Contemporary Dining - Perfect Symmetry and Style!

Consider the colours that you could use in your dining room, it is best to keep to monotone, for example just simply black and white, or a variation on this theme, blue and yellow, both of these and any other colour mood you want to create, will be fine for your complete dining experience, and at the same time will give you the chance to really to make the most of your kitchen and dining area. If you are in any doubt just look at the people who have already undertaken such projects of making a kitchen truly one of the most important rooms in their house.

Opulent and grandiose dining rooms could be focused on crystal decanters placed on the table, as well as crystal glasses that all go to make the overall effect one of feeling extremely privileged and at the same time proud to be there! More often than not centred over the middle of the table would be a huge chandelier scattering the light to all parts of the room, and this was often offset by the furniture that was placed in the room, large ornate pieces of wood fashioned into cabinets and sideboards and all in dark wood.

Place designer rugs under the table to help ground your colours; remember that a dining room rug should be sufficiently large so that when the chairs are pulled out they are still within the rug, rather than being half on your other flooring. This will also provide a more symmetrical look to the room.

Of course no dining table would have been complete without the most finest of cutlery being laid out in perfect symmetry and style!

Image: Vintage + Chic

Contemporary Dining – An Art Form

The contemporary aspect can be completed by having some very modern vases with flowers and plants arranged accordingly, this can often make for a splash of natural colour if you have decorated you dining room in white. There is definitely an art to having a contemporary dining room, and at the end of the day you want it to be a place of comfort and relaxation, but at the same time being functional and somewhere not only you and your family can enjoy, but at those times you are entertaining guests for diner, and you want the whole experience of dining in style to be remembered.

On a note of caution it is wise to keep clear of using black as this can often enclose the room and make it feel very suffocating. Instead use colours that are associated with food, such a greens and red, you may even want to add in a touch of yellow by using a yellow rug rather than cream. There is also open to you the possibility of using some sort of texture when you are painting your dining room. Let your imagination take over for a moment and you will find that interior design ideas and inspirations will come to you far more easily, and you will suddenly find the best way to make your dining experience the warm and friendly one you want to achieve.

Image: Home Designing

Interior Design Tips for Decorating A Nursery Part 1

If you are expecting your first baby, decorating the nursery is new territory. The first order of business will be to choose an overall theme, if you plan on using one. For example, many parents to be will wait until they can determine the sex of the baby and then choose gender appropriate themes. Princesses for little girls and sports themes are common for boys, though these are far from the only option. Current animated television shows and films are often used to decorate a new baby room.

Lighting:
A nursery should have a variety of lighting options. Overhead lights are great most of the time however, there will be times when you want nothing more than a night light for late night feeds or area lighting for specific tasks such as reading to your baby at bedtime. One simple way to create mood lighting is by installing a dimmer switch. You can also use strategically placed cheap table lamps and small night-lights.

Flooring:
As your baby grows, messes are going to be a familiar occurrence. If you want to protect your carpet while adding a splash of colour to the room look into a large area rug. You can use one large rug or several smaller area rugs, either way make sure they are made of easy to clean materials as they will take the brunt of the dirt and damage.

Image: Interiorimprovementblogspot

Using Colour – Going Green

We're probably all getting fed up with the cliché 'going green' and yet this timeless classic colour has survived through the decades in various shades and continues to be many people's choice of colour in any room in their home.

Darker shades of green, Regency or racing green for example, are ideal for large living areas. Going dark on an accent wall and bringing the room together with dark green ready made curtains, cushions and throws can creates a refined and sophisticated look. Paler shades are ideal to team with soft pinks for an on-trend look which suits all styles of homes; while acid or lime greens are the perfect colours to use with white, aubergine or hot pink in contemporary living spaces.

You don't have to go over-board, as too much of one colour can be very overpowering, however, buy adding pops of green, such as lime green curtains or a green rug, you can rejuvenate a tired looking room instantly without having to carry out a complete makeover.

Green symbolises growth and new life, making it's the ideal colour to use to give your home a fresh new look this spring. Add floral designs in soft furnishings to create a country cottage look, a majestic and sophisticated look can be achieved using darker hues and for those who want to inject the latest trends should opt for lime, neon or acid greens!

