How To Create That Holiday Home Feeling
Ever wanted to emulate that relaxed atmosphere you enjoy when staying at a holiday house? Whether you’re redecorating your own holiday home or you’re wanting to create a more relaxed feel in your own house or apartment there’s a few easy steps to help you on your way. Start by brightening up spaces by letting as much natural light in. Transform rooms into bright and airy spaces by getting rid of heavy drapery and curtains and instead using softer window coverings. For each room in the home, consider the light that you currently have. Many modern homes have downlights, and while these are great for providing an even glow of light throughout a large space, they aren’t the best for creating a relaxing atmosphere. Inject some personality and fun into your living areas using funky pendant lights. This Bolle light looks wonderful in kitchens and lounge rooms. To create that seaside living look, the white or timber Bolle lights are a great choice. In the bedroom and in the lounge room you’ll also want to use lamp lighting to create a soft, relaxing atmosphere. The Taho Timber Drum Lamp Shade is perfect for matching with a range of holiday bedroom styles while keeping the colour palette light and airy. The whole idea behind most holiday homes is to ensure total comfort for guests as well as the perfect combination between indoor and outdoor living areas to enjoy. Maximising outdoor spaces as much as possible is really important to create that holiday home feeling. For outdoor dining areas, whether large or small, you need to have sufficient lighting for entertaining after dark. Rather than looking to traditional outdoor lighting options, why not try a cluster of weatherproof outdoor flameless candles? They look just like the real thing and won’t be damaged if you leave them out in the elements. Candle light emits a warm, gentle glow which automatically sets the mood for an enjoyable night spent outdoors. Colour palettes will vary to emulate the holiday home look, depending on what sort of holiday home you’re going for. For lovers of the seaside, keeping the colours minimal with crisp white and a few different shades of blue and grey makes for a good start. Remember, holiday homes are all about comfort, so throw rugs and loads of soft furnishings to make everything a little cosier are ideal. With a little careful planning, you can transform your home into your dream oasis, to enjoy every day of the year. Image Source:...
Stripes – A Big Statement Or A Subtle Design Element
Geometry is extremely useful in interiors and can transform a space. From the softness of flowing curves to the solidity of a cube, to the excitement of a zigzag and the charm of spots and circles you can change the feel of a room based on the geometric patterns you employ. Today I’m going to concentrate on stripes for their ability to both make a big statement and add a subtle design element to your decor. If you want to make a room feel wider, take the stripe horizontally around the room and if you want to make it feel taller, take it vertically up the walls. The wide stripes create a soothing atmosphere. The clever mix of neutral tones and the use of different types of paint make an interesting and stylish combination. I really like the addition of a metallic paint to add a hint of glamour. Horizontal stripes can be very calming.The main thing to remember with stripes is that they lead the eye. You cannot help but follow a line whether it’s up the wall or along the floor. A really bold line, or a long line, will make your eye travel even quicker. And if you have an awkward shaped room to deal with you can use stripes to balance it, to make it even more edgy and exciting as in this image which plays on graphic black and white. The high contrast stripes are bold, confident and modern and if that’s a fair description of your personality I hope you try out something like this. Now you have these designer tools in your decorating bag let’s think about the beauty of stripes and how the colours and the width of the lines make a difference. Try varying the line widths and changing directions that demonstrate a creative spirit and bring a plain wall to life. You really don’t need many stripes to make a huge impact. In this final image you can see how a striped wall brings a mix of colourful furniture together, binding the separate pieces into a cohesive scheme that feels comfortable and playful. Whether you start with the furniture and add the stripes or find a striped wallpaper you love and then look for the furniture is up to you but if you like colour I hope you will give this a whirl. Let me know how you get along with stripes in your...
Attract Romance By Adding Basic Feng Shui Principals To Your Bedroom
Did you know that by following some of the basic principles of Feng Shui you can activate energy in your space and attract romance in your life? Oh yes! If you have been feeling blue and not in the game, here you have some pointers to help you create a space that will attract the perfect mate. If you are in a current relationship and need to re-activate some passion, this will enhance more romance. The definition of Feng Shui addresses the relation between human beings and their environment. Feng Shui has been around for over 3000 years in China. Currently there are two basic schools the Form School (oldest) and the Compass School. They both vary but ultimately focus on the same result which is harmony. In the last 20 years Feng Shui has worked its way into Western Culture. We have heard of the terms Ying/Yang, T’ai Chi, The 5 Elements, or at some point seen or heard of the compass. All elements and principles of Feng Shui. What does it all mean and how can you put it to good use? First let’s work with your environment which in this case is your bedroom and define where the love corner is located. Feng Shui is complex so we are going to keep it simple by determining your love corner and how to improve it. Depending on your layout you can enhance with home décor elements. Start by finding the far right corner from the door. Once you identify the love corner and assess what you have in your space then you can start applying the principles. Each room will vary depending on the layout. Here are things to keep in mind when working on creating your bedroom. Pink is the colour to attract romance into your life according to Feng Shui. It is referred to as the love or marriage colour, any shade can be used. You can add hints of reds and whites in combination too. I suggest not painting the walls dark red or pink and only add accessories in this colour pallet. If you are set on painting the walls then try to stay with lighter pastel or neutral tones. You can add colour with accent pillows, a duvet, throw, table accessories or wall art. They should inspire you, so when you search for these items, choose the ones that remind you of love, romance or passion. If you live with a man and don’t wish to be too feminine, just enhance with hints of colour. Items to avoid in your love corner are TVs, computers, cloth hampers, art work that has no...
Designing A Garden Around A Feature Element
The process of landscape design, like architectural design or urban planning, generally works by getting the big picture things worked out first (like overall spatial composition) and then focussing on the small stuff. You might decide, however, to throw caution to the wind and ask your landscape architect to design your garden the other way – by framing the space around a particular piece or pieces of garden furniture or garden art. These might by objects that have jumped out at you whilst window shopping, existing elements in your garden that you’ve always loved or something with sentimental value. Going hunting for interesting, unique or just affordable furniture or other feature elements for the grounds of your property can be a very useful way to begin a design project. It can be very informative for your designer, as you will be providing an insight into your taste and your ideas for your garden. It will then be your landscape architect’s job to work out how best to make these components fit into your new or modified garden. One of the best aspects of the selection of structural garden features before finalising or even drafting the layout and specifics of a garden is that you get to design ‘outwards’ from those objects. Careful attention can be paid to the scale and composition of zones adjoining the feature elements, making sure that the spaces and components around them are tailored to suit the objects – rather than ‘retrofitting’ an object into a generic paved, pebbled or lawned area. In architectural terms, it’s the equivalent of a client falling in love with a particular oven and asking their architect to design their kitchen around that. It may seem sort of back to front, but it does make sense – for landscape as much as for architecture and interior design. I recently worked on a small back courtyard project for a property in Canberra. The subject area faced south and received very little sun during winter. The owner was keen to redo this courtyard – to improve the aesthetics of the town house’s surrounds and to provide a new passive recreation space for the warmer months. By chance, the owner happened upon a neat little bench seat which they liked and which they thought would be suitable visually and for utilitarian reasons in the courtyard. We decided to use that piece of furniture as one of the key determinants in the garden’s layout, taking into account its shape, size, colour and aesthetics. So, a series of concept sketches were prepared for the courtyard, with the subject bench seat in different spots and orientations....
Industrial Look Exposed
Industrial interior design has been popular for some years now. When it comes to this trend, it’s all about exposed surfaces, rustic flooring, minimal colour palettes and bare-all light fixtures. This warehouse style finish can also incorporate other styles for a point of difference. Many high end apartments and homes use elements of industrial design by including vintage furniture and surfaces of stainless steel. When it comes to industrial light fixtures there are certain key elements to be aware of. In recent decades the light bulb has been seen by many designers as something to hide. In fact, Poul Henningsen, one of the most well known lighting designers spent his entire life’s work dedicated to designing pendant lamps that completely encased the light source inside them. It was his theory that no glare should ever be created by lights, and his designs reflected this principle. Industrial lighting designs don’t always completely go against this, but many do, seeing the globe itself as a sight to behold. This also gives a vintage vibe to these light fixtures that feature elements that hark back to the days of old. Blown glass pendants that encase the light bulb without concealing it provide a warm and nostalgic atmosphere in kitchens and living spaces. Experiment with different shapes and tinted glass pendant lights to bring a splash of vibrant colour to any room. For a more classic approach try industrial wire bulb cages. In tones of warm copper or modern black, these pendant lamps seem to embody the industrial style effortlessly. These bulb cages come in all different shapes and sizes, and while some are ideal for home interiors others have been specifically manufactured for use in cafes, restaurants and bars. It’s often the bulbs that make all of the difference here so choose something that’ll emit a warm, ambient light to compliment your home and create mood and atmosphere. Steer clear of bulbs with cool white tones and opt for warm white lights that emit an even glow across the room. For a more vintage feel compliment your raw industrial lighting with upcycled furniture accents and accessories to create an authentic industrial look that’s both inviting and edgy. Or if you want to emulate a more modern industrial feel look towards kitchen and living room elements that are reminiscent of commercial...
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