Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Interior Trends - Friend or Foe

Today I thought I would write about the current "Trends" or more so our dilemmas dealing with them :)

Well, it can be a little overwhelming, particularly if you are trying to achieve all the things which are shown on TV programmes, magazines, social media etc....... so many messages, so confusing.

What I would suggest is: don't leap into any huge purchases that you may regret later because you liked it 5 mins ago as it looked great in someone eles' home.  Is it going to look the same in your home?  Probably not! But, it may look similar, on a positive note!

I, myself would be the first to admit that I have gone out on a whim and bought a piece of furniture, brought it home and have gone 'what have I done' but, we all learn by our mistakes and can turn them into a learning curve so to speak.

The key is deciding what you want to keep and what you want to put into storage (for the moment), a bit of a spring clean I guess, before you go out on your search  for your new decor as your creative juices are probably in 5th gear by now.

Really think about the space that you are working with.  What is your current colour palette?  Is it neutral or do you have feature walls popping out in all directions?  Are there shades of colour that just don't work.  These are things that you seriously need to look at, as sometimes we are blinded by the awesomeness of something and then discover, it just doesn't work!

Here is an idea for you - take a picture of the room that you are giving a face lift to and then look through magazines.  Enjoy the process, embrace it - cut out furniture, decorative items, colours and surround them around the photo of your "working space".  This is not going to take you five minutes - this is going to take however long you want it to, until it resonates with you.  There is no cost here, if you make a mistake the only thing that you are dealing with is paper, glue, scissors and a photo. So big deal if you change your mind.  It's a project and an exciting one.



If you have any questions or are completely stuck on an idea that you have I am more than happy to help; particularly when it's creating your own piece of awesomeness :)

Tuesday, 30 July 2013

Ghost Chairs - Inspiring ideas for large & small spaces

It's amazing to think how a piece or style of furniture can make a complete difference to a room.

Have you ever thought about incorporating Ghost Chairs into your home?  

You will create beautiful clean lines with elegance and sophistication.  Whether it be a traditional or contemporary home.  Ghost Chairs come in many varied styles but they embody a piece de resistance!

Understandably, everyone has their own personal style, but I guarantee that this style of chair will definitely achieve the WOW factor if that's what you are looking for ... or , if you are looking for extra seating options within a small space, than this would be a wise choice as they are not solid in colour and won't create a "block out" effect.

Wonderfully executed within a glass Atrium - Magic!
Ghost chairs - love them - particularly great for small spaces.....
Perfectly used in keeping a small space open
Colourful and Eclectic sophistication





Monday, 29 July 2013

The 1, 2, 3 of Artwork Selection



Choosing artwork is a very personal exercise and can be quite difficult when making the selection and/or choice for your client.

My steps for this process are as follows:-

Step 1:

Sit down with your client and find out what their preferences are i.e. acrylic or oil, abstract or contemporary, bold or subtle you may need to have examples on hand so that they are able to visualise what you mean by each of the genres.

Step 2:

Be aware of the already existing colour scheme within the area in which you are working. This would also include furnishings (traditional, contemporary, eclectic) and don’t forget about the size of the room.  The last thing that you would want to create is a space which is overwhelmed by an enormous piece of artwork.  However, if your desire is to create a larger space, then an option is to look at a series of art across the wall (either 3 or 5) odd numbers are always best.

Step 3:

Where are you going to exhibit your artwork?  Do you want it to be the main attraction or are you seeking a subtle effect?

Once you have gone through each of the above steps, I guarantee that you will have had success and be happy with the outcome.

Below are some examples to help you along this path.


Contemporary
Abstract
Series of  3


Monday, 22 July 2013

Pendant Lighting

It's all the rage at the  moment and is probably going to stay around for a while.  So many different styles to choose from that it can become a little daunting!









Pendant light is used best in large open areas particularly when you have high ceilings as the last thing you want is to be knocking your head.  But if your ceilings are of standard height make sure that your lead line is shortened to suit the space which you have decided to put them in.

You can either be bang on with the design or go terribly wrong (i.e. the twins hallway on  "The Block" ).  I have to agree with the judges ..... what were they thinking.  Too much happening in such a narrow and small space.  Keeping it simple would have been best.

Saturday, 20 July 2013

Enlighten your senses with Candles

We must all agree that isn't it wonderful when you enter your home or someone else's home and you are welcomed with a beautiful scent.

I must admit that I have spent hundreds of dollars on finding a brand of candle that smells amazing not only in the jar but when it's lit!

We have all been suckered into a candle which smells great before it's lit and then devastated when the outcome is the complete opposite when you light it but, still have that little bit of hope that it just needs a moment to activate its aroma but nothing ..... "not happy Jan" :(

Well, I have come to my own personal conclusion that the winners for me are "Glasshouse" http://www.glasshousefragrances.com/ and "Ecoya" http://ecoya.com/

The great thing about both brands are that they are rated i.e. the intensity of the aroma so, you should have no problem here.  However, choosing which sent is for you would most likely become somewhat confusing as they all have something special about them.

Good Luck and I'm sure whatever choice you make with either Glasshouse or Ecoya you will definitely get value and a beautiful long lasting aroma for the money.

Nothing better than to truly enlighten your senses with candles.

:)

PS.  don't forget to re-use the jars once the candle has finished as they look great and you can use them as canisters too.

Friday, 19 July 2013

Pantone - Colour of the Year 2013


I'm in love!

An absolutely gorgeous colour! I can think of so many things that this colour could be used in - it creates a sense of harmony and well-being.

Below are a few examples for you which  may help you in visualising the colour at work and perhaps create something similar for yourself :)



Elegance ......


A beautifully decorated room which is easily created.

It's all about finding balance and symmetry and not overpowering a room with to many colours but instead being able to develop the colour scheme by blending different shades of the chosen colour.  The added texture and use of fresh flowers give it a feeling of comfort and warmth.

I'm loving the incorporation of white particularly with such a strong shade of blue.

Truly a room which is uplifting and inviting.