Meet Chrystal King: The DIY Designer Helping People Makeover Their Spaces

Photo Credit: Chrystal’s Instagram

Deciding to makeover your home can be an exciting decision. Enlisting the help of creative designers can give anyone looking to uplift their spaces an added level of inspiration. One such creative designer, that has captured the hearts of DIY enthusiasts and interior design lovers through her successful DIY projects, is Chrystal King.

Chrystal is a Tik Tok and Instagram content creator, who has been able to consistently and creatively make over her own space through her innovative interior style choices and DIY designs. Even up-cycling unwanted items and revamping them into modern and unique statement pieces.

Her creativity has enabled her to shift into making over other people’s spaces and showcasing the journey through her new series. The first episode of the series follows Chrystal making over the home of new homeowner, Drico, as they work together to turn his space into a “bachelor pad”.

The response to Chrystal’s new series, has been overwhelmingly positive with one Instagram user, Deborahbiyi, commenting “this talent is out of this world”. In a recent CM interview, here’s what Chrystal had to share:

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A post shared by Chrystal (@chrystalking_)

CM: For those who don’t know, tell the readership a little bit about yourself?

Chrystal: Of course! I started sharing my home design journey online two years ago after I bought my own home and began documenting my journey online, designing it and turning it into a smart home. With time, my platform has grown and now I’ve started designing other people's homes, which is a natural extension of my passion for design. I also have an architecture degree so it feels great to finally be putting it to good use!  

Photo Credit: Chrystal’s Instagram

CM: How did your creativity for designing home spaces and DIY start?

Chrystal: I have always been interested in designing my own space, and I grew up in a home where DIY was normalised. My mum used to do a lot of DIY projects, and I remember seeing her build a wardrobe from scratch and repair our ceiling one time. She encouraged me to be creative and do whatever I wanted, which gave me a lot of confidence. I have always loved being creative and [I] have explored it in many different mediums, including graphic design, digital art, tech, videography, and architecture.

CM: What was the inspiration behind the ‘Make over other people's spaces’ series?

Chrystal: I wanted to help people love their homes and feel proud of them. That's what inspired me to start the series I want to empower people to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment without necessarily breaking the bank and make home improvement accessible to everyone. 

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A post shared by Chrystal (@chrystalking_)

CM: A lot of your home design projects seem to be art and tech inspired, will this carry on into your designs for other peoples spaces?

Chrystal: Definitely! My home design projects are totally art and tech-inspired, and I plan to carry that on for other people's spaces too. I've been working in the tech industry for nearly 8 years now as a product designer, so that influence is definitely ingrained in me. Expect to see homes that are not only beautiful but also smart, and designed to make peoples lives easier!

CM: How do you approach the process of designing other people's spaces?

Chrystal: My approach is always centered around the individual and their unique needs. I start by having a conversation with them to get a better understanding of their personality and lifestyle, as well as their design preferences and goals for the space. This helps me to create a clear picture of what they are looking for, and allows me to tailor my approach to their specific needs. Once I have a good understanding of the person and their space, I begin the creative process, exploring different design options and ideas, taking into account the space's size, layout, and architecture. I also consider factors such as lighting, colour, and texture, and how they can be used to create a cohesive and harmonious space.   

CM: Your home makeovers seem to be very budget friendly, how do you manage the challenge of designing on a budget? 

Chrystal: When it comes to designing on a budget, I try to be creative and resourceful. I believe that you don't always need to spend a lot of money to achieve a great look. Sometimes it's just a matter of looking at things from a different angle. For example, I may repurpose items that I already have in my home or use materials in unconventional ways. Another strategy that I use is to research and compare prices to find the best deals. Google reverse image search is a tool that I find particularly helpful in this regard. I can easily find similar products at lower prices by searching for the image of an item that I like. This way, I can stay within my budget without sacrificing style or quality. Furthermore, I try to prioritise my expenses and focus on the areas that will make the biggest impact. For instance, I may invest in a statement piece of furniture or a bold accent wall, and then work around it with more affordable items.

CM: Bonus question: Which iconic figure, past or present, would you love to design a space for and why?

Chrystal: Ooo this is a tough one, if I had to choose one iconic figure I would choose Stephanie Ike. I love listening to her, and would love to work with her to create a space that reflects her personality and style! 

Follow Chrystal King @chrystalking_ for more DIY design makeovers.

