Category Archives: interior design

Creating Your Home Style When You Can’t Try First.

Trying things on is typically the first step of changing style. If you want to figure out what works for you, you head to a shop, and you have to try a few outfits on. However, right now, things have changed dramatically as a result of the COVID pandemic. Fitting rooms are not open to shoppers. Therefore, you can’t try before you buy

 There are, however, a few other options for fashion shoppers. You can come across a tonne of fashion apps that let you try on glasses or hairstyle before you make up your mind. Similarly, most shops right now let you order your items to try them at home and return if they don’t fit.

 But finding your signature look is both a matter of defining what works for you and what you like – using a moodboard for that. How does that translate to finding your signature interior style? After all, it’s tricky to experiment with interior design, so how do you create your personal style?

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Understand your criteria

Where do you start? When it comes to finding something that suits your home, your criteria are, surprisingly, similar to the main characteristics of fashion shopping. Wait, you say, buying a dress has nothing to do with transforming a room? Well, be prepared for a revelation! When you shop for fashion, you focus on a specific goal – looking youthful or dressing for your next job interview –, size, budget, and deadline – aka when you need your new look. 

The same criteria apply to decorating your home. How much can you afford to spend? What are the dimensions of the room and furniture units? When do you need it done or how long will it take? And finally, the most important of all: which room function do you want the decor to enhance? These will act as your guideline to make decor choices. 

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Invest in quality design by professionals

When you’re thinking of changing your look, you can reach out to a professional stylist. You can do the same thing for your home. If you’re looking to create an open plan design that drops all wall partitions, for instance, you’ll need to discuss your options with professional architects and home designers. They understand the unique challenges of each project. More importantly, professionals have tremendous experience in tackling different obstacles and designs, which means that they can also find alternative solutions that will work for you. 

You can see how others do it

You can find a lot of interior examples and redesign models that can act as inspiring material. Visiting friends, for instance, exposes you to new ideas and approaches to tackle common decor issues with British homes. When was the last time you spent a night in a boutique hotel? Boutique hotels invest a lot of time and effort in creating unique and sophisticated room decors, which can give you some ideas for your home. Still looking for tips? Tune in to Instagram #interiordesign feeds. You can learn more about seasonal trends and how to make them work at home. 

It can be hard to imagine how a room would look once decorated when there’s no option to try a new decor on. However, you can understand what would work for you by defining your criteria, reaching out to experts, and letting other homes inspire you. For people who find it hard to visualise, design plans and interior photos are a huge help! 

 

 

 

Bedroom makeover on a budget

There are so many ways to makeover a bedroom without spending a ton of money. I’m going to give you a few ideas on how to give your bedroom a glamorous overhaul without breaking the bank. If you are in a rented home and I’m not allowed to paint or drill holes to add photos or artwork there are still many ways to change your space using stick on hooks and wall coverings.

Wall hangings and tapestries are great way to make big changes to a room, you can create a feature wall using large pieces or use smaller pieces to hang like art. Choosing the right colours and patterns are very important as large tapestries draw the eye immediately when entering the room, you can decorate the entire room based around the colours or patterns or theme of the fabric.

Fabric hangings and tapestries can give rooms are very bohemian look and feel and also makes a room feel less cold as fabrics are very warming and this goes for bedding, cushions and throws eccetera. If you’re going to go for a wall hanging tapestry I suggest this is one of the first things you purchase as it sets the tone for the whole room.

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Just like a wall hangings, bedding has a huge bearing on how your bedroom looks. The bed is often the largest item in the room so covering it with a fabric definitely draws the eye so choosing bedding is very important as again it helps to set the theme or colour scheme that runs through the bedroom. The bedding tying into the theme/colour scheme of the room will create cohesion. When making over a bedroom on a budget bedding is a great place to start as it is something that will always be in the room.

Once you have decided on a theme for your room you can buy different bedding that all fall into the same category for example for beddings with peach tones or monochrome bedding sets or elephants depending on what you want to create in your room you can even mix and match bedding pieces if you want to go for a more boho vibe. If you buy a number of different bedding sets you will be able to mix and match the pieces to create anything that suits you. Bedding allows you to be creative in a space where a lot of furniture items can’t be changed frequently, so for example you’ll have a desk and a wardrobe and a chest of drawers that stay the same three years and years but changing the bedding and smaller items can make over your room entirely.

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There were so many places that do great bedding for great prices so it allows you to have many bed sets to pick and choose from or mix and match for any bedrooms in the house. You can enjoy great savings on bedding at Groupon allowing you to get more for your money and therefore way more options to play with.

The most cost effective way to make changes to a room is to switch out smaller decorative accessories. Recently rose gold accessories have been huge in home decor and really add a touch of glam to a room. I personally like white accessories at the moment just because I like clean and simple looking pieces, also it’s very easy to add colour in different ways for example bedding and fabrics. White, gold and black accessories are nice and simple and will fit in any bedroom and if you every decide to change the colour scheme completely these items could still stay.
Accessories can range from plant pots to rugs, cushions, artwork, chair covers, lanterns, pen holders anything really and they make a room feel more you and will showcase your style and character. All of these things work together so you don’t have to replace any large furniture items to get a brand new room.

20180209_145424What tips do you have for making most effective changes to make over a room? I hope you found this post useful.

