I'm very keen to revamp my living area to give it a fresh feel for 2010 - but I'm on a tight budget and I'm renting. What changes will make the greatest impact for the least money?
Assuming there is a little space and you have a few dirhams to spare, it's quite easy and fun to give your apartment a face lift without breaking down the walls.
Eliminate clutter. Every apartment is due for a good spring-cleaning. Out with the old to make space for the new. Be honest with yourself: look at what you can eliminate, and actually do it. This is really vital - and you need to be strict. And I mean everything, from the fridge to the cutlery drawer, bathroom vanity unit, shoe cupboard, bookshelf, mantelpiece - donate to any worthy cause or put it on Dubizzle. Getting rid of what you don't need is such a cliché but it's entirely true - and probably the most important step before embarking on any revamp.
Move the furniture. It helps you to look at your home with fresh eyes. Why don't you look at your spaces and see what could be changed? For instance, change the orientation of the sofa or swap the dining and living areas around. Move occasional tables, lamps and accessories around. Moving furniture and furnishings is one of the most powerful things you can do to revamp your home but it often gets forgotten in the craze for purchasing and shopping. It's also a great way to see things afresh and ascertain what you do need to buy.
A fresh coat of paint. This simple step can make all the difference and, sometimes, being bold means going neutral. Repainting all the walls will cover up scratches and any marks left from last year - even if you think they're not noticeable, painting over them will look so much better that you'll wonder why you didn't do it before. Select an accent colour that goes with your main furniture pieces. Consider splashing a colour on a feature wall, then cover some cushions in your colour of choice (and this colour does not necessarily need to be shocking orange to make a statement). Stick to neutral hues that echo, yet contrast with your existing furniture. Remember you have to live with this colour for at least the next year.
Add life. Fresh flowers and plants add life, whatever kind you choose, and the scent of fresh flowers when you walk into your apartment after a long day is always a lovely surprise. I know flowers are expensive but if you buy an orchid and take care of it, it's bound to last you at least two or three months - and orchids bring a cool elegance to any room, even though they have no perfume.
Add scented candles. An old favourite tip but a goodie; I think they're a must-have for every home. I'm in love with Jo Malone and Charlotte Rhys candles - even when not lit, the fragrance freshens up the whole room, so they really are worth the price. Be wary of the cheaper ranges of scented candles; the perfumes used in them go stale and they smell cheap.
Put family on show. Select a few photos and get them out on display. Have a look through pictures of friends and family from last year and play around with them on a photo editing programme. You can change them to black and white, sepia or even give a Pop Art edge to them - decide which you'd like and then have these images either blown up and stretched to canvas or framed.
Be selective. Don't buy everything you lay your eyes on, especially in the sale festivals. I know the prices in the sales are very attractive but these items are often from a faulty batch or damaged.
Keep it simple. Redecorating is loads of fun, and it's very easy to get carried away. But in the end it's your home, where you need to feel comfortable.
Emily Davies was talking to Marie-Inez Botha, an interior designer at Etcetera Living, Dubai; www.etceteraliving.com
Quick%20facts
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Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khodar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%20and%20Alexandria%2C%20in%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ayman%20Hamza%2C%20Yasser%20Eidrous%20and%20Amr%20El%20Sheikh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20agriculture%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Saudi%20Arabia%E2%80%99s%20Revival%20Lab%20and%20others%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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