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In Conversation With: Topsy Taiwo, The Home Buying Agent and Social Media Property Expert

Photo credit: Topsy Taiwo’s instagram

Today, I sit down with Topsy Taiwo of the online platform, Property Purchaser. Frantically apologising, Topsy joins the conversation shortly after 5.30pm. His camera is not on yet as he is in the middle of clearing out his belongings from his flat. He is preparing to rent out his property on airbnb. “Stuff is all over the place” he quips. When he gathers himself, I ask him to tell readers, who don’t know, a little bit about himself. “I am Topsy Taiwo” he says, “I run a platform called Property Purchaser. Property Purchaser is a platform best described as a services platform for home buyers and home investors”.

Property purchaser

Topsy seamless without prompt goes on to explain his platform in depth. He eloquently provides a breakdown of the services that his platform offers and represents. “Those services are pretty much two things; giving advice and secondly sourcing properties for investors or first time buyers, who either have not got enough time or want a helping hand to guide them along that journey”. I can hear the pride in his voice when he speaks of his platform. Almost a labour of love that he has put a lot of dedication into. Topsy further expands on his platform, “it [has been] built out in such a way where I launch digital products as well. So e-books. I wrote my first book ‘So you want to buy a house’ which was designed to be a complete comprehensive guide for anyone looking to get their first property in the UK”.

He has started to gain some momentum when he speaks about Property Purchaser, so I ask what other services his platform offers? “So Partnerships and Referrals. If you’re a buyer and you’re looking for a good solicitor, a good surveyor, a good mortgage broker or you’re looking for a good accountant. I offer partnerships and referrals that I can refer [first time buyers] on to, to help [their] cause. So those are the 3 main services that I offer; advice, sourcing properties and digital products and partnerships with external parties”.

It is hard to believe the conversation has just begun. Topsy’s camera flicks on for the first time. The reflections from the street lights bounce across his chiseled face. He wears a simple t-shirt. The rest of his outfit is hidden from the frame. He explains his decision to relocate to a less disruptive location - his car. There is a slight chuckle from both of us before I continue with my questions. Where did your journey in property start? And how did it build from there? I ask. “I started in property in 2012. I went to the University of Birmingham. I graduated with a degree in..” there’s a longer than usual pause as I watch Topsy scan his brain for his next words. “International relations” he blurts out. “I nearly forgot what I did there, [it was] so long ago. I’m getting older”.

He regains his train of thought and continues, “I wasn’t able to secure, or get any job really, in any of the industries I wanted to get into. So professional services and investment banking [were] what my friends were doing but I couldn’t do that so I just thought to myself, instead, I’m [going to] go down a sales route. There was a website at the time called milkround.com and I applied to the first thing I saw on there - it was Foxtons. [I] went down to the interview and then 3 months later, I was there. And that was my first job in property. I stayed at Foxtons for 6 and a half years and then since then I’ve jumped around a bunch of different companies in the industry as well. So I’ve worked [in] property tech, property investment and I’ve also worked in the legal side of property as well. A few bits and bobs for sure”.

He sounds excited when he talks about his humble beginnings in property so I ask, what sparked that interest to stay within the property realm? He takes a moment before he responds. Repeating the question to himself, searching for an answer. “In terms of what sparked it, it wasn’t really intentional. There’s a classic quote in estate agency that ‘no one really grows up wanting to be an estate agent’. Some do but it is very rare. No one ever says that. It wasn’t anything intentional”. He says. “To answer [the] question in terms of what actually sparked it, I would say it was almost one of the few options I had left available to me at the same time, I was drawn to it because you got a free company car in the company that I started at and I guess a lot of people have also told me I was always a really good communicator and I had some sort of sales ability to me. So I thought OK, if those are two traits that I thought I’ve got innately, then I think those can be put to good use in estate agency”.  He adds “and I guess you could also say, my dad [has] got a few properties now and he’s been investing for a while so I had some level of exposure to it. Those were the initial triggers”.

Topsy speaking at @mcsaatchilondon on how to get on the property ladder

Advice for first time buyers

The current housing market has proven difficult for aspiring first time buyers. When it comes to advice for those looking to step on to the ladder, Topsy has some words. “I think the first thing anyone should do and I talk about this in the book - the first thing anyone should do is clearly establish their why”. He follows on with a broader outlook “I don’t even think that is a property specific piece of advice that’s just a career [and] general piece of life advice that I’ve sometimes not taken on board enough myself. If I could turn the time back and speak to my 21 year old self and speak to people who are just entering the industry. I would say really clearly establish your why. I think the likelihood of one achieving their goals is so much higher when you have a clear direction and an understanding of why you are going in that direction” he says. “That can very much be applied to property as well. So whether you’re a first time buyer or someone who’s looking to get started and work in the industry, [the] first step is to establish the why then [it] is to establish what kind of life style you want to live.”

