connected to the inside, and also gives off a warm feeling, particularly during the winter.

Wooden Panels

For a more country look, wood panelling is a lovely theme to use on the walls, particularly in the kitchen and dining area. Picking lighter, natural woods for your walls can also be used to create a modern Scandinavian interior style, which is so different from the darker hues of wood.

Enhance Your Bathroom

Using 3D ceramic surfaces in your bathroom can do wonders in terms of enhancing its style. Think about going for circular or cracked patterns on the walls, as they can make your bathroom feel chic like a luxurious hotel.

Benefits Of Skylights

Skylights To Brighten Your Living Space

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While windows are usually found in walls, they can also feature in ceilings to give you stunning sky views and to brighten up your space. APT has looked at how skylights can benefit your household:

 

Add Height

Having skylight windows can not only give you more natural light, but it can also give you a lot more extra height, which has a huge impact on how spacious your property feels. This extra height and light also negates any feeling of claustrophobia.

 

Improve Functionality

While skylights are often used generically to boost the brightness, you can also take advantage of them in terms of functionality and place an area of study directly underneath them. Another common area in the house to have skylight windows is in the kitchen, as this helps with all kitchen activities and saves you money on electrical lighting.

 

Shaped Windows

You don’t need to go for conventional skylight windows in your property, instead you could try a different shape like a circle or a triangle. Not only will this look unique and dynamic, but it will serve as a major talking point when you have guests over.

 

Illuminate Your Bathroom

Skylight windows can make excellent additions in bathrooms, as they allow natural light to pour in while you in there, and they maintain your privacy at the same time. You can also peer up to the stars at night whilst you relax in the bath tub.