Image: Belle Maison

Using Colour - Natural Palettes of Shades Part 2

Carrying on from our my last post - once a base colour has been selected and applied to the majority of the wall surfaces, accent colours can be use to highlight feature aspects of the room; nature-based shades of brown, blue and grey work really well but equally splashes of bright, contrasting colours can be used to add interest and excitement; maybe some fuchsia pink cushions and matching throw or a stunning display of bright red silk flowers in a tall vase. You may like to swap and change these from season to season to give your room a quick and easy update.

Texture is very important when using natural shades; it helps to add layers and depth to what might otherwise be a rather “flat” scheme. In keeping with the simple and uncluttered theme of the Natural décor, a few well-chosen and stunning pieces work better than lots of random items strewn around the room. Again, borrowing from nature offers an enormous choice of beautiful items for your room; sea shells, rocks, smooth pebbles, drift-wood, leather, metals, both shiny and matt and natural fabrics like Hessian and calico.

Flooring in Natural palette rooms is well suited to wood (scrubbed floor-boards rather than shiny formal parquet), stone or rustic tiles. This can be softened by putting down rugs to create a warmer feel to the room.

Image: Belle Maison

Using Colour - Natural Palettes of Shades Part 1

The possibilities for choosing a colour scheme for your room can seem endless and somewhat daunting. However, by considering various criteria you will almost certainly decide upon a scheme that you love and is just right for your room. Personal choice and favourites are a good place to start – which colours are you naturally drawn to and make you feel good? Think about the size of the room you are decorating and what the room will be used for. How much natural light is there and how much will you be relying on artificial lighting?

The colour wheel is a useful tool when deciding on a colour scheme as it guides you through the harmonising and complementary colours and can help you to decide which combinations of colours and shades work for you and your room.

The Naturals palette of shades is ever popular and timeless. It offers simplicity and a clean and calm ambience. Although maybe not considered as colours in themselves the enormous choice and variety of white and cream shades can be used cleverly to create interesting and beautiful interiors. This is particularly so when they are combined with the creative use of textures and in accessories such as rugs, ornaments, cushions and throws.

Image: Belle Maison

Interior Trends 2011 - Re-balancing

The third aspect of interior design which will be seen this year is re-balancing – the experts believe that we, the consumers, have become tired of being constantly bombarded by marketing and are looking for products which are personal and enable us to turn our houses into homes. Within this 're-balancing' trend the emphasis is on simple structures and soft natural materials such as wool.

The keywords for spring and summer are Soften, Energize and Excite. As we saw in my last post colours are predominantly ash grey or black with vibrant injections of bright colour. These colours are being described by words such as airy, waxy and silky. The materials and fabric you choose for your soft furnishings will embrace these keywords so look for curtain materials online such as voile, silk, wool and organza. The natural materials such as wool can be used with beautifully designed floor rugs which will also help to ground your chosen colours.

When trying to re-balance the environmental issues regarding new products we'll need to consider energy consumption, disposal, waste materials and renewable fibres. Interior design is not purely about aesthetics but is about embracing the content and thinking about the style of your interior, questioning where and how products are manufactured, how you'll dispose of them and whether they'll help to lower your carbon footprint.

There's a lot to think about this year and as always interior designers are at the forefront of what's available on the market and how products and materials can be translated into our lives effectively.

Image:belle maison

Beautiful Black Bedroom Ideas - Graphic

This bedroom idea adds a new twist to monochromatic black and white to bring your bedroom bang up to date with a very trendy design with clean lines and bold graphic prints; as much as it is trendy though, this bedroom look has a whimsical approach to elegant styling - oversized table lamps UK with a fluid white form and bedside tables that are half the height, showing off 'S' shaped legs in an acid yellow accent colour.

Monochrome black, white and grey is ahead of this bright pop of colour with a beautiful charcoal grey focal wall, white bedding and a large area bedroom rug with black abstract print on white background. Three lots of ready made curtains are used - two pairs in white and a black pair to go central; this gives the appearance of stripes.

