Trimmings

The finishing touches. Trimmings seem to be a popular trend this summer for the Fashion industry but don’t forget about interiors, soft furnishings love a bit of trim too! It’s a stylish finish and that little detail can give your interior that extra special touch.

You can be smart or just have some fun adding trim to soft furnishings particularly curtains, blinds and cushions. There are lots of trims to choose from my favourite being the Pom Pom trim which is fun, playful and can really finish off your chosen item.

Image via – http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/114969/three_cheers_for_yellow_in

Image via – http://toriejayne.com/tutorial/pom-pom-trim-boudoir-cushion

Image via – http://www.molliemakes.com/craft-2/mollie-makes-issue-52/

Image via – https://www.susiewatsondesigns.co.uk/sea-ivory-cambridge-stripe-4941.html

Image via – Pinterest

If you want to elongate your windows you can use trim cleverly by having it at the top and the bottom of your window treatment, this draws the eye up and down. A tassel trim would give this a bigger impact, block trims work also.

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

If you have children and have concerns of tassels being pulled / played with or maybe hanging trims aren’t really your thing we have solutions for this! Ribbon, block fabric trims, rickrack are all examples.

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Alternatively if you don’t fancy having trim you can finish the window off with rich tassels or unique tie backs which can make a huge difference to a room. If you’ve chosen a plain blind or curtain material you can use a tie back to add some pattern and pops of colour.

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – Pinterest

Image via – romo.com

Overall I think that trimmings can be great especially to jazz up plain fabrics but they can also finish off a patterned fabric using a trim with the same colours. It doesn’t matter whether you choose trim for your curtains or tie backs whether it be, pom-poms or fringe, beads or ribbon trim; it’s the little details which can have a decorative impact.

Picking colours for the home

Decorating your home can be a daunting task, there are lots of things to think about.

To name a few:

• Colour
• Flow and Continuity
• Style
• Wallpaper
• Pattern

For those who don’t know where to start or are in need of some ideas and inspiration here are a few tips and tricks!

If creating light is on the check list there are a few things you can bare in mind. By using a darker colour in the hallways can make the adjacent rooms feel a lot brighter. Smaller spaces with minimal natural light too can work well with dark warmer colours, even bold pattern to create dramatic and intimate space instead of using white. However if you want a more minimal look having your woodwork a darker tone to the walls works well too.

Image – http://www.beppebrancato.com/photography.php?st=000033&gallery=000133&cat&alb=home

Image – http://www.madaboutthehouse.com/how-to-get-kitchen-lighting-right-the-kitchen/

Image Credit – James Merrell. http://www.idealhome.co.uk/house-tours/take-a-tour-around-a-three-storey-victorian-semi-58547

It is important for some to have a sense of flow and continuity throughout their home and there are ways in which you can do this, by choosing colours on the same tonal spectrum, whether it be pastels, brights or even pattern.

Image Credit – Beautifully Seaside. https://www.sofa.com/inspiration-corner/interiors/pretty-pastel-interiors

Image via – Stylecaster. https://nyde.co.uk/blog/hygge-complete-guide/

Image Credit – Pinterest. http://www.homedesignideas.eu/bedroom-design-ideas-using-pastel-colors/4/

If you want to add some pattern or texture to the walls in a room wallpaper would be the perfect solution the range is endless. You can be bold and really bring a room to life or a minimal more delicate paper to just add a little elegance. One wall works for the perfect statement piece too. However if you don’t want pattern pasted all over the walls consider the soft furnishing and accessories elements.

Image Credit – http://www.thibautdesign.com/inspiration/index/details/collection/Trade%20Routes/pattern/Cruising/id/1355/

Image Credit – https://www.muralswallpaper.com/shop-murals/pink-grey-clouds-pattern-wall-mural/

Image Source by – Barker & Stone House. http://residencestyle.com/10-mid-century-modern-design-lessons-remember/

Image Credit – Sian Zeng

Overall there are so many online platforms to inspire you if this isn’t enough, Pinterest is a favourite of mine! Interior Designers are also there if you really want an expert opinion. If your home has a specific style whether its country or modern etc that can also help with the planning and selection process. As soon as you get going, you can eventually start to piece everything together and voila!

So.. Happy Decorating!

Kitchen ideas

The successful design of your kitchen is an imperative part of a working interior. The small details can really be what makes the design, for example, tailoring the space dependent on how you cook, also making it a joy to use. Whether it’s having jars of ingredients on show displayed on open shelving or something clean, white and more minimal. From ergonomic and aesthetic islands, to modular cabinets with hidden storage.

We have a selection of kitchen designs we consider to be very individual from each other but all make a beautiful kitchen. See which ones you like? The beauty lies in the fact that these work well in any style and size kitchen. Whether you live in a large farmhouse, townhouse, smaller flat or tiny ancient cottage, there are styles to suit them all.

New year, new me! 2017 trends

9 home trends that will help shape your room in 2017

 

01/09 Bright Green

Named the 2017 pantone colour of the year, greenery is meant to represent refreshment and revitalization. This is the cheery shade you will see in not only home decor, but fasion and commercial design too!

02/09 Butterflies

They are starting to appear more in design as a happy motif. Used as home decor and in products. A symbol of optimism and grace, it is no longer linked to a child’s bedroom, but used in a variety of sophisticated spaces.

03/09 Mixed patterns

First spotted in 2016’s New York fashion week, this decor idea will appear even more in 2017. The pattern lovers can this year be content knowing that no statement piece is too much or too busy.

04/09 Faux finishes

This year faux finishes wont only be budget friendly, but fashionable too. They can also be reliable, for example, faux timber won’t rot or bow like the real thing. Porcelain also won’t stain like Carrara marble. Other faux designs you may see will be faux foliage and faux grey floors, which are actually a lot easier to stain than the real hard wood floors.

05/09 Texture

2017 will also bring texture. Designers want to enhance the connection and engagement by using material manipulation such as pleating, folding and stitching in velvets and cottons. It will bring a new sense of comfort.

06/09 Navy is the new black

Whether you would like a feature in your room, or to re-decorate kitchen cabinets, navy blue is the preferred alternative to black. Giving a traditional feel with a modern twist, navy pairs well with any colour scheme and ensures the room won’t feel too small.

07/09 Artisanal instead of DIY

DIY ideas pulled from pinterest and instagram have been a huge obsession over the past few years. Designers are now looking more towards traditional design with character rather than quick and easy. You will see the return of glass blowing and woodworking with real craftsmanship needed.

08/09 Raw white

Think chalky whits and bone whites. It look unearthed and handmade. It is about natural beauty and imperfections. Organic with a bit of texture.

09/09 Less is more

Designers will embrace fold up rooms and appliances to preserve precious square footage in a space.

We designed a dark blue room at the end of 2016, much to our clients delight. Let us know if you try any of these trends this year and how they work for you!

How can your lighting effect a room?

When it comes to interior design, lighting plays a more important role than you may realise. Some people view it as purely functional but don’t see the bigger picture. With the right lighting in place you can completely transform the look and feel of a space.

Lighting can make a small room feel larger

Some people aren’t sure how to decorate a ‘smaller’ room to make it feel bigger. One of the easiest ways to make your room feel bigger is by making some small changes to your lighting.

Natural light does this automatically, but if you a restricted to windows, or the windows are fairly smaller, there are options. You could consider upgrading them to larger windows, allowing more light which will make a huge difference.

Another idea is forcing peoples eye-line upwards. When your eyes move vertically rather than horizontally, rooms come across larger. To do this, you can place light fittings higher on your walls, or look at using pendants hanging from the ceiling. Recessed lighting can have a similar effect, with lights set into the ceiling or wall. These lights won’t take up any additional space in your room, but will make it feel brighter and more open.

Lighting can affect the mood of a room

People often feel, or think they feel happier and more positive during the bright sunny days of spring and summer, and that during dark nights of winter they feel downbeat and more lethargic. Although it may be due to personal preference, lighting has also been proven to have a noticeable effect on our moods. Decreasing the amount of light someone receives could lead to feelings of sadness, while increasing light could lead to more positive emotions.

Using bright lighting to fill the room can keep the positive energy, but emphasising on darker cosy spaces using candles and dimmable lighting can keep the mood right for the time of year. You can also try lanterns and LED net lighting to create different effects. Embrace it!

 

 

 

Here are some lighting suppliers to try:

Furniture and Lighting centre: www.lighting-centres.co.uk/

Heathfield & Co: http://www.heathfield.co.uk

8 Interior Design Decorating Tips

Interior designers don’t follow a hand book when designing, there are no rules to what we do. We like to think we are creative types by nature who love to imagine, dream and explore different ideas, however crazy they may be. That said, there are a few things we think we can share with you which ensures a great design every time. These can help you whether you are at the planning stage, or you are ready to make tweaks to a room you already love.

1.Pick your paint colour last

Most people tend to choose the paint colour first, but paint colours can change from space to space. Natural light is one which would mean a colour would work better in one space but not the other. You want a colour that will compliment your furniture and accessories, so once you have that chosen, let the paint colour bounce off that.

