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Artwork has a means of adding that special something to any interior composition and injecting it with a degree of uniqueness, feeling, interest and meaning. It offers the home owner a way of incorporating a sense of who they are and what means something to them into their home, as well as surrounding themselves with items that resonate with their character and their souls.

Selecting art for your home can be an exhilarating journey that can last a lifetime. Keys to success pivot around finding out what kind of art you enjoy, understanding how it will fit into your home and décor, as well as knowing how to exhibit it to its fullest potential.

Finding out what kind of art you like is the first step to take when selecting art for your home. This can be done by viewing as much art as you can before deciding on anything. To explore a wide variety of art, you can visit art exhibitions, art fairs, flea markets and art galleries; page through books and magazines; or research various art on the Internet, which offers the largest variety of artwork worldwide. By doing this, your understanding of what appeals to you will gradually start to evolve, and the more art you look at, the more acute and developed your understanding of your likes and dislikes will become.

However, it is important to understand that art is ever evolving and changing, and that your tastes and appreciation might change over time too. Also, many art enthusiasts note that the art of personal art selection doesn’t only lie in understanding technique and style, but also the ability to be in tune with yourself emotionally and pick items that make you feel something – that speak to you on a personal level.

If you are decorating your home from scratch, you will be sourcing furniture, soft furnishings and art at around the same time – making it relatively easy to stay within a particular colour or topical theme. If however, like most home owners, your home décor is something that has evolved over time – choosing art that will fit into your home is not always that easy.

It is rare to come upon a work of art that you feel really strongly about. So if you do, then you ought to buy it and then think about where you are going to put it. If the work of art really resonates with you, then you can always create a space specifically for that piece of art or adjust your home’s interiors slightly to fit in with the chosen piece, such as adjusting the lighting, wall colour or furniture layout of the room for example. If, on the other hand, you are looking for art to fill in a particular space or fit into a particular room, then there are a number of various things that need to be considered first. In other words, unlike the first case, the art won’t choose you, but you will choose the art.

When choosing art for a particular space, the most important criteria are size, colour and style. Here are a few tips on the afore-mentioned principles:

- Size: Essentially, it is all about proportion - art that is too large for a space will overwhelm, while pieces that are too small, will be lost. Traditionally, the bolder the piece, the more room it will need to breathe.

- Colour: When selecting art to match a particular color palette, it is essential to select one or two of the boldest colors featured throughout the room’s décor, and look for art that features shades of those colors in it. It isn’t necessary to source an exact match – merely picking up on one or two similar shades and tones will suffice and create a sense that the art work belongs in the room in question. Alternatively, selecting art with muted colours, black-and-white art or art that has been framed in neutral colours, will go in practically any environment.

- Style: Style is an important consideration - if your decor is filled with antiques, for example, you’ll want to frame your art in corresponding antique-style frames. If you have contemporary furniture in large rooms with high ceilings, you’ll want to hang large contemporary paintings.

The art featured in your home can add up to a sizeable investment, and as such, you will want to display it to its maximum effect. There are a number of ways to create an art-friendly room - the most important thing is lighting. Natural lighting is very important, however direct sunlight can ruin the piece, which makes artificial lighting crucial. If you shine light directly on to your artwork, you will undoubtedly highlight its details and beauty. You can either install special lighting, or alternatively, if your home has existing track lighting, you can make use of these light fittings to accentuate the art featured in your home.

Another important aspect to consider, is that much like art galleries, interior spaces that show art off to the best effect, are those that are not over cluttered or crowded. Try play down other elements within the room, such as window dressings, carpeting, wall coverings and even furniture – making the art the centre of attraction. Interiors with an over abundance of colours, textures and objects will undoubtedly take the focus away form the art featured in that room. – Antonella Dési

First impressions count and your driveway is the first thing people see when visiting your home, so it would be wise not to neglect it and keep it clean and well maintained at all times. The majority of South Africandriveways are paved and unless the paving is taken care of and well looked after, it will end up being ruined by weeds, moss and oil from cars.

The rain we have all been experiencing in many areas in South Africa over the last few months has tended to make everything very damp. Driveways and areas that are not in direct sun will have started being covered in moss, especially the areas between the bricks. Some of us love this look and will not be bothered by it at all; however, many feel that an area that is overgrown with moss looks decrepit.

It is actually not that difficult to rid your driveway and other paved areas of moss. If the moss is especially bad under areas where there is a lot of overhead growth, such as trees and large shrubs, before cleaning the moss off the paving, try to thin out the shade-producing foliage. Once more direct sunlight can get through to your paving; the occurrence of moss will be greatly reduced.

Thick growths of moss or lichen must be removed first by scraping out the joints and then treating the area with moss killer. Most hardware stores will be able to supply you with this chemical. Once the moss killer is applied, it will take a few days to kill the moss and then it can be brushed away with a stiff broom. Obviously it is better to do this in dry weather.

Weeds thrive in wet conditions similar to those most of the country has been experiencing lately. If they have started growing between the bricks in your paving, physically pull out as many of the large weeds you can by hand. Once this has been done spray the area with weed killer. Do not spray the weed killer if you suspect a storm, as this could lead to the poison being washed into your flower beds or your lawn either side of the paving, which could be devastating. After spraying, leave the weeds for a few days and they will all die. Then a stiff broom can be used to brush the remaining dead weeds away.