Topsy’s advice shifts “it is also to understand what you want your day to day life to look like”. He builds upon this advice delving into the different strategies available to first timers. “There’s so many and some are very labour intensive. Others are very hands off and you don’t have to do too much. So if you’re the type of person that wants to be exposed to property but you don’t want to get your hands dirty, then you might want to get into the passive side of it. Which might be a vanilla Buy to Let. It might just be, I don’t know, investing in REITs that are available on the stock market”. He continues “or if you are someone that wants to get your hands dirty you might be thinking about more creative strategies like Deal Sourcing, or Buy, Refurbish, Refinance once you’ve been able to build your capital up. These are more labour intensive strategies so you need to ask yourself those sorts of questions to understand what direction you want to start heading in”.

Topsy speaking at @mcsaatchilondon on how to get on the property ladder

Topsy pauses to apologise for what seems to be a “long winded” answer to him. He chuckles in a hurry to conclude his point “but it all starts with the why, and then after that, it all starts with education and making sure you’re following the right people on social media and really sort of just getting your head immersed in that world because no one really knows what they want to do when they’re growing up. You have to just explore and taste and test and then work it out.”

property and Social Media

Topsy has a really good social presence on the likes of instagram, I guess some of his delivery is very humorous and in a way a little bit comedic. So I ask, what made him choose that delivery style in a lot of his property content?. “I’ve always been, I guess, a bit of an entertainer at heart to be honest with you. So when I think back to my younger years, I was always the one on stage dancing, [I was] always the one who wanted to perform in one way or another. So I guess that’s sort of a personality trait - number one. And then secondly, humour is a really good way to make what, traditionally, can be quite a boring and dull topic, resonate more. It’s why meme pages on instagram do so well, it’s because they’re just relatable. When you make someone laugh, I guess they’re more likely to digest that content or remember it and for it to be memorable. So there is some method behind the madness. But I would definelty say it starts off with the fact that I like entertaining and I love laughing and I love comedy so much. In a different life I would have probably been some form of actor or entertainer”.

Topsy continues “I think it’s a really good way to educate aswell. I think a lot of people talk about that classic merging of two words - edutainment, if you want to call it that. So that’s the reason why I sometimes drop those videos. I mean I don’t do it as regularly now to be honest with you but in the past I really enjoyed it and every now and then I have a funny idea, I think right, I’ve got to make a video on this for sure”.

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A post shared by Topsy Taiwo (@topsytaiwo)

‘So you want to buy a house’

I ask Topsy about his book, and for those who have purchased it, will there be more of that comedic delivery? Or will it be more on the serious side? “Funnily enough, the book probably isn’t as comedic. There’s definitely some light hearted parts in it for sure. But erm, I thought to myself, if I’m publishing something, and people are reading this and people are [going to], I guess, potentially use [it] to make life decisions, I want to keep it as formal as I can with some light heartedness in there as well. But I very much wrote it with the mind of.. someone’s actual life could depend on this so let me not joke around too much here” Topsy says playfully.

Whilst readers may not be on the receiving end of pure comedy in ‘so you want to buy a house’, there’s certainly other takeaways that can be gained from the book. Topsy explains “first and foremost, you will fully understand the timeline and the chronology of the home buying process. Which I think sometimes can be a bit daunting. People don’t really understand how much goes into it, how many parties are involved, how long it can take and what’s necessary from you to buy a house. So that’s the first thing. I’d say the second thing is [that] they will get a good understanding of the UK property market and how it’s behaved historically and how to make better data driven decisions and just to feel more confident when you’re going forward and looking to buy a house”. He says “they are going to understand how agents work, understand how they make decisions, understand how you can increase the likelihood of your offer getting accepted, understand what certain things on rightmove mean, understand the best tools and how to leverage rightmove in the best way and other tools to use to make sure [their] search isn’t too painful. There’s lots of little things in there that I know people are going to get value from”.

Topsy e-book, ‘So you want to buy a house’

Topsy’s take on the book’s overall message is slightly different to what readers may expect, “I guess to sort of round it off in terms of, erm, the book itself, there’s also a bit at the end which basically just tells you what other options you’ve got. I focus a lot, in the book, basically sort of asking the question or putting forward the idea that maybe buying a house is maybe a bad idea” he counter argues. “Because a lot of the property people in our space, I’ve found, people sort of have tunnel vision. I say to a lot of people there’s nothing wrong with just renting. Because renting is fine as well. In a weird way, my mission is not to get as many people onto the property ladder as possible it’s to get people to make the best decision [that] they can. If that makes sense”.

Future projects on the horizon

“So I had a bit of quiet year last year. I’m very [much] still, in my mind, sort of a work in progress as well, erm, for my own personal reasons I had a bit of a quiet year. And I haven’t made any New Years resolutions this year either. But one thing I have said is that I want to build the platform I’ve got, Property Purchaser, to the largest platform that it can be. I’m not the type of person to pick arbitrary metrics of engagement, likes and followers, because I think that will just take care of itself if you’re consistent, you enjoy what you do and you work hard. The by product of that will be engagement and whatever else you want, so yeah my goal or what you can expect is the same as what I’ve been doing. There [are] a few things I’m working on that I can’t talk about too much at the moment and just more of the same, more content, more education, and hopefully some more comedy. My main aim is to offer value in some way shape or form [to whoever] comes across my profile or my business. That’s the main aim”.

Follow Topsy Taiwo on instagram @topsytaiwo and @propertypurchaser.

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An inside story of DIY panelling with home renovations content creator, Judith Madukwe

One of the biggest home renovations trends of 2023 was DIY Panelling, with homeowner enthusiasts across all facets of the home renovations space trying their hand at their own panelling projects. Many were complete beginners, picking up their first mitre saw with little know how but they were still able to inspire others along their DIY journey.

Judith Madukwe pictured in her home

So what should aspiring ‘do it yourselfers’ keep in mind when embarking on their own home panelling project? Well we caught up with Judith Madukwe, a home DIY and renovations content creator, to share her panelling project story. Judith took on the complex task of panelling her entire home which she documented on Instagram for thousands of other DIY lovers:

Photo credit: Judith’s stairs from @ChampagneHouse_ProseccoBudget instagram

CM: For those who do not know, tell us a little bit about yourself?

Judith: I’m Judith. I'm 44 and a mum of 2 amazing kids. I work full time as a derivatives lawyer for an asset manager, but love all things home renovation, DIY and styling.

CM: Have you always been into Home DIY and renovations?

Judith: Oh yes!! I used to watch a show called Changing Rooms back in the day and was obsessed with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his bold designs! I then moved onto shows like Grand Designs which focused more on the entire construction of a home which definitely sparked my interest in renovations. I also liked watching other UK shows, like Homes under the Hammer, Location, Location, Location and Love it or List it. During one stage in my life, I dated a guy from the US and during my trips there, I would binge watch My Dream Home and other shows by the Property Brothers whilst he was at work ! Lol. I just love to see a before and after and it's always fun to watch how people create and bring a design to life. 

CM: What made you decide to do the panelling in your home yourself?

Judith: To be honest, it was simply because I couldn't afford to hire someone to do it for me. The quote I received was in the 1000s, and I just thought ...."no thanks, I'm not paying that much". I then watched a few videos online I figured that I knew what a 45 degree angle was, and how to glue a piece of wood to my wall. So decided to give it a go myself. I soon found out that panelling wasn't necessarily as simple as that!!

Photo credit: Judith Madukwe painting the stairs after panelling from @ChampagneHouse_ProseccoBudget instagram

CM: How did you learn? and how long did it take to finish the project?

Judith: My project took a whopping 11 months!!!!! Lol. Now don't let that put you off because it honestly didn't need to be. However, as a full time employee and full time parent, I didn't always have the time to work on it. I would sneek in a 2hr or so slot here or there, late in the evenings after coming home from work (which is why alot of the [instagram] stories I would do would often be recorded past midnight). Sometimes I would do some work on the weekend, especially if I needed to use my saw to cut the wood panels which would make alot of noise, so I reserved that for the day time. Sometimes I would become busy with life and panelling just wasn't a priority for me. 

In terms of how I learnt how to do the panelling.... well I learnt as i went along and made mistakes along the way which i also learnt from. I used to see videos pop up on my Instagram feed of other home content creators doing theirs. They made it look so easy and definitely inspired me to do my own. I then went over to Youtube and watched some of their "How to" videos before I started. However, when I then started my own project and stumbled across numerous problems, I watched several youtube videos by @TheHome ImprovementChannel which seemed to answer ever question I had! I also relied alot on my followers. I would ask them questions in my stories because I honestly had no clue at times about what I was doing, especially when it came to panelling the stairs. My followers really came through for me, gave me great advice and came along the journey and kept me going. 