 

 

You Want A Timeless, Chic Bathroom… Here’s How To Get It!

You Want A Timeless, Chic Bathroom… Here’s How To Get It!


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There is nothing more satisfying than coming home from a long, hard day at work and soaking in a hot, bubbly bath with a glass of red. It’s how many of us unwind when we are stressed and feeling the pressure of day-to-day life.

But if having a bath after a long slog is your idea of heaven, you need to ensure that you’re doing it in style, right? Having a state-of-the-art bathroom will mean you can do just that.

So if you’re set on soaking away in style, check out our tips below on how to get the bathroom of your dreams.

 

The Contemporary vs. Classic Dilemma

Trends come and go, but a timeless design will always looks great. Bathroom design patterns change constantly,  but if you wish to give your bathroom a touch that is truly timeless, you shouldn’t settle with what’s new on the block and currently trending.

It is better to opt for classic bathroom designs as they look appealing even after decades have passed. Take the examples of castles and forts that you may have visited and stared at with wonder…their designs continue to impress tourists even after centuries have passed and that’s because people love classic décor.

When renovating a bathroom, there are many factors that you need to consider such as wall shades, fixtures, installations and flooring.

Instead of renovating a bathroom time and time again, it is better to give it a look that stays fresh and appealing, even after years have passed.

Before deciding on the design for your bathroom, it is always best to conduct thorough research. You may have to be shameless and ask your friends for a little sneak peak of their bathroom, or it may involve visiting far too many bathroom stores than you can possibly stomach right now. But it will all be worth it in the end when you have the perfect environment to warm up in.

Changing up the bathroom is also a great way for people to increase the value of their home. Adding timeless elements to your home is one simple way to add value to your house without having to splash too much cash.

It’s true that contemporary elements have their own irresistible charm too, so the possibilities really are endless when it comes to redecorating your bathroom.

But if you’re set on creating a bathroom that looks timeless and full of character, here are some suggestions that you can easily implement.

 

  • Bathroom flooring

Stone is considered to be the best choice when it comes to giving your floors a look that’s attractive and at the same time long lasting. It gives your bathroom a traditional look that complements every style and also gives a unique touch to the walls.

Travertine is the best stone option that you can choose for your bathroom, as it is easy to maintain and durable too.

It is possible that you do not prefer mosaic tiles as your first choice for bathroom floor, but you shouldn’t reject the option it as it can change the entire look of your bathroom when teamed with everything else.

For a richer, classic look, try to mix black and white mosaic tiles together. Stick to straight lines and patterns rather than conceptual outlines if you don’t want to create a bathroom that is unbearably quirky.

  • Avoid trendy colours- use bright and white

The trend of using white and bright colours will never become out-dated. They always remain timeless. You can also use a mixture of ivory, but making use of white shade will give your bathroom a timeless, roomy look. Stylish or bold shades might go out of fashion with time, but you can never go wrong with white.

If you’re set on adding a little colour to your haven, opt for trendy hues like blues, yellows, ivory and greens. Avoid anything that is too bold.

 

  • Incorporate historic finishes

Historic finishes can create a timeless feel for your bathroom. This does not mean that you have to use antiques in your bathroom, though that is certainly something to consider. But you can instead opt for antique-style finishes, such as a clawfoot tub.

When it comes to fixtures, it’s better to include vintage-type nickel installations as opposed to sparkling metals.

  • Pedestal sink

If you are designing a guest bathroom, try to use a pedestal sink rather than the obvious vanity option. These sinks will make your bathroom appear larger, which is exactly the look you should be aiming for.

Furnish it well with nickel finishes and balance the metals in your bathroom with warm wood flooring.

  • Lighting

The lighting totally depends on the overall design, furnishing, and layout of your bathroom. Apart from allowing plenty of natural sunlight into the room, there are other things that you can opt for i.e. wall and ceiling lighting.

As for roof or ceiling fixtures, you can go all out and include a large chandelier, if you really want to pull of the most glamorous design you can. If not, opt for something a little more refined but ensure it still has precious stone or glass pendants so that you still feel utterly fabulous when you’re relaxing.

 

  • Heating

One way to keep your bathroom warm and cosy is to get yourself some underfloor heating – but the cost of that will depend on the dimensions of your bathroom, so definitely get a few quotes before you go full steam ahead.

 

Underfloor heating can be installed easily, so if you do decide that you can’t possibly live without it for a second longer, start enquiring and warm up those tootsies of yours.

 

 

  • Natural materials add elegance and style

Making use of natural materials like wood can give your bathroom a timeless look. Darker wood shades provide a stylish and classy look that works fantastically with neutral tones. You don’t need to change your bathroom fittings and equipment to get this look either, so it’s a win win.

You can include few framed works of art, or a vanity mirror dark wood framing to get this look fairly effortlessly.

 

 

  • Built in storage

Who doesn’t want or need extra storage in their house? It’s an ongoing issue for most and there never seems to be enough room to put everything. Having built in storage is an extremely useful feature, especially for your bathroom where you no doubt want to hide the majority of products you use so you can relax without distraction.

A classic bathroom design never goes out of fashion and it can increase the value of your home too. By following some, if not all of the tips above, you will certainly get yourself the bathroom of your dreams. Then all that is left is for you to warn all of your loved ones that they won’t be seeing much of you because you’ll be tucked away in your little room of paradise!