Catherine

When selling your stuff there is a reality check first - remember that your stuff either hasn't been used, has been in storage or is just not going to fit in your next place. Another factor to consider is you are not going to get what you paid for it. This is hard when people offer you ridiculous prices for really nice pieces. I really struggle with this when I am offered 3 euros for a tray that even had the original price tag of 24 euros on it! You just have to let go. This is our final

It is a long farewell between now and December as we leave Berlin and the breath of autumn at our backs adds a melancholy air. As we dismantled our Berlin apartment, sold off furniture and started to pack up loved pieces, it is hard to write about interior design and Feng Shui. The morning sun has a sepia tinge and there is a sudden desire for blue skies and brighter days. Interior design stores are full of natural earth tones and textures in response to our Covid cocooning and need for comfort. Even Zara Home's store displays have a

We are starting to downsize as we head towards moving to our French home. It isn't easy to let go of furniture and things with memories that have been loved. We are trying to be level-headed but it wasn't easy seeing our lovely Chinese altar table go to a friend. The only positive point is that she is overjoyed to buy a 'real piece of furniture' and not IKEA. We are going to sell at a stall again which means repeating the mantra - 'If you are not using it, loving it, then let it go.' You have to

We were hot and bothered in Berlin as the days went by with little change in the heat and with two fans struggling to move the air. Even the cats were flat out on the floorboards. On the other side of the world, friends were complaining about the cold. It is then you realise that Northern European housing is built to keep the heat in and Australian housing is built to keep the heat out. Our key focus was how to stay cool and comfortable when it is hot in the city and we didn't have air conditioning. There

No matter what space we have lived in, there is an element of Asian style included, especially when we lived in Penang. As a Feng Shui practitioner, it matches with natural elements and form to create a sense of balance and harmony. At one stage, we bought as much as we could down to candles, place mats and cushions. I had soft, billowing sequinned curtains which suited the hot, humid Malaysian climate. Dark, wooden slatted furniture was popular on the hard white tiles. We have less of this look as we have bought pieces in Switzerland, France and New

Cushions or throw pillows as they are often called, can offer a cheap and instant change to a room. They can make such a difference seasonally adding light and shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. A sofa can be transformed with a touch of colour and a chair can make a statement without breaking the bank. Personally, I say go for the best you can afford and ideally, use down inserts for a touch of luxury. Don't add too many and go for groups of two or four otherwise it can look fussy and you end

Will Rogers stated that "too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like". We have been guilty of this and our biggest lesson from the pandemic lockdown is that we don't need as much as we thought we did. Over the years, our living space has become smaller and we are happy with that choice. We started out with a two-bedroom cottage, moved to a three-bedroom house with two lounges and we now wonder what we did with all of that space! During our travels, large apartments in