 

 

 

2. Give your furniture breathing space

Resist overcrowding or cramming in a room. You want to make a room feel spacious with easy daily manoeuvres, which helps if your on a tight budget, you may not need as much as you think! Spend the money on fewer but better quality pieces and the space will feel much better rather than being busy in every aspect.

3. Hang artwork at right height

The average eye level is 57 inches- 60 inches from the floor, the centre of your art piece should be at the same level. Galleries work by this rule, you should try the same! Stick to the human scale, not structure scale- this means no matter the height of the ceiling, the rule is always the same.

4. Know how to arrange furniture on a rug

Two rules you can follow. All on: make sure the rug is large enough to put all pieces of furniture onto the tug. Front on: Only half of the items need to be on the rig, this is a more cost effective way of designing as it will involve a smaller rug!

5. Create a focal point

Don’t make every accessory a focal point, it will result in visual noise. Your focal point might be a dramatic hood in the kitchen, a mantel and art piece in the living room or a headboard in the bedroom. Make it personal and something that draws the attention.

6. Vary the scale

What looks good in one room, may look out of place in another. For example in the shop it may be the perfect size, bring it home and it is too over powering. Something else to consider is the proportion of accessories. Varying the height for interest, or using multiple numbers, are two different yet effective ways to use accessories. Photo frames need to fill the space, either by using larger images, or a collection of frames. A small photo in the middle of a large space will look out of place.

7. Add layers of lighting

In a room where everything is lit evenly, nothing stands out. Pick a focal point and highlight that. Add general ambient lighting and some lower lighting, like table lamps, for interest and helping to set a mood.

8. Be bold

Personality is what makes a space great. Make your own statement and have fun. The more you try, the more you will begin to see what works and what doesn’t. Crazy patterns and large chandeliers show charisma and a bit or character!

Top ways to keep warm this winter

Ideally, we would all be sitting next to a log fire, feeling the heat on our faces, listening to the crackle of the logs, with a warm glow around us. We can’t always do this to create a warm, cosy living room this winter, but we know other ways to make your space just as good!

Wrap up

Imagine its cold outside, you have made a nice cup of hot chocolate, sinking into your luxurious sofa, piled high  with  soft cushions and cosy blankets. Emphasise on the textures bringing out furs and chunky knits. Add a rug to the floor, theres nothing more appealing in this weather than softness and cosiness, you had no idea how easy it is to create it!

Dark is cosy

This is a fact, dark rooms are cosy! It’s very in at the moment to decorate walls, skirting, window frames and even ceilings. Darker colours look cosy, especially when the sun is going down.

 

Embrace the space

If the space is small, embrace it! As we say, cosy is in. Dark colours, dim lights, large rugs and blankets you can really sink into. Perfect for this time of year.

 

Control the lighting

Get rid of the harsh lighting, use more dimable side lamps and candles to help create a warm glow emphasising your cosy living room this winter.

 

Surround yourself with what you need

No one wants to move too much this time of year. Keep everything right where you need it, so you can do as little of that as possible. A side table to rest your drink and winter reading, scented candles around the room, hot water bottles, dimmed side lighting, board games galore!

 

 

 

Websites we love to help you collect the perfect accessories to create this space:

Cox and Cox

Nkuku

Rowen and Wren

Get creative with kitchen tiles

You can never go wrong with the classic white metro tile with a dark grout, but sometime your decor sometimes may need something a bit more creative. Here’s a few you could try!

Using the same tile in contrasting colours can be very simple but effective design point in your kitchen or bathroom. Using shelving as natural dividers keeps it simple yet practical. Using just white accessories along with this keeps the strong effect.

 

In a minimalistic room, you can up the creativity by continuing tiles to picture rail height and by contrasting colour at the mid point. You could also use contrasting tiles on the floor to continue the pattern in the room.

If you want to keep the colours neutral, try the popular white metro tile but with a different pattern. Maybe herringbone which will show a traditional styles but the pattern can bring some modernity. A strong paint colour in contrast will continue the contemporary style.

 

Patterned floor tiles are very in at the moment creating a modern looking space. If you don’t feel this is you, calm it down slightly with tiled borders.

 

Another way to make your space feel more quirky with more neutral colours, try some crazy shapes mixed with more simple shapes. Contrasting each other but creating a beautiful effect.

 

Anyone who loves a pattern, try patchwork tiles. They can be used symmetrically or random but including lots of white creates a contemporary effect.

 

Where can you find tiles like these?

Walls and Floors

Topps Tiles

Gemini Tiles

The Baked tile company

Rovic tiles

Feng Shui Basics

The Importance of Colours

Colours can decide your mood whilst being dependent on your personality. You need to play around with colours to choose what is best and most motivating for you.