Metallics are used, but they come through as a sheen on silk and satin cushions and bed runners - look for a jewel tone such as amethyst which also compliments the yellow side tables. A white gloss headboard projects the bed with its crisp white bed linen.

Image: Modesred

Beautiful Black Bedroom Ideas - Gothic Inspirations

From pitch black to a midnight blue, this time we see a little colour coming through! Once again, it has to be said that the dark walls can make compromises for unisex bedrooms. You can also afford to use a colour that is neither too 'masculine' or too 'feminine' like a red-orange (another colour showing up an awful lot lately). A classic mid-century modern design is tasteful for exploring darker palettes; if you choose more period décor you can expect a more dramatic look and one that can be quite Gothic - depends on your personal taste I guess. I rather like the clean simple lines of the wooden bookcase-come-headboard in this idea.

The idea of having a shelving unit framing the bed makes bedtime all the more cosy, just having to reach behind your head to pick up a good read before dozing off. Choose duvet cover sets in white, but this time with a coloured print like the red-orange example - a graphic floral print is very eye catching. You can add a warm medium grey to the picture with floor rugs and some table lamps UK to add a sultry atmosphere if you want!

Perfect Pastels in the Lounge

Pastels maybe gong out of fashion but you have to admit in your want a lounge which emits peace and calm these colour combinations take a lot of beating.

The great thing about pastels is that you can bring as many colours as you like, just so long as they are complimenting each other. With a quiet room like this you'll also need to find a focal point, which is typically associated around the TV in most homes; you'll also need to 'ground' the style by using floor rugs in cream or beige otherwise you could end up with a room which looks too 'floaty'.

Keeping to pastels shades does provide a beautiful canvass on which to work, just like a painting, but in my opinion these colours aren't child or pet friendly and can only really be used in homes with singles or couples – before you shoot me down in flames – either that or ban the kids and pets from the room otherwise you may find the whole illusion ruined by pet hairs or kid's accidents!

This style of room is ideal for those who have the benefit of a large home with a separate family room; in some ways like an old fashioned parlour which was only used when guests arrived! Add table lamps UK to compliment the gentle tones during the evenings.

Image: House of Turquoise

On-Trend Colour Combinations – Yellow and Grey

If you like the thought of a neutral lounge that is light and airy, but you wish to have more warmth then a light creamy yellow may be your answer. This works wonderfully in a small lounge that needs to combine lots of light with the cosy factor!

Begin with white walls all around and a dark wood floor - perhaps giving it a new stain if needed; in the end you will just catch a glimpse of the flooring around the edge but it will make all the difference in a darker, bordering colour. An area rug brings in comfort but opens the space in a textured white. Choose sofa and chairs to be arranged around a coffee table - this is your opportunity too to bring in that creamy yellow with upholstered sofa chairs.

Grey comes in the picture with chrome accessories, metallic coffee table and softly patterned white and grey cheap cushion covers. Finish the look with floaty ready made curtains UK that add height to the room when hung from ceiling to floor - choose white with that same creamy yellow coming in with a pattern or motif.

Image: Bright, Bold & Beautiful

Interior Design Ideas - Snow White

I know it's a little premature to be thinking of snow – but couldn't resist sharing this beautiful white lounge with you. You have to admit that it look stunning with the touches of gold adding an elegant touch.

Furthermore this lounge isn't swamped by swathes of curtains and drapes and proves a point that a vertical blind can make a superb window dressing. The vertical blind slats give hight to the room along with an extremely versatile approach to privacy and fabulous light control.

All white rooms are still being favoured by interior designers this season; especially if rooms aren't that large as white enables a room to appear much larger, however the stark and clinical approach is subtly being made into a warm and friendly home look with the addition of soft grey rugs and statement table lamps.

Of course there is no room for clutter (my obsession which I haven't mentioned for a long time!) - having a beautiful lounge is easy to achieve on a budget as white paint is probably the cheapest wall and ceiling paint; paint flooring white will also help to highlight your rugs in an understated natural way.

Faux Fur Rugs are Right On-Trend This Season

If you want to be right up to date with the latest interior design ideas then you need rugs – in every room! Not just any old rug will do, the look is all about keeping things in balance along with remembering that although big is beautiful it can overwhelm a room and make it look smaller than it is in reality – sometimes less really is more, so it's worth bearing this in mind with your choice of rugs.