Photo credit: Judith’s finished panelling from @ChampagneHouse_ProseccoBudget instagram

CM: What would you say the main challenges were?

Judith: Oh, definitely panelling the stairs. My word!! The calculations would drive me insane lol. I just couldn't work out what angle to cut the top dado rail to connect to the bottom rail. So I reached out to my followers and they were so helpful. One lovely lady even reached out to another content creator for me, and then sent me her response along with a picture of what the dado rail should look like when finished. Her response was invaluable and brought the end to days if not weeks of stress!! That's one thing I love about the Home Renovation Instagram family; everyone is so helpful and lovely. It really is like a little community. 

CM: Would you do anything differently?

Judith: No, not at all. I absolutely loved the project. Learnt so much and found it quite therapeutic. I'm already thinking about what I want my new project to be for 2024.

CM: Bonus question: What is one thing in your home that you could not live without?

Judith: My wardrobe room. It's small and needs to be decluttered, but it's my little sanctuary.

Follow Judith Madukwe on instagram @ChampagneHouse_ProseccoBudget for more DIY and home renovations content.

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Buying Your First Home Webinar by Brickzwithtipz: The platform educating first time buyers onto the property ladder

It is 7pm on a cold Wednesday evening. Tayo Oguntonade, one of the co-founders of Brickzwithtipz is wearing a simple black T-shirt scanning the near one thousand participants joining his webinar, “Buying Your First Home: The Homebuyers Club”. His partner and co-founder, Antoinette Oguntonade, has packed her hair back and out of her face eagerly waiting for the session to commence.

Photo Credit: Black Business Magazine

Tayo and Antoinette are most known for their informative property tips and home buying content that has garnered them collaborations with renowned brands like The Daily Express, Zoopla and more. Combined, they have over ten years of expertise within the property industry. After buying their first property in 2015 and going on to found Brickzwithtipz in 2019 - the platform that uses education to bridge the gap between dreams and reality, Tayo and Antoinette have formed the perfect duo.

On this occasion, the duo are joined by David Gissing, a mortgage broker and property & finance specialist to deliver the ‘Buying Your first Home’ webinar. The webinar aims to dispel any limiting beliefs around the notions of buying a first or second home. “Buying a home in the UK is still possible” since “300,000 people buy homes each year”, Tayo encourages.

Photo credit: Antoinette Oguntonade (bottom), Tayo Oguntonade (middle) and David Gissing (top) pictured on the Buying Your First Home webinar.

In the short 1 hour webinar, we have rounded up the key tips, takeaways and topics covered:

Property fundamentals

Tayo kicks things off discussing the dynamics of the UK Housing market, making a key comparison between house prices in 2021 vs 2023. The average house was £260,429 in 2021 vs £292,049 in 2023 according to the first slide of the PowerPoint flashed across the screen. “The right time to buy was yesterday. Don’t wait to buy property. Buy property and wait” says Tayo.

Aspiring home buyers have been quick to highlight the disparities between the difficulty of buying today and that of buying even two years earlier. Tayo walks the forum through the various property cycles that can occur over the years in the property market, most notably the “explosive phase” (also known as a sellers market where there is high demand and limited supply) and the ‘recession phase” (where there is high supply and limited demand in a buyers market).

Schemes and Strategies

The second section of the webinar continues with Tayo taking the majority of the lead, captivating the audience with the “answer to a problem”, the problem being the difficulties of the housing market. And the answer being schemes and strategies available to help first time buyers save for a deposit.

His voice picks up in pace in a race against the clock to cover each section in depth. “Start with setting a savings plan” Tayo advises. By setting the savings plan, it creates a goal to achieve each month. One of the recommendations is to open a dedicated savings ISA and automate savings so that money is automatically saved from your monthly pay cheque.

Photo Credit: Antoinette Oguntonade from Brickzwithtipz instagram

Tayo advises to cut down on “regular” non essentials with the caveat that simple guilty pleasures here and there are fine. It is not about cutting out a coffee here and there but having a strategic plan towards how much needs to be saved each month. Antoinette interjects “maintaining disciplined” is the key. (See 3 habits that will get you closer to buying your first home).

It is the end of the second section. Tayo takes a breath and gleefully laughs with David Gissing before he hands over to him for a walkthrough of the value of a mortgage broker. David Gissing takes the floor. He covers the importance of credit when trying to get approved for a mortgage, particularly around getting a mortgage with adverse credit. David’s top tips for credit building are getting a credit builder card, recording your rent and registering on the electoral roll to position yourself as a reliable borrower.

Before ending the second section, the three hosts discuss the different schemes available to get onto the property ladder such as rent to buy, developer schemes, shared ownership and right to buy. Even briefly touching on the lender schemes available such as Nationwide’s helping hand mortgages.

Photo Credit: David Gissing from @davegissing instagram

Picking your property

The final section of the webinar circles back to Tayo whizzing through the final sections. The clock ticks past the allotted time whilst he blitzes through the ‘Negotiating know how’ tips - one such tip is for reduced properties. A property that has been reduced once potentially presents an opportunity to double down and try to get a further reduction.

First time buyers can buy a fixer upper (a property that is habitable but requires cosmetic work) in order to get onto the property ladder. It is the end of the webinar and Tayo delves through the differences between leasehold and freehold property options as well as new builds and old builds.

It’s just past 8.30pm and the webinar is drawing to a close. Tayo thanks the audience of over four hundred attendees that remain past the hour. He takes the final moments to showcase the launch of their new platform ‘The homebuyers Club’ which is due to go live on 31st January 2024.

Follow @brickzwithtipz on instagram more details on ‘The Homebuyers Club’.

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Meet Nadine Bacchus: The renovations and home interiors influencer helping creators boss their taxes

Photo Credit: Nadine Bacchus instagram

The rise of content creators from all industries has taken the world by storm. The renovations and interiors sub industry is home to many inspiring creators, one such creative has caught the attention of tens of thousands of renovation and home interiors enthusiasts - Nadine Bacchus.

Originally renovating her Victorian terraced house in south London during the 2020 pandemic under the pseudonym rona_renovation, Nadine has been able to turn her home renovation project into her full time business through her unique voice and pioneering renovation and interiors content.

On 4th January 2024, Nadine held an event called ‘Creators Can: Boss their taxes’ and we caught up with her to find out a little more detail behind the event:

Nadine Bacchus (right) and Aurelia (left) pictured at the ‘Creators Can: Boss their taxes’ event.

CM: For those who don’t know, tell the readership a little bit about yourself?

Nadine: I'm a 33 year old south London girl living with my fiancé. We got onto the property ladder right at the beginning of lockdown, and what followed was a crazy pandemic renovation which I captured on the 'gram. People seemed to like it, and the rest is history. Been documenting our crazy renovation and my silly little life ever since! 

CM: What is ‘Creators Can: Boss their taxes’ and how did the idea come about?

Nadine: I've spent the majority of my career in PR, so have loads of event experience which I've been wanting to put to good use! There are actually already quite a few nice influencer / panel events out there, but the problem is that the free ones are either very 'industry' (guest list only vibes, you need to 'know' someone) OR rolled into a weekend conference/festival where tickets are upwards of £50. I knew I wanted to create a free event series to not only reach the 'cool kids' but literally anyone in the creative field who could do with some encouragement, some advice and some community. It was my accountant and good friend Aurelia who came up with the idea of launching the series on the topic taxes, because in her experience this is something she sees brilliant creative clients struggle with. It's not the most exciting topic, but it is a crucial part of being self-employed and we knew we could make fun!

Photo Credit: Nadine Bacchus instagram

CM: What has been the most difficult aspect of taxes as a renovations and home interiors creator?

Nadine: The problem that most creators have when it comes to taxes, is that they've essentially stumbled into a new career with no real plan. Most people start sharing content because it's fun, or like me they want to document a particular area of their lives. With that, your audience can grow quickly and then brand opportunities - extra income - follow.  That first tax return literally sneaks up on you because your mindset is not the same as someone who has started an ecommerce business or opened a small shop for example. Those people see themselves as business owners, but creators tend to see themselves differently so it's getting the mindset correct which is the biggest challenge.

CM: What advice would you give to the next generation of renovation and home interiors creators when it comes to taxes?

Nadine: You are a business. You are a business person. The influencer marketing industry is worth billions, and on some level you are part of that. Whether you're earning casually here and there, or have plans to go full time - HMRC see that hustle as extra taxable income! The sooner you empower yourself to view yourself as a serious business, the more empowered and engaged with your accounts you'll be.

CM: What are your future plans for the ‘Creators Can’ events? Are there more on the horizon?

Nadine: We would LOVE to do future events. I'll likely put a poll out to my audience about what topics they'd like to cover so watch this space!!

CM: Bonus question: What’s something in your home that you can’t live without?

Nadine: My coffee machine. If I could pack it in my suitcase and take it on holiday I would!!

Follow Nadine Bacchus on instagram @nads_bacchus for more renovations and home interiors content.

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4 Modern Design Ideas to Improve the Functionality of Your Small Kitchen

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Small kitchens can be difficult to design. However the limited space offers great opportunities to get creative with your style choices whilst still keeping up with modern day trends.

What a small kitchen lacks in space, it can still make up for in optimised functionality with the right design choices. Here are four modern design ideas that will improve the workflow of your small kitchen space:

Pull down shelf baskets in wall cabinets

Photo Credit: goldeneye.designer on TikTok

It’s difficult and inconvenient to get items from wall cabinets especially if you’re below average height and need to get that can of tuna from the top shelf. Having pull down shelf baskets in your wall cabinets offers an easy solution that does not negatively impact the use of your wall cabinets.

Platform base instead of kick board

Kick boards can easily become detached and they can make a lovely home for creepy crawlies and other unwanted creatures. Instead, create a platform with bricks and tiles for the base units to stand on instead. This creates a sturdier base that will not house unwanted guests.

Diamond shaped cabinets instead of right angled

Right angled cabinets on the left transformed into diamond shaped cabinets on the right. Photo Credit: goldeneye.designer on TikTok

Photo Credit: goldeneye.designer on TikTok

Kitchens with right angled cupboards and countertops have less storage. Their old fashioned style can make access inconvenient. Instead, make diamond shaped cupboards which provide better storage for large and dry goods. This choice will create more countertop space.

Customised shelves between small gaps

Photo Credit: goldeneye.designer on TikTok

Small kitchens are notorious for small and awkward gaps between counters and appliances. Adjoin appliances to counters where there are gaps, and fill the spaces with customised shelves that can contain small kitchen items such as spices and sauce jars. This makes it convenient to access small items whilst also not taking up larger storage spaces.

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Do fully tiled bathrooms look cold and clinical?

Photo credit: Unsplash

Designing a bathroom is a highly complicated task, particularly around choosing the right materials that offer the perfect intersection between practicality and style. The most common design style for bathrooms is the use of tiles given they offer the walls and floors protection from water damage and also create a seamless wet room aesthetic if completely tiled.

Interior design is largely a personal choice, so the extent at which to tile a bathroom will ultimately come down to the individual. There are a number of opinions on the look of half tiled bathrooms vs fully tiled bathrooms but some interior designers believe that fully tiled bathrooms can look “cold and clinical”.

Interior Designer Abigail Beddow. Photo Credit: @thebeddowspace instagram

Interior designer Abigail Beddow, who specialises in attainable luxury decor choices, and runs the interior design studio, theab_interiors, had some thoughts to share. Abigail agrees “yes [all tiled] does look cold and can look clinical”.

Some interior designers believe that the all tiled look can give off an inexpensive taste that does not look particularly stylish. Whilst that can be disheartening, it is not all doom and gloom for the all tiled bathroom style because “there are ways to suppress [it]” Abigail challenges.

Abigail shares her advice on how to revitalise the cold and clinical look by adding “some warmth using texture, perhaps a rug or a wooden vanity unit”. She also adds “you can also have one wall or partial [wall] with no tiling where you can paint and add another warm colour that would subdue the environment”.

Whether you are looking for a luxury bathroom look or have concerns around an all tiled bathroom, Abigail co-signs that “many luxurious bathrooms have [the all tiled] design”.

Ultimately, styling preferences are always going to have different opinions and whether your personal style suits an all tiled bathroom or not is down to personal choice.

Visit www.theabigailcreatives.com for interior design and styling services. Follow Abigail Beddow on Instagram @thebeddowspace for more interior styling tips.

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3 habits that will get you closer to buying your first home

Homeownership is considered one of the best asset classes to build wealth and stabilise your financial future. It is also considered one of the most difficult. A combination of rising student loan debt, incompatible wage growth, rising house prices and interest rates has contributed to that difficulty.

However, in spite of this, building some consistent habits can make homeownership much more attainable. If buying a home is the goal then the following three habits are crucial to maintain.

Compromise

The ability to compromise during the buying process is important. There is no such thing as a perfect house so being able to compromise on the features that are negotiable will get you one step closer to securing your first home.

First time buyers have a habit of getting caught up in decision paralysis which leads to not making a decision at all. Consequently, missing out on a home that may not be perfect but would still meet their needs.

Discipline

When buying your first home, the ability to train yourself to work towards a goal and stay consistent is particularly critical. Having discipline can come in many forms when working towards buying your first home - saving for a home deposit, sticking to your buying timelines and working hard to evidence your ability to maintain timely payments long term will be important.

Being disciplined will ultimately enable lenders to believe you are a credible person to lend money to over the long term. The more disciplined, the more credible and the better rates and loans you will have access to.

Networking

Ever heard the saying, “your network is your net worth”? Essentially, keeping relationships with the right kinds of people can determine your net worth. Well this rings true for buying a home too. Networking with estate agents and not simply browsing on right move can be more beneficial. Building and maintaining relationships with estate agents can be beneficial as they often contact buyers with off market deals if they have a pre existing relationship and trust that you are a legitimate buyer.

Equally, do not underestimate those within your network that may not be in real estate as they may know someone who wants to sell off platform. The moral of the story; make it known to anyone and everyone that you’re looking to buy and you may be surprised at who steps forward.

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Our top 5 design mistakes

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a new home or even completing a renovation that interior design then becomes an after thought. It’s also all too easy to become caught up in the latest styling trends that you become overwhelmed with choice.

The interior design element is arguably the most important part that should take careful consideration, so we’ve put together a list of our top 5 design mistakes to avoid when making a house a home:

1. Disproportionate furniture

Considering the size of the rooms when buying furniture and ensure to accurately measure the space that each piece will be placed is important. It’s easy for furniture that does not fit to scale to make a space look confusing.

2. Matching Colour scheme

Some times there is such thing as too much and that can be the case when choosing only one colour palette for the walls, furniture and decor. Choosing one colour to be matchy-matchy can seem like a safe option but rarely looks the part. Instead opt for the 60-30-10 rule - 60% main/dominant colour, 30% a secondary colour and then 10% an accent colour to give each room more vibrancy.

3. Wrong lighting

The wrong lighting in for a room can significantly change the ambiance or equally not utilising the natural lighting. Think about the function of the room and the kind of lighting that would be best suited.

4. Unappealing Wall art

Whilst sprucing up a room with some wall art can seem like a good idea, choosing pieces that are unappealing can dampen a room. In some instances it might even be better to opt for no art.

5. Clutter

Overdoing it with the decor can make a room look unclean and untidy. Instead, inspire your inner Marie Kondo and design your space with only select pieces that fit with the aesthetic.

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Why adopting a minimalist decor style could be right for you

When people think of minimalism they might think of the popular decluttering methodology by MARIE KONDO. For those who may not be familiar or who have been living under a rock. Marie Kondo’s methodology of decluttering encourages individuals to create clear spaces by decluttering their homes by asking themselves whether an item “sparks joy”. Thus only keeping the items that do, resulting in only the items in your home that you cherish. It could be the case that there are still a lot of items remaining if you decide that they all spark joy.

Source: Marie Kondo Instagram

Whilst it could be argued that this philosophy is still minimalism to an extent, at the very least it is not pure minimalism. So what is ‘pure’ minimalism? Minimalism is about simplicity, attaining detailed pieces that complement each other and create a simplistic aesthetic that is the embodiment of “less is more”. Minimalism isn’t about suffering or sacrifice but having a decor that is still functional and interesting whilst minimising the amount of items you have.

So if your ultimate goal when decorating is to create calm spaces that optimise functionality and minimise the number of items, we have curated some of the positives from adopting a minimalistic decor style:

Less distractions

Adopting a minimalist style can push your productivity through the roof. Studies have shown that a clear space leads to lower stress levels. By eliminating incessant distractions and items that may subconsciously be causing visual stress, it can allow for focus and enable you to become to be more organised in other areas of your life.

Easier when moving

Moving is a pain. It is something that everyone has to deal with at some point in their life. The more items that you have, the more there is to move. And the less items there are to move, the more seamless the moving process will be. A minimalist decor style is optimal for anyone who intends to move home frequently.

Saves money

One of the biggest benefits of minimalism is the financial benefit. Less items means less money spent on the unnecessary and only spending on the necessary. Adopting a minimalist style for your home means you become very intentional with your spending and therefore make more cost beneficial decisions when it comes to your home.

Improved mental health

We all know mental health is important and becoming by more and more impart in modern times. A minimalistic decor style provides the ability to reduce anxiety and improve your mental health. Minimalism is a great catalyst for mindfulness by giving you room to tune out and self discover what is truly important.

Easier to clean

Having less items not only improves your mental health but your physical health too. Minimalistic style choices attract far less dirt and dust and therefore a simpler cleaning process. Nothing says health benefits than a home that is spic and span.

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