Introducing our Milford Experts: Mary Buckley of helloworld Travel, Alex Kayser of Milford Print and Jordan + Brooke of Harcourts.

Mary, where do you recommend people go to boost their wellbeing during winter?

A holiday to somewhere warm is a fantastic way to ‘recharge the batteries’ during our cold winter months. The South Pacific is popular being only a short flight away to reach sunshine with beautiful swimming pools, sandy beaches and crystal blue seas. Island getaways such as Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu cater for family holidays and romantic getaways. Alternatively, you could travel further afield to Asia, such as Thailand, Singapore or Bali to enjoy cultural sightseeing, delicious food and resort relaxing. For those who don’t have a time limit on their travels then escape to Europe to enjoy their summer and tick off some bucket list holiday experiences.

Alex, how can we surround ourselves with happy memories at home?

When my daughter was a toddler, I would make collages of photos and print them out as a poster, and bluetack them to the sides of the kitchen breakfast bar so that she could see them. She loved it - makes quite an impression on a developing mind.

Building family traditions is another strong way of creating happy memories, and a significant part of that is portraying your family history. A hallway or staircase is a great place for smaller framed prints of family members, young and old, creating a stunning design piece in the process.

I also print my favourite sayings and images, put them on 20mm wide photo blocks, and stand them on my kitchen bench.

Jordan + Brooke, how should we highlight our indoor spaces during winter when presenting our homes for sale?

There can be some pretty dreary days during winter so it’s good to think about warming and brightening up your home for open home visitors. Work with the colour white - it will be your best friend! Lay lighter coloured rugs over darker flooring to help bounce more light around, as well as sticking with white duvet covers and lighter coloured walls where possible.

Think about layering your lighting with a mixture of downlights, lamps, and pendants - this will create interest and warmth. If you’re considering installing a new heat pump before selling, do it. And if your home has underfloor heating, make sure it’s on for open home visitors, as remember they’ll be walking around your home with their shoes off!