Red: Passion + stimulation.  (Suggested locations: dining room, bedroom, or upholstery)

Orange: Creativity, happiness + communication. (Suggested locations: accenting + pillows)

Yellow: Cheerfulness + mental stimulation. (Suggested locations: kitchens)

Green: Harmony, safety + peace. (Suggested locations: bedroom, bathroom, or office)

Blue: Loyalty + confidence. (Suggested locations: Bedrooms and features)

Purple: Romance, luxury + motivation. (Suggested locations: bedroom)

Black: Independence. (Suggested locations: picture frames)

Brown: Stability. (Suggested locations: living room)

White: Cleanliness. (Suggested locations: use sparingly; too much white can feel cold)

Neutral colours: Composure, equilibrium + timeless appeal. (Suggested locations: living room)

Furniture and Decor

Mixing furniture and decor with a wide range of styles and textures making a good balance can make a better flow of energy. Positioning also helps, even something as simple as not having furniture pushed right up to a wall creating positive energy and utilising spaces.

A strong and independent look can be made using circular shapes along with marbles, artwork and metal features, for example brass, copper or gold. A healthy emotional interaction within a space can be triggered using artworks which include sunshine or natural features. For a more ordered or structures look, square shapes alongside bricks and tiles can create this. Floral patterns and natural woods can trigger creativity, whilst a relaxed space can be emphasised using glass and mirrors. Variety and balance is key.

Photos around the House

This personal touch creates good vibes and feelings subconsciously as you are within the space.

The Power of Light

Light is critical, especially natural light. Clean windows and skylights will stimulate happiness and motivation within a space. Using blinds and curtains to cover the windows can provide privacy and coziness.

Remember, less is more and don’t let someones personal design distract yours. Design is personal, what keeps you motivated?

http://fengshuibeginner.com/14-must-see-bedroom-feng-shui-taboos/

CHECK OUT THE ABOVE LINK- FENG SHUI DO’S AND DONT’S

How to choose the right type of curtain for your room.

Feature to your room

Curtains will always be a huge feature in your interior and can make or break your design.

– Consider how much light you want to keep (or block out) in your room.

– Do you need curtains for a practical reason like warmth or sound absorption or are they just to dress the space.

– How much room do you have either side of your window, to stack the curtains back.

– What length do you require, we nearly always recommend full length as it balances the proportions of a room.

– What is your budget. Handmade, interlined curtains cost more but will look beautiful for years, or maybe you are planning on moving within a few years so want the price to reflect this.

– What colours do you like and do you want to make a statement with a bold pattern or do you prefer something more subtle.

– Also consider hardware, the size of hardware, the supports that go along with that and how you want to hold or tie the curtains back, if at all.

Double pleat- Triple pleat

Pleats are hand sewn meaning the pleats always stay in place giving your curtains a lovely fullness, a triple pleat uses more fabric than a double. They are held held using hooks and headings and cannot be loosened so accurate measurements are key. Because of the depth of the pleat, this particular design suit a long curtain and also bold patterns and materials. They create a simple yet sophisticated look.

Cottage pleat

For a softer and prettier gather, cottage pleats may be the direction to take. Made by using a one inch tape, two inches below the top, this style is ideal for curtains with shorter drops. Especially in traditional country settings or even children’s rooms. Floral and gingham fabrics also work well with this design.

Pencil pleat

Pencil pleats can be a safe bet as the width can be altered depending on the gathering. They are the traditional standard heading for curtains and suit all tracks, poles fabrics and patterns. Simple and functional, these give you a smart yet relaxed finish.They use less fabric than pleated curtains, so can be an economical choice, they work well under pelmets.

Goblet pleat

An impressive and formal heading suitable for long curtains using rich, heavy fabrics giving a luxurious statement look. The formality can sometimes make these less popular and need room to hold back beside the outside of the window.

Eyelet

Suitable for poles only, eyelet curtains are a great way to create a modern look with lose folds and hanging widely. Eyelet rings come in different sizes (and colours) and a ring needs room to glide over a pole, so ensure your eyelet ring size works with your pole. A pole with a bigger diameter can often give more of a designer look.  Finally, if your pole is up first double then triple check the drop measurement, there is no room for error with eyelets.

Wave

Using a special track, wave curtains allow fabrics to hang in wide even fold giving the effect of a contemporary yet soft finish, ideal in the modern spacious house.

Happy hanging!!!!

We offer professional advice on all aspects of curtains and blinds.  Please contact us for more information.