Ian trained as an accountant 46 years ago and has never looked back. He joined Jon & Mat‘s family business back in 2005 and is now an accountant for us at Made Interiors. Ian works from our office 1 day a week as well as working from home for other clients.
Ian’s role involves maintaining the accounts, payroll and customer invoices and he plays a big part in making sure the business runs smoothly. His favourite thing about working here is working in a relaxed environment and being able to have a laugh with his colleagues!
Ian’s favourite product range is the Cutler door collection in the Rockingham Range as he likes the modern, minimalistic look. He especially likes this in the Dark Concrete finish.
On the weekends, Ian and his wife like to travel around the UK in their motorhome and enjoy walking when it’s not raining!
Texture and material are important elements of interior design. How a room feels, or how we perceive it to feel, creates an instant impression and sets the mood. Choosing and combining the right textures in your home can create visual depth and can create your ideal atmosphere. In this blog, you can read our guide on interior design finishes and adding textures to your home.
Matt and Gloss
Paint texture is something that is often overlooked, but can make a huge difference to your room. Gloss paint reflects more light than matte and can provide a brighter, more intense colour.
Whereas matt paint is better at hiding imperfections on the wall’s surface and serves as a good backdrop. The non-reflective properties draw less attention from the other focus points of the room. However, you might want to create a feature wall, in which case a gloss paint would help accentuate it.
As well as your wall paint, furniture can come with matt or gloss options. To create a unique interior with depth and contrast, try mixing gloss and matt finishes across your furnishