Focal points can be anything that can grab your attention, whether it is a fixture like the fireplace and the chandelier or your TV set and game consoles. However, in home staging, if you do not have plans of giving away your TV along with the house, do not choose it as your room’s focus Use items that will be sold along with the house like your shelves and cabinets.

As a stager and designer, knowing about focal points is very important because they dictate the ambience or atmosphere of the room. Every person who enters will judge the room’s appearance based on how all the items inside relate to the focal point. That is why they are essential in enhancing the room’s appearance. If you can identify which among the room’s items they are, you can use them to organize your room in such a way that it doesn’t appear barren or cluttered. Utilize these points properly so that each potential buyer that enters your house’s rooms feels inspired to live in your house. Now that you’re better acquainted with your focal points, you can move on to the actual room re-arrangement or redesign.

Re-arranging or redesigning the room is not just about putting all the necessary items in the room and hoping it looks neat enough. There are actually some strategies or techniques used by home stagers. And since not all rooms are shaped alike, there are different ways to redesign each room according to its shape.

Here are 3 tips that you can definitely use for your home staging and redesign:

Square room

Make square rooms as near and spacious-looking as possible. Take out all the unnecessary clutter and do not place big furniture in the middle of the space. Your focal points and other furniture should be angled along the entrance so that the space looks roomy and provides walking room.

Rectangular Room

Align your big furniture parallel to the longer side of the room so that the space doesn’t look cramped.

L-shaped room

These rooms usually serve as multi-purpose rooms. Because L-shaped rooms can often look cramped, do not put unnecessary and big furniture in it. Strategically place your focal points to economize the space inside.

Knotweed roots (Rhizome) what happens to them after treatment?

It is commonly accepted by the invasive weed industry that Japanese knotweed rhizome can remain dormant below ground for many years. The exact duration of this is not known and often a topic of debate in certain quarters. Furthermore, chemical control can induce dormancy often referred to as temporary dormancy. Fundamentally it has to be accepted that being able to stop knotweed from producing top growth is not actually eradication. It is imperative that for knotweed to be eradicated the root system has to be in a state of decay before eradication could ever be cited. This situation will not arise in one or two years.

What is land impacted by knotweed and when is it eradicated?

Once excavated the Environment Agency (EA) always considers land previously infested with Japanese knotweed as contaminated even after treatment has been completed. Resulting material from excavation must be classified as controlled waste. Such waste must go to a specialist landfill site normally at an elevated cost to that of waste which is otherwise un-contaminated by knotweed. The EA take this stance based on the issues of eradication as already discussed which is well researched and based on solid evidence that rhizome (root) will be present within the soil profile for many years after treatment. Since the viability of rhizome can’t be verified there is always a possibility for re-establishment. Therefore the appropriateness of knotweed chemical control over other knotweed control measures such as mechanical excavation and disposal of knotweed must be considered in the context of future land use. If the intention is to change the land use through the construction of buildings, outbuildings, new drive, pathways or even service trenches consideration should be given to the method of knotweed treatment. Therefore by definition excavation of Japanese knotweed best meets the term eradication and while expensive is often the only method of control where change in land use is proposed. It is also worthy to define the “term land impacted with knotweed”. The common definition includes land adjacent to visible knotweed growth which could in some circumstances extend to a radius of 7-10 metres from visible knotweed growth.

Getting the best advice on knotweed eradication

It is important that good advice is sought ideally by an accredited invasive weed control company. Essentially a meaningful quotation or report is required. This should be backed up by a site survey which is impartial and factual with measurements assessing the level of risk the infestation represents to a dwelling or property in question is critical. Perhaps most importantly any quotation or report for knotweed treatment should clearly explain the chemical control procedure that will be adopted. This should detail the frequency of applications, the nature of chemicals that are to be used and the method of application. Such a treatment program should comply with industry best practice. In addition advice must be given on what should be expected after treatment has ended such as monitoring for re-occurrence of knotweed. Where guarantees are offered after treatment and monitoring is complete this must be credible and backed up by valid insurance to protect against the control company going bust. Currently long guarantees are being offered 20-25 years and as such these are good but perhaps offer little protection since the companies offering them need to limit their liabilities and no one can predict what will happen in 20-25 years time. Therefore short robust guarantees are probably best lasting no more than 12 years. The Environment Agency in their Knotweed Code of practice urge caution in relation to companies suggesting that knotweed can be controlled quickly. For chemical control there is no such thing as a quick fix to knotweed eradication and the prudent person would be well advised to seek professional advice.

In conclusion it is often the case particularly on commercial developments that a holistic treatment program is needed which would use excavation, chemical control and root barriers as the main elements of an integrated or holistic approach to Japanese knotweed control. Understanding what is needed on a property is fundamental; control or eradication. Where a chemical control program is used the definition of eradication must be fully understood by all parties. One definition is that if there is no return of knotweed post treatment for period of 2 years then eradication can be citied. In a domestic situation while there may be a desire for eradication knotweed control may realistically be the only practical solution and provided all parties are clear on what can and can’t be achieved then there is no reason why chemical control cannot be used.

Jonathan Barton invites enquiries from any one who requires professional advise and services for invasive weed control and management. For general information go to http://pba-solutions.com/content/pba-solutions. PBA Solutions operate throughout the UK.
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