Blog - Françoise's Interiors & Gardens

Update the Look - Redecorate with 10 Easy Tips - Part 1

Whether you are selling or just want to freshen the look, here are some easy tips for contemporary and period homes to help you redecorate - by Françoise Murat.

Fruit growing in suburbia? Absolutely!

Friday, 2 July 2010 | No Comments

Fruit can be grown in pots, containers, balconies, terraces, basically anywhere. It’s not difficult, it’s easy to prune them once you learn how, you can have espaliered and other fruit forms in any small suburban garden, you can have different trees and have a good yield for a family who loves fruit.

The Chelsea Flower Show - Special Report

Friday, 28 May 2010 | No Comments

I visited the show on Wednesday 26th May – I left home very early as I wanted to ensure I got to take some good pictures with as few people around as possible. It was busy but the RHS deciding to put a limit on the number of tickets sold has helped - especially with circulation in Main Avenue and Eastern Avenue.

Being Eco-conscious in Interior Design - easy start

Friday, 21 May 2010 | No Comments

Clients often ask me how they can be more Eco, more Green and do their bit for the planet without compromising aesthetic ideals or values. They think it’s hard and that their house is going to look like a hippie’s den! A few years ago this might have been true, but as über-swish design companies are being forced to design and manufacture greener products they are actually driving a market which is answering client’s needs and requirements.

A British Approach to Decoration: Wallpapers

Friday, 14 May 2010 | 1 Comment

Wallpaper can be traced back to China at around 200 B.C. when the Chinese glued rice paper onto their walls for decoration and insulation. From China to Arabia, in the 8th Century, wallpaper was developing but it really came into its own in the 18th Century and onwards - by Françoise Murat.

Herbs for your garden

Thursday, 29 April 2010 | No Comments

A Herb Garden is one of the easiest and most satisfying features you can build into your garden. Good for wildlife and if planted near your kitchen door, they can provide an amazing and bountiful supply of fresh herbs for the kitchen. - by Françoise Murat

Attracting wildlife to your garden

Friday, 16 April 2010 | 2 Comments

Attracting wildlife to any garden, even a balcony garden is great for the environment. It’s cheap, easy and everyone can contribute - by Françoise Murat

New Contemporary Interiors and Architectural Gardens from Old - Recycling Makes Sense

Friday, 9 April 2010 | 2 Comments

Being green does not mean joining the lentil and flower brigade. Nothing wrong with lentils. I adore them, and I of course I love flowers! Just as design need not be either exclusively about either function or form, being ecologically-led need not be drab, old fashioned or inelegant. It makes sense financially, it is important for our environment and and is easily done - by Françoise Murat

Get planting - Wildlife Pond Part 2

Friday, 26 March 2010 | 3 Comments

Planting a pond is not difficult – the plants are very easy and will take off (as in grow) as soon as you plunge them in, so you don’t have to be precious about it. Floating plants like ivy-leaf duckweed, hornwort and water solider can be thrown, literally! - By Françoise Murat

Build a wildlife pond in a weekend - part 1

Friday, 19 March 2010 | 1 Comment

A sure fire way to attract wildlife in the garden - by Françoise Murat

The Perfect Children’s Room – part 2

Friday, 5 March 2010 | 1 Comment

In the second part of the perfect children’s bedroom, we bake a cake – not literally you understand! It’s really a matter of putting certain ingredients together to give you a good foundation to build on. The trimmings are all the things that you can change over the years and won’t cost too much to do. Get the basics right and a child’s room will grow up with them - by Francoise Murat

The Perfect Children’s Room – part 1

Thursday, 25 February 2010 | No Comments

This is a room that will need to change a lot over the years, so keep this in mind when you are getting ready for that brand new bundle of joy, or if you are updating a child’s room - by Françoise Murat.

A wall is a wall is a wall...isn't it?

Friday, 19 February 2010 | 2 Comments

Well...not quite! For so many years we have been told to ensure our walls are painted in as neutral a colour as possible if we want our houses to sell. Keeping to a colour palette that does not criss-cross the rainbow will give you the best chance of appealing to as wide a buyer’s market as possible. But there is more to life than beige, and injecting interest can help sell your house- by Françoise Murat

Planning the perfect kitchen – part 2

Thursday, 11 February 2010 | No Comments

So you have followed the advice in our previous post and you are inspired and ready to make some decisions. One more thing to do before you head off down the high street or specialist show-rooms and start spending on that dream kitchen... by Françoise Murat

Planning the perfect kitchen (Part 1)

Monday, 1 February 2010 | No Comments

The heart of the home in most families, the once-humble kitchen has been elevated to a ‘gourmet space’. With new materials, space saving ideas, design and decoration to die for, the kitchen is in a renaissance - by Françoise Murat

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