Design Tidbits with Lisa McInnes of Gathering Walls
Some people can be deterred from renovating their home when they feel their budget isn’t big enough. But as Lisa McInnes of Instagram blog Gathering Walls told us, it’s about focussing on what you can do rather than what you can’t.
With a self-developed passion for all things interior design and renovating, Lisa recently revealed with us many useful tips and tricks – read the full interview below.
When DIYing where should one start especially if they have a small budget?
When we first purchased our home many, many years ago we were young and didn’t have a large budget to tackle updating the house. We focused on those areas we could do ourselves such as painting and replacing cabinet handles. It’s amazing how big of an impact a couple of small DIY updates around the house can do to refresh and renew a space.
What projects do you believe should not be undertaken as a DIY task?
Never attempt to undertake any electrical or plumbing jobs. Leave it up to the professionals so the task gets done correctly and is signed off to code.
What is one simple styling tip that can make a big difference?
Paint! The biggest impact you can make on a space is to update it by painting and these days you can basically paint over any surface. For those looking to update a bathroom but don’t have the budget, purchase some tile and cabinet paint. Before your eyes you will have a fresh new bathroom without the costly expense.
What are your top tips for choosing a colour palette?
Focus on the interior style you are most interested in emulating. Do research around what colours are then best suited to that style. For example, if you are interested in the beachy boho style, it’s best to work with whites, browns and neutral tones. If you are interested in an industrial look it’s best to work with black and pair with a timber. Allow Pinterest to become your best resource when looking to get inspiration and learning how to make the best decision when selecting the right tones and finishes.
What are some of the most common styling mistakes you see people make?
Mixing interior styles seems to be a very popular mistake that so many home owners make. As an example: you own a Mid Century house then style it with Hamptons decor but most of your furniture are Scandi flat packs. This is a pure example of three styles being meshed into one house. My tip is to look into the home’s heritage and work within those elements. You can still modernise the house to bring it into the 21st century but don’t get carried away with multiple styles. Try to make the house flow while keeping the colour and styling consistent from room to room.
How can renters best decorate a home without making permanent changes to a house?
Command Hooks should become your best friend. It’s the only way to hang art without damaging the walls. For those looking to make an even bigger impact removable wallpaper is also a fabulous product.
What are the most common styling mistakes people make when putting their house on the market?
Buyers want to walk into a house and imagine they could live there. You want them to buy from their heart and not their head. Majority of the time I would recommend staging a house with hired furniture. I completely understand it can be a cost that most sellers don’t usually factor into their budgets but unless your house looks like a magazine home it’s highly likely most buyers will nit-pick and this is exactly what you want to stay clear of. If you can capture the buyer’s heart from the moment they walk in the front door the staging will be well worth the investment.
What is one design element that was a ‘non-negotiable’ for your home?
Our home is an old period house with Victorian features. It was important to me to focus on the structural elements (wall panelling, ceiling details, decorative skirting) so they became the hero in each room. It was a non-negotiable to find a builder that had the ability to work on the delicate carpentry details and bring my vision to life.
Favourite arrangement of flowers to lift/brighten a space?
I’m all about dried arrangements. Cotton steams and eucalyptus leaves are perfect for any home due to their colour pallet being so neutral. They also last forever so can be moved around the house from room to room when you get tired of them being in the one spot. Actually if you head to my website www.gatheringwalls.com.au I share a blog post featuring the best way to style dried flowers to give the most impact as a centrepiece.
Favourite homeware stores for items under $50.
To be honest I don’t have a favourite as my process is usually to research the product and try to find it at the best price. Shopping around is key when sticking to a budget. It’s always good to start by scrolling eBay and Amazon. Kmart and Target of course are usually everyone’s go to for inexpensive items however I like to broaden my search to those small family owned businesses. Often you can find the product you are looking for while supporting a small business who appreciates the sale more than the big businesses.
What are your favourite Instagram accounts to follow for styling inspiration?
Home Interiors: @banda.property & @stevecordony
Retail Stores: @a_little_thyme & @harolds_finishing_touches
And finally what’s your advice to anyone looking to style a space for the first time?
Start with a plan. Jump online and start pinning pretty rooms you love on Pinterest. When you’ve worked out the style you would like to emulate move onto creating a mood board. When you know how you want the space to look start shopping around online. Please don’t hit the shops in person without a plan as you may end up buying anything and everything you see and will most likely find that nothing flows. It’s the perfect way to end up with a mismatch of styles that just won’t do the space any justice.
Be sure to follow Lisa on instagram where you can see her all of her home and renovation tips and tricks brought to life through her stunning own home – GatheringWalls.