Winter home inspiration with
Lucy Feagins

Looking to renovate your home or just give it a little face lift? This month, Miele for Life, spoke with Melbourne stylist, Lucy Feagins from The Design Files, to learn the latest colours, must-have pieces, trends and styling tips for your next home renovation and help you cosy up your home for the winter months.

 

Layer up with extra furnishings

With winter just around the corner, consider adding additional furnishings such as cosy rugs, cushions or blankets to your furniture to help create a warm, homely feel while also providing tiny transformations that your guests are sure to notice.

“Layering works for every home style, no matter what type of interior you have. Modern, industrial or colonial, there are many ways you can add layers to provide additional warmth to your home. Big chunky knits and natural fibres are my favourite go-to’s when looking for an additional piece to add on to my existing furniture,” Lucy explains.

Lucy’s favourite winter warmer is a beautiful yarn rug from Loom Rugs in Melbourne. For some extra inspiration on how to choose the perfect rug to suit the look and feel of your home or room, be sure to read The Design Files interview with Lauren Li of Sisällä.

 

Image: Loom Rugs

 

Remember to purchase with purpose

With sustainability at the forefront of many homeowners’ minds, this growing trend is proving to be more of a lifestyle. Lucy explains that when looking for new pieces for your home you don’t have to look far to find sustainably-made furniture, however, it is also about finding items that you will treasure and use rather than throw away.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented enthusiasm for furniture and homewares created using sustainable manufacturing practices, particularly products that minimise plastic waste. It is, however, also important to consider bringing back to life old beautiful antique pieces and purchasing items with purpose – we need to ensure we are not contributing to the throw-away culture,” adds Lucy.

At Miele, we pride ourselves on creating appliances that do not add to this throw-away culture, designing and engineering appliances that are built to last. In some instances, many of our customers have had their Miele appliance for over 25 years. Read more.

 

Picking that perfect paint hue

If you are looking for a more radical change and searching for that perfect paint colour, consider using the Dulux 2019 colour forecast. It is a great resource, with The Design Files team loving the current ‘Repair’ palette which is green and earthly. Think teals, green, nutmeg and brown tones – all colours which signal a return of nature inspired interiors.

For extra inspiration on which colour to choose, check out the recently announced 2019 Dulux Colour Awards finalists. The awards look at the very best residential and commercial interiors that have used Dulux’s many colour palettes.

 

 

Seek expert advice for the dreaded wet areas

Renovating the kitchen or laundry can be daunting. These areas are harder to renovate and are such an integral part of the home and it would be a pity to make a mistake. Start by making a list of appliances and features you would like to include and would suit your lifestyle, with Lucy recommending you visit each showroom to seek out advice from the experts.

“Start by looking for inspiration. Our website, The Design Files, is a wealth of inspiration of real Australian homes and makes for a good starting point when considering what you should change. You can also look at Pinterest, Instagram and even local architects for ideas.”

“Following this, I’d recommend you visit your local showrooms, test the products and ask lots of questions from the professionals. For the kitchen it is best to start with the appliance selection as they are the vital organs of your working area and will assist in forming the design, layout and cabinetry of the rest of the room. Don’t be afraid to be bold – there are enough white kitchens in the world!” Lucy explains.

To make your appliance selection easier, you can attend a complimentary discovery product demonstration at one of the Miele Experience Centres. For more information on your closest centre, click on your country:
Australia
New Zealand

In the months leading up to your renovation, start creating a scrapbook or moodboard of images and materials to help explain your ideas to the various experts you speak to.