Everyone needs a space of their own

One of the first things I ask a client when doing a Home and Lifestyle consultation is"Does everyone who lives here have a place they can go if they want to be alone?"

When people choose to be together, they usually get on pretty well; if they are together when they would prefer not to be we sometimes get disharmony.

Sometimes we find someone goes out to the pub, or to tinker in the garage, because there is nowhere in the house they can be alone.

The first thing is to recognise that it is fine for people to want time alone. Half an hour can make a big difference to someone who wants time to chill, get their thoughts and emotions together.

So where do we find the space?

For children it will often be their bedroom. If they share a room with a sibling, create a system to split the time - perhaps a timetable or a sign on the door with a timer. A chair in the corner of the bedroom may work well for you as well. Take some time to tidy and make the space look welcoming. Put some magazines or books nearby. And create a view from your chair - hang a mirror so it reflects something attractive or a picture to look at.

If all else fails, the car may be the answer. On a two week holiday I have been known to leave the family in the hotel room and drive around the corner to read for an hour.

The key to acceptance of this behaviour is to come back sunny and bright so everyone sees the upside.

Have a great day!

Jennifer.

Home and Lifestyle consultations can be arranged worldwide or by telephone using digital photographs. Contact Jennifer at www.homestyle.co.nz

How to Make a Room Seem Bigger

Hi,

Here's a simple tip for enjoying your home more.

Our sense of space is not dictated so much by the actual size of the room, but by how far we can see. This means we can make a room seem larger by extending the views.

There are a few simple ways we can do this:

• Open curtains and blinds so you can see out better
• Cut back foliage outside windows
• Place a visual focal point at the end of the view outside to draw the eye out
• Open doors to other rooms and place visual focal points at the end of those view
• Hang pictures with perspective, such as landscapes or interiors of buildings
• Use mirrors to bring long views back to the doorway to the room, or anywhere you sit

The other important thing is to have a clear walking path through the room - even a large room feels cramped if you can't move around it easily.

Imagine standing looking at a blank wall. Now replace the wall in your mind with a view out over a harbour or mountains. Feel the space expand?

Have a great day!

Jennifer.

For Jennifer's audio products and Home Style services see http://www.homestyle.co.nz/