Analysis-Default dodged, but Country Garden's upcoming debt payments stir worries
By Xie Yu and Davide Barbuscia HONG KONG/NEW YORK Creditors of Country Garden Holdings are doubtful the Chinese
1970-01-01 08:00
Softbank-Backed AMEA Plans to Build a Kenyan Green Hydrogen Plant
AMEA Power, a Dubai-based renewable-energy company, plans to build a green hydrogen facility in the Kenyan port of
1970-01-01 08:00
Three in hospital after car hits people outside pub
Two women and a man, aged in their 50s and 60s, have been taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.
1970-01-01 08:00
Saudi Construction Boom Hands Firms Contracts Worth $250 Billion
Saudi Arabia has awarded construction contracts worth $250 billion since 2016, when the kingdom embarked on an ambitious
1970-01-01 08:00
How to style your home like a professional
Thinking about giving your home a mini makeover? When it comes to creating your own personal style, there are a few principles which come in super handy when you’re about to embark on a new project… and take your first foray into the world of interior design. “It’s not rocket science that if you wake up in a home or room you love, which makes you feel happy and calm and brings a smile to your face, then you will start your day with a more positive mindset,” Lucy Gough writes in her new book, The Home Style Handbook. “And it doesn’t have to cost the earth either. Paint, wallpaper, upcycling, second-hand furniture, along with a new cushion or two, can go a long way in transforming your home,” she suggests. Currently living in Sydney, Australia, and head stylist at Home Beautiful magazine, Gough says she feels it’s important as a stylist and freelance creative director to be able to turn your hand to any aesthetic a client asks of you. “Us stylists need to be truly versatile!” enthuses Gough. Here, she shares her insider tips on how to style your home like it is second nature, which is sure to put you in a positive frame of mind… Make a mood board “All wonderful interiors schemes are pulled together in the beginning stages using a mood board,” says Gough. “Not only are they important in helping pull together all your creative thoughts and ideas,” she continues. “But they are fun to make and a great mindful task for you to play around with at the beginning of the project, to make sure you get it right first time.” Create continuity of colour “If you can decide on your colour and texture palette before you embark on picking up a paintbrush, your home will feel cohesive,” notes Gough. “And might trick people into thinking a professional has helped you!” A thread of colour throughout your home is so important for it to feel like you have considered your ideas before implementing them, she adds. Tell a story Not only should you consider your palette but also think about a theme, says Gough. “Now, I’m not talking about a Disney theme here! I mean a thread forming around your love of antiques, family treasures, a dark palette or coastal look for example. “Something that makes your heart sing when you walk in your home!” Then add colours you love and bring these together with surface samples and foliage, she writes in The Home Style Handbook. If you decide to go with two or more bold colours, Gough says to add some soft tones in between to give them space to breathe. Style your space in sections “I suggest approaching your room as a series of vignettes,” encourages Gough. “Sometimes, if you’re not a professional it can be overwhelming to think about styling a whole room at a time. Instead, think of each room as a series of smaller spaces. “Look through your phone screen and break it down into smaller photographable corners and sections,” advises Gough. “For example, style the sofa area first then the TV unit area second, and the corner with the armchair and mirror third.” And when it comes to the finishing touches, such as styling your succulents, she writes: “Notice how the objects and plants on the cabinet (pictured) are higher in the top left and then go down at an angle to the bottom right.” Visualise a triangle formation “When I am styling bookshelves, I like to style using a visual triangle formation,” says Gough. “I never style with symmetry – although there is nothing wrong with doing so.” She continues: “I prefer the more relaxed look and find creating triangular shapes between items helps aesthetically. “And don’t pack things in too tightly,” says Gough. “You should give things room to breathe!” The Home Style Handbook by Lucy Gough, published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £30. Photography by Simon Bevan. Available now. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live One in 10 ‘spending beyond their means’ – try these 7 cutbacks guaranteed to save families money Grandmother and grandson who had sepsis at same time ‘lucky to be alive’ What is combination cholesterol therapy, as study suggests it could save lives?
1970-01-01 08:00
Blink-182 tease new music with cryptic posters and website
'All The Small Things' rockers Blink-182 are teasing their new album with a series of posters and a mystery website.
1970-01-01 08:00
China wants to ban clothes that 'hurt nation's feelings'
A draft law sparks debate with locals calling it excessive and questioning how it would be enforced.
1970-01-01 08:00
Xiamen Air to Add Qatar Flights as China-Mideast Services Thrive
Xiamen Airlines Co. will start flying to Qatar in October, people familiar with the matter said, further strengthening
1970-01-01 08:00
California judge temporarily blocks school district policy requiring parents to be notified if their child asks to go by a new gender identity
A judge in San Bernardino, California, has temporarily blocked a school district policy that requires parents to be notified when their child asks to be recognized by a different gender identity or pronoun than they were assigned at birth.
1970-01-01 08:00
Bangladesh's worst ever dengue outbreak a 'canary in the coal mine' for climate crisis, WHO expert warns
Bangladesh is battling its worst dengue outbreak on record, with more than 600 people killed and 135,000 cases reported since April, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, as one of its experts blamed the climate crisis and El Nino weather pattern for driving the surge.
1970-01-01 08:00
China exports fall for the fourth month in a row
The declines in trade were not as bad as expected and an improvement on the previous month.
1970-01-01 08:00
Japan joins Moon race with successful rocket launch
If all goes well, the lunar lander that the rocket is carrying will attempt a Moon landing in February.
1970-01-01 08:00