Most oil stains on a driveway can be cleaned up in the same way – get a bucket and fill it with very hot water. Mix a healthy dose of dishwashing liquid or degreaser into the water, pour the liquid over the oil patches and leave it to soak for about 10 minutes. Using a stiff brush, give it a good scrub and then rinse off the soapy mess with the hosepipe. You might find that you are now leaving clean patches all over the driveway that almost look as bad as the oil stains. If this is the case, you will need to wash the entire driveway down. Dish washing liquid, a broom and hose can do the job; however, you can make the job a lot quicker and easier by hiring a power washer.

Your driveway will now be spotless. To make it easier to clean in the future it might be worth it to seal the entire driveway with a waterproof sealant. It is a little costly, but will save you a lot of hard work in the long run. One can also hire a professional company to come in, clean the pavers and then spray paint them so the entire driveway looks brand new. – Antonella Dési

This is what some readers thinks:

Thanks for the great information. I bought some of that weed killer for paving and sprayed a few of the weeds and am watching them dying which is great and the information in your article is just what I needed to finish it off. - Cheryl 

As I have a dog, I am nervous of poisons and find that cheap rough salt works as well. Sprinkle in onto the weeds and water lightly. They will die in days as with any poison and not harm other plants nearby nor your dogs or small kids. - Lawrence

I have found neat vinegar a good trick to killing off the weeds in a driveway, especially paper thorn.  Just make sure that it is a dry day with no rain imminent. I do not like the poison option.  Thanks for the tips! - Meryl Wood

I find that vinegar does a great job of killing weeds and moss. Just sprinkle over and they die within a day. - Jenny

This year gardening trends are created from deeper social changes - people are trying to live more meaningful lives, re-evaluating values and priorities, breaking away from tradition while preferring a personalised approach. For gardeners and non-gardeners alike, taking care of the environment, the planet and each other, all “for the greater good”, is a current theme throughout their homes and gardens. With all these conscious movements in place, here is a list of what’s hot in gardening this year...

Growing your own veggies has become the “it” thing to do, where savvy gardeners are mingling their edibles with ornamentals. This approach to gardening is great for the environment and even better for the gardener. More and more people are growing their own fruit and vegetables due to the latest economic crisis which made this hobby popular, and in some instances, even necessary.

This trend has become very popular as a large portion of homeowners are now living in flats or townhouses with no access to a personal garden. Residents have now developed the need to have some piece of nature around them, and have started growing planted tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce and many other edibles and herbs in containers and pots.

3. Chemical-free gardens  

The trend of environmental responsibility continues through to gardening as eco-conscious homeowners are finding ways to manage their gardens without the use of pesticides and herbicides. Many homeowners are reducing the size of their lawns and incorporating plants that are resistant to pests and disease. Gardeners are also taking care to use products that are more environmentally friendly.

Your grandmother’s favourites are back with an abundance, as gardens are now filled with roses, daisies and sweet peas - all making a romantic comeback. It’s now about the senses as flowers create a visual background with appealing aromas. No garden should be without them.

5. House plant interiors

Plants are enjoying renewed status as décor accessories. Not only are they attractive, but they improve the air quality in our homes by acting as filters that remove pollutants from the air and replace the air with oxygen. Orchids, ferns and palms are top choices when adding warmth and homeliness to any area.

No one wants to be a slave to the garden and gardeners are now opting for plants that give them more time to relax and spend with family and friends. Highly maintained lawns are being replaced with ground covers and easy to care for shrubs and perennials. Today gardening needs to be as easy as possible.

7. Water conservation

The trend to capture rainwater in rain barrels has gained momentum. Wasting potable water for irrigation purposes will be avoided as much as possible.  Homeowners are now attempting to contain rainwater on their properties by using downspouts to direct the rain water to feed gardens instead of running into storm water drains. There are many rain collection systems available from homemade to store-bought, and water conservation awareness has now become a prerequisite in some areas and neighbourhoods.

Garden styling has come to the forefront in home décor because of its ability to give your garden a personal and unique feel – and let’s face it no two gardens are the same. A garden gives gardeners an opportunity to express themselves and their personalities, turning everyday gardens into pieces of art. Garden sculptures and Asian-inspired fountains are now an affordable and popular choice in garden art. Organic or geometric lines are being explored with more with colour - creating a fantastical, less formal garden.

9. The feel good garden

There is an ever increasing need for a safe haven at home, with more of us are turning to our gardens for the peace and tranquillity we expect to find in nature. Gardens are being transformed into spaces which can be used to unwind after work, relax and ‘recharge the batteries’ and most importantly reconnect with nature.

10. Creating a habitat

Awareness of the environment extends to our feathered and furry friends too. One way in which to increase enjoyment of the outdoors is through properly placed and maintained feeders and baths for animals with which we share the outdoors. A well-designed garden offers food, water, and protection for birds and other wildlife. Gardeners are now aware of creating a space for all to live in harmony, by adding more trees, shrubs and bird houses. Most bird houses can be either hung or mounted, and placing a few around your yard will give birds plenty of feeding options. – Maryann Lister