Feb

The King of interiors: Hotel Crillon, Paris

Most people who are not of star status could never afford to actually stay at Hotel Crillon in Paris. It is like a gallery of extremely decadent, luxurious and lavish interiors. I would say it is a great place to find inspiration – obviously no one expects you to reconstruct this 5 star hotel in your own home, but bits here and there, colour palettes, fabrics and ornaments are something which are very much worth taking note of, if you wish to make your home the height of sophistication.

Source: http://www.linkparis.com

In this particular room, my favourite aspects are the yellow walls and the beautiful print of the bed spread. Admittedly, there is a lot going on in one space, but adding a hint of yellow or some print to your home will add some great pizzazz.

Source: http://www.concierge.com

This palette of green pastels and creams is far easier to deal with and imagine in one’s own home. The beauty of it all is that it makes the room look very bright, despite a lack of sun. Once again, I do think it best to have a bit less coordination of the pastel green and choose one or two green features.

Now, black and white chequed floors are something that you either love or hate – much like marmite. I am guessing that no-one who reads this blog has the floor space, cash or energy to tile a floor this size. However, I am an advocate of tiles in kitchens and bathrooms and it would add that bit of charm to have a similar black and white look – very 20s!

Source: http://visitatworld.com

Another, slightly less interior based tip – but something I think will be much appreciated. If you are looking to go to Paris because this post has inspired you, do it on the cheap with Get your guide.

88 days ago Short URL

Colour Schemes/Home Improvement

paris/travel

Feb

Green – Colour Scheme

Greens. Source: www.restylinghomebykellyblog.com

A while ago, I did a series on colour schemes. I have been asked to do one on the colour green, because it can be a tricky colour to get right! I love a bit of green, but it is very important not to overdo it.

beautiful green cushions. Source: http://picsdecor.com

This is a good example of bringing out the best of a green colour scheme: try to have a good mix of different greens and prints vs. block colour. Too much of either is like a frenzy for the eyes, which is not at all pleasant. For example, try and range from more yellowy greens to those darker conifer ones. Complement these greens with more neutral colours like light creams, whites and warm sandy tones of brown – like this rug.

On the other hand you could go completely in the other direction and choose one great focal point in green like this green sofa (below) and have a more bohemian, eclectic room.

Green Sofa as Centre piece. Source: www.housebeautiful.com

99 days ago Short URL

Colour Schemes/Home Improvement

colour scheme

Jan

My Archnemesis – The Entertainment Centre

As a woman, I find it hard to understand why my boyfriend is so obsessed with all things television when it comes to choosing furniture and an interior style to suit our living room. The dreaded words “entertainement centre” make me shudder every time they are mentioned – which feels far to frequent. To appease him and act as if I was meeting him half way, he asked me to at least have a look at some – I had every intention of doing just that … and then burying the thought of a techno-centric living room forever and ever.

However, I have to admit, I was pleasantly suprised. There are a lot of sophisticated and dare-I-say-it beautifully put together entertainment centres out there. I have clearly watched too many episodes of friends and imagined a wooden monstrousity similar to that which Joey – a man with the carpentry skills of a cat – designed and made.

Wood and white-finish combo. Source: www.home24.de

Source:www.home24.com

Have a look at a few that I was particularly persuaded by and maybe the words entertainment centre will no longer be banished from your vocabulary:

Wooden finish and purple backdrop. Source: www.home24.de

Source:www.home24.com

At www.home24.de, there is a great range of wooden and synthetic finishes. All of these entertainment centres have a huge amount of storage - which is great to store all that clutter which living rooms seem to be a magnet for.

Astronaut Chic. Source: www.home24.com

Source:www.home24.com

130 days ago Short URL

Home Improvement/Living Room/Trends

living room/technology

Dec

The Fine Art of Accessorizing

You have been living in a cold, austere home for too long? Now you want to change that? Then here are some tips on how to make your home really shine. It’s easy to get a comfortable home with a warm feeling with just the right accessories. Before you do anything, have a good look at your furniture. Does it fit together or are there some eyesores you should get rid of? If you have to replace anything and are on a budget, it’s easy to just sell it on the net and get some good used or new pieces via ebay, shopalike.co.uk or from a flea market. After that the fun starts!

1) Decide on a colour scheme. Don’t be afraid to put some colours on those walls, but if you like it white and clean, then have some colour in your accessories. For a fresh look, use green or blue on white. If you want it especially cosy, then golden orange and brown hues are a good choice

2) Curtains keep out nosy neighbours and add a splash of colour to your home. Thick curtains also add warmth during the winter.

Dark curtains keep the Light out in your bedroom

Source:www.doolans.com.au

3) Mirrors make any room bigger. They are also available in many different styles, so they can add to a romantic ambience as well as a modern design.

Use one big mirror or multiple small ones: the effect is stunning

Source: blog.artthatfits.com

4) Make your home comfortable. Get out the cushions, go with colour coordination or interesting prints so they blend into the overall view or use them to set a highlight.

Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com

5) Last but not least is the lighting. It’s best to have different lamps for different moods. An overhead light is good if you need a lot of light, but to create a cosy atmosphere indirect light or small desk lamps are the best choice. Apart from directly influencing the whole atmosphere of the room, lamps are accessories and a nice shade should be chosen to go along with the design you have in mind.

170 days ago Short URL

Accessorizing/Colour Schemes/Home Improvement

curtains/cushions/lamps/mirrors

Nov

Embracing those Winter Blues!

The cold weather has hit us and Christmas is slowly creeping up on us (although most stores have had their Christmas goods on sale for over a month now!!)! Embrace the colder months by creating a cute, cosy environment.

1) Rugs- adding a rug to your wooden floor will increase the cosiness of your home. No longer will your bare feet get chilly on bare floor boards.

2) Curtains- curtains will help to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. Not only do curtains add look attractive but they are also a practical solution for keeping warmth in, so definitely a worthwhile investment. Neutral coloured curtains are probably the best option due to their versatility. No matter what alterations you decide to make to your room, a neutral pair of curtains will still work well. Many neutral coloured curtains now come with black out liners, which make them thicker and help to keep more cold air out.

3) Fire warmth- if you are lucky enough to have a fire in your home be sure to light it! The warm glow of a fire will add a great feel to your room. If it’s no longer possible to light your fire (e.g. closed chimney) you can still make the most out of your fire by filling it with pebbles and candles to turn it into a eye catching piece.

4) Scents- there are a variety of “winter” scents out there from candles to pot pure to plug in air fresheners. All of these will add a seasonal scent to your home and help turn up the cosy feel!

5) Fleece blankets- these are available all over the place and definitely do not cost the world! Fleece blankets are perfect for adding a warm texture to leather furniture such as leather sofas. Snuggling up under a fleece blanket will keep you warm and cosy for sure!

6) Warm colours- using warm colours in your home such as reds and oranges will add a warm feel. Adding a feature wall to your room (painting one wall a colour of your choice) is a great way to add warmth to a neutrally painted room.

7) Music- play some calming background music to aid a relaxing evening. Background sound will create some atmosphere in your room and add to the overall evening.

All it takes is a couple of small adjustments to enable you to embrace the colder winter months and make you enjoy them in a warm, fun home.

189 days ago Short URL 5 Comments

Home Improvement

interior design/winter

Oct

Energy Efficiency- a Home Trend of 2011

Unsurprisingly energy efficiency has become a popular trend amongst homes this year. Not only does energy efficiency help to reduce the carbon footprint on our earth, an energy efficient home will also save you a considerable amount of money. Energy efficiency involves using less energy to provide the same service. For example an energy saving light bulb provides the same service as a regular light bulb, but requires less energy to do so.

Here are 6 simple tips on how to improve the energy efficiency of your home:

1) Insulate your home- Over half of the heat in non-insulated home is lost through the walls and roof.

2) Turn appliances off stand by, this can make a significant difference when you think you much energy you could potentially save a year just by turning a button off!

3) Lighting- Switch lights off each time you leave a room. Switch to energy savings light bulbs.

4) Washing- only wash on a full load of clothes. Wash at 30 degrees. 30 degrees is hot enough for almost every wash, however tough stains may sometimes require more a little more heat!

5) Kitchen- only heat up as much water as you need. Put lids on pans when cooking as this helps the cook to cook quicker.

6) Hang curtains before windows to help prevent draft

6 Enery Efficient Interior Design Tips…..

1) Use warm colours such as oranges a yellows to add a warm feel to your home

2) Use carpet to reduce heat transfer through and also to keep bare feet warm!

3) Use thermal wallpaper to insulate walls

4) Use blinds with a white back or another neutral backing colour to reflect the sunlight back outside

5) Place lamps in corners to enable the light to reflect back off the walls. Light coloured lamp shades are also a wiser option as darker lamp shade will hold the light in.

6) Even your furniture choice can aid energy efficiency. Choose furniture which has shiny, polished colours as this will help to reflect back heat to walls or floors where it is store more efficiently.

Energy efficiency is really the way forward to protecting our planet. Making just a few small modifications in your home will help to protect our environment and will additionally save you money! Increase you homes energy effectiveness today!

217 days ago Short URL

Home Improvement

environment

Sep

Giving your Bathroom a DIY Makeover

Just moved house and can’t stand your new bathroom? Tired of having the same old bathroom but lacking the necessary funds to refurbish it? Then you have come to the right place!

Source: thespottedfox.com

Today’s market provides a very large range of bathroom furniture. However, when on a tight budget a buying a new bathroom suite is not always possible. None the less, there are still plenty of ways to give you bathroom a new look on a budget.

Here are a few tips on inexpensive ways to makeover your bathroom:

1) Paint the walls a new colour; a neutral colour may be best to provide the basis. Neutral colours will tie in no matter what colour your bath suite may be. You can then use coloured accessorises to add a fun sense of colour to your bathroom.

2) Porcelain paint- This is great for giving outdated porcelain such as bath tubs and sinks and new lease of life. Porcelain paint is relatively cheap and 3 coats should be just the trick to giving your bath tub a whole new look.

3) Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise! New towels, new shower curtain, new soaps dishes, new towel, new bath mat! Renewing or adding new accessories to your bathroom with help to give a new fresh feel. And there are plenty of cheap bathroom accessorises available on the market.

4) Create a theme in your bathroom. For example, many people enjoy adding a beachy feel to their bathroom with the addition of some shells and small rocks.

5) Add pictures to the walls. Pieces of art or personal photographs are a great way to add a fun look to your bathroom.

6) Make your bathroom a tranquil place. Adding candles to your bathroom is a great cheap accessory. Lighting the candles will aid relaxation whilst bathing. Investing in a cheap bathroom radio is also a great way to make bath/shower time more fun.

7) Reorganise that clutter! Adding a bathroom vanity case to your bathroom could make a big different. Bathroom vanity cases, racks and baskets help to keep a bathroom looking tidy. You would be surprised the difference a bathroom vanity case can make to your bathroom, say goodbye to shampoo bottles lying all around the show!

So get your thinking cap on now and think where you want to go with your bathroom. Search the internet and you will find an abundance of tips, guides and tutorials. A bathroom makeover doesn’t have to cost the world; it just requires a little creativity!

Source: thespottedfox.com

Image Source: thespottedfox.com

237 days ago Short URL 4 Comments

Bathroom/Home Improvement

bathroom/budget/DIY/make over

Sep

Autumn Colours

Autumn has now definitely begun and that sadly means it’s time for waking up to darkness and going home to darkness again after a hard day’s work!

Source: http://myknownbuzz.com

Image Source: esquire.com

Along with streets full of leaves, the colours red, yellow and orange are associated with autumn. Such happy colours are pretty for adding a touch of sunshine to your home.

Yellow adds a warm feel to any room as demonstrated in the living room below.

Source: http://selanx.com/

Image Source: blog.eco-furniture.com

Yellow can be used in a more subtle way by being combined with neutral colours. For example some yellow cushions or yellow candles. However, some daring are willing to take yellow to a bolder level such as the following living room:

Source: http://weheartit.com

Image Source: interior-design-living-room-color.blogspot.com

Red adds a romantic desire.

Source:http://usedcar-sale.com

Image Source: modern-interior-design.net

Orange adds a cosy feel.

Source: http://www.gaitainteriors.com

Image Source: gaitainteriors.com

Seasonal Colours on a budget……

As you have seen, autumns colours are perfect for adding a cheery seasonal look to the home. Why not give your home an autumn make over this autumn? Seasonal make-overs do not have to be expensive and are easily achievable if the base colours of your chosen room are neutral. That is the beauty of neutral colour based home, the look will never out date and can easily be altered and updated on a budget. Red cushions and throws will add a warm cosy feel to your living room and will make that cuddling up on the sofa experience even more snug!

Take a few photographs with your loved ones in the local park having fun in the leaves. You can then print these out and update your photo frames to tie in with the autumn theme. Should your budget extend a little further, you could even print your favourite photograph from the shoot onto a canvas and hang this on the wall.

Rugs are also an important accessory for the colder months, especially if you have wooden flooring in your home. Neutral colours such as browns are the most recommended colours for a rug. Although crème colours look stunning they are not so suitable for muddy feet and paws!

To achieve a warm autumn look try filling your room with tea lights, which will great a warm glow by night. However, we all know that candles are a dangerous thing so please keep a close eye on them and never leave them in a room which is unattended. If you have an old unused fireplace you could also fill this with a selection of orange, red and yellow autumn coloured candles.

Dimmer switches are also a great idea. They allow you to tone down the light in your home creating a cosy feel which can always be turned back up to full bright light should you require it. Your Christmas fairy lights can be bought out early to great a fun autumn accessory. Fairy lights can be wrapped around a fun of twigs to create an enjoyable autumn accessory.

Seasonal accessorising can be heaps of fun and by no means has to break the bank. So get your thinking caps on and think of all the ways you could add a special seasonal autumn touch to your home this year.

Happy Autumn Everybody!

253 days ago Short URL 4 Comments

Colour Schemes/Trends

autumn/interior design/seasonal trends

Sep

Turquoise

Source: http://www.flickr.com

Turquoise is a colour of deep compassion and healing and is inspired from the colours of the water and the sky. In 2010 turquoise was voted colour of the year and continues to be a universally popular colour choice in both the fashion and interior design worlds.

The response to the colour turquoise is often a positive one and this makes it a suitable colour to bring into the home. Just imagine the sense of tranquillity turquoise could bring to your home.

Turquoise comes in plenty of different shades dark and light meaning that it can be paired with a wide variety of different colours. Don’t let the thought of bold colours in your home scare you away, colours can also be added to the home in a subtle way. Turquoise can be used to add an exciting hint of colour to neutral colours such as creams and browns or can also be complimented with brighter colours such as reds and pinks. Turquoise has a vast potential, which makes it a perfect colour for bringing into the home.

Turquoise is a versatile colour and could be bought into the home in numerous ways. When most people think about turquoise being used in home interior design they often envisage turquoise being bought into the bathroom. However, turquoise can be incorporated in the home in a multitude of ways. All this requires is a little thinking outside of the box.

Adding a touch of colour to the home doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. One can simply start off my adding coloured accessories to a neutral background, as has been done in this bedroom:

Source: http://www.inspirebohemia.com

A turquoise wall can add a sense of calmness to the living room:

Source: http://bismarcktribune.com

Comparing the living room above with the following living room interior demonstrates the versatility of the colour turquoise. Here the room has been used on all walls in a much deeper tone.

Source: inspirebohemia.blogspot.com

Source: onhomedesign.com

Now onto the kitchen…..Turquoise kitchen units create a clean and calm kitchen. The hint of red adds a funky twist

Turquoise in the bathroom….

Source: nessagoodwin.com

Turquoise can also be used for a more traditional look in the home:

Source: styledhaven.com

As you have seen, turquoise really is a highly diverse colour and can be incorporated in the home in an abundance of different ways. So get your creative thinking cap and think of how you could use a touch turquoise in your home to give your home a modern day make over.

254 days ago Short URL 1 Comment

Colour Schemes/Trends

interior design/Turquoise