A popular choice for using faux fur fabric is with area rugs - usually the larger the better in this context. Yet there is something so welcoming about a faux fur rug to keep your feet nice and toasty during colder months! White fur is very on trend and is probably one of the easiest and flexible of all colours - in simple white it is far less about adding colour or pattern; it is all about the added texture and warmth which can be used successfully in almost any decorating style. Contemporary monochrome schemes can be given more warmth with a zebra print rug or try a patchwork brown for rustic décor.

Image: Belle Maison

Interior Design Ideas for Tweens Bedrooms

Create a trendy teen or tween bedroom by using grey as your accent colour - they will surely love you for a contemporary neutral scheme. So hold back from using it on the walls, especially if you plan to make something else from the room when they flee the nest. Instead, use a fresh and light cream for the walls and get creative with a mixture of bedding essentials in grey and black. Choose dark grey linens as opposed to white, a collection of pillows and cushions in a range of greys that might look like pebbles from the beach and a black and white graphic print duvet cover sets.

Make sure you allow your tween to have their say in the style and design of their room. If you don't want the walls plastered with posters give them cork boards on which they can add their own personal notes and favourite images. Keep the window dressings simple – the less fuss the better perhaps more especially for young boys.

Having grey flooring will complete the look add plain bedroom rugs to add a touch of intimacy without going over the top – plain contrasting colours are a good idea and can be changed whenever the room needs a new lease of life.

Image: My Favourite and My Best (Blog)

Back To University – Budget Decorating Ideas

Whether you've managed to get a room in the Halls of Residence, a bed-sit or sharing with a friend you'll want to make your living space your home by the trendiest yet cheapest ways possible!

Try to choose furniture with modern, clean lines and neutral colours - choose quality upholstery/materials that have more staying power such as a leather upholstered desk chair. Such items will transition into a multiple of styles when you do decorate your first home.

Accessories are needed in a study/bedroom as the universities rarely offer much more than white walls, a standard single bed, desk and a shelf. When considering décor pieces, imagine what you would like to see in your first apartment - will it be self-graffitied files or sophisticated ones made from leather? Do you want a beautiful house plant or will it be a plant-pot full of loose coins, spare pens and cocktail straws? Coloured glass is a pretty accessory in various forms and is a timeless décor piece. Just remember to take care of your plant with adequate water and light!

Hide a shabby or threadbare carpet with cheap rugs; opt for bright colours and bold patterns to bring a 'zing' into your new 'home'!

Image: a life's design

Homely Creature Comforts - Rugs

Brrr.... the weather has turned a turn for the worst and with summer already feeling like a distant memory in many parts of the UK we brace ourselves for the onset of autumn, gales and flooding.

However, it's not all doom and gloom! This is the time of the year to looking to creature comforts as we get ready to bunker down in front of the fire.

The trend for stripped flooring or laminate flooring has had a marked impact on interior designs over the last few years – due not only for the stylish finish, this type of flooring is practical and hygienic. Further more it's so easy to use rugs to add a touch of homely warmth to a room.

Without having to battle for attention with a patterned carpet rugs are perfect for bring a touch of fresh new colour into a home as well as a comfy place to rest ones feet!

The type of rug you choose is more than personal preference, especially if you're going to pay a lot of money. Today you can find some fabulous Chinese rugs online with gorgeous colours and beautiful patterns. Robust and durable rugs are the ideal creature comfort to bring into your home this winter.

Image: AtticMag

Fresh New Looks For Old Interiors

Home owners planning to decorate can generally be put into two groups - those who really need to update ageing furnishings and those who are just eager for a fresh look. If you have for example a sitting chair in the lounge that is in relatively good condition, but you can't stand the design any more - don't immediately think to throw it out or pass it on. It will cost you far less to buy slip-covers than a new chair. You can choose curtain fabrics online in a colour and pattern that you love which will successfully hide what lies beneath. The same rule can be applied to flooring which can be given rugs to hide stains or take the bare look away.

When you see something that you like - so much that its almost tempting to take out a loan, stop! Think of your bank balance - admire it for a few minutes more and ask yourself what it is you like about it. Could you bring that element into the home another way? Or, could you cheat and find the same look in a cheaper alternative?

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a new look; simply think outside the box and take inspiration from new interior design trends to keep your home looking fresh and new!

Image: AtticMag

Modern Nursery Style Alternatives

Decorating a nursery has become much easier now that people have the opportunity to know which sex there baby has before its born! No more yellow or middle ground colours, if people so choose they can paint a nursery the traditional blue for a boy and pink for girl. However, many modern parents don't like these stereotypical approaches and still prefer to opt for middle ground colours which suit either gender.

Of course there are many parents who make the decision not to be told the sex of their child as they still like the surprise element after the birth! Which ever you chose is of course up to each individual. Those who prefer to use the middle ground have a whole host of wonderful colours which they can decorate a nursery to choose from.

Teal blue and biscuit beige are great colour combinations for a nursery. Blinds are a great alternative to curtains, however be sure to use the child friendly operating version to reduce the risk of accidents.

Adding touches of white provides a clean and 'new' look as well as a clean feel without making a room feel or look to clinical! You should be looking for options which are easy to achieve and simple to keep clean. Polished wooden floors are perfect for nurseries as there is no risk of spoiling carpets when little accidents occur!

If you feel the need for something warm under your feet a fluffy shag pile rug is the ideal solution as these can be cleaned or changed for a different colour or style as the baby starts crawling and walking.

Image: AtticMag

The 4 C's ! Create Colour Coordinated Chic!

You have probably heard of the three R's in the UK, but have you ever heard of the 4 C's?
* Create
* Colour
* Coordinated
* Chic

Interior design styles which are easy to achieve and inexpensive can easily be put together if you think of the 4 C's!

Create: How you create your interior design style reflects your personality and shows people more than you may expect about yourself and your preferred lifestyle! Therefore think wisely about your choices, don't merely opt for the latest fashion fad in interior design, create styles which you enjoy and love being in!

Colour: The colours you choose says a lot about you! And whilst you may not be one for old wives tales and past folklore, colour therapists will beg to differ as the colour used in your home has hidden meanings whether you are aware of them or not!

Coordinated: Coordinating does not necessarily mean everything has to match. What it does mean it that to create a coordinated look to your home you should choose colours which compliment each other, along with a strong accent colour. The term 'strong' does not have to be taken literally, meaning you have to have at least one controlling shade or tone! Soft pastels such as soft candy pink or duck egg blue can be excellent accent colours for white or ivory rooms. Use accent colours for blinds, curtains, cushions and rugs and you will pull the room together to give a sense of balance and cohesion.

Chic: This term may be open to debate and misinterpretation as one person's perception of chic may be miles apart from someone else's! The basic principle here is to keep rooms purposeful and meaning full. You can mix colours and designs to create a chic interiors which ooze stunning style, as long as they work well for you and you are comfortable living with them!

Images: Habitually Chic

Choosing Colours For Your Interiors!

One of the greatest things about interior design is that you can opt for any style you like, it's your home and you should feel comfortable in it! You do not have to keep up with the very latest design trends to have an interior which is stunning.

If you can't decide on which colour you like best or simply have to have them all then simple aspects such as painting your cupboard doors all a different colour can look striking and very stylish! In order that the look is not overwhelmed opt for plain white blinds which enable you to control how much light and privacy you want or need.

Using Venetian styled blinds in a kitchen is ideal, particularly if they are made from metal which has been coated to help reduce dust build up as well as being very easy to keep clean, as they allow plenty of natural light to flood into the room creating a homely, bright and airy space when stacked at the top of the window or when the louvres are tilted open. If you have small windows you can further maximise the use of natural light up slightly tilting the louvres upwards which enables the light to bounce off a white ceiling.

Keep things natural in the kitchen by having easy to clean flooring around the working areas. If you have a table in your kitchen you can opt for a rug made from natural materials to keep the theme coordinated and bring a sense of homeliness as well as cohesion to the room.

Image: Avant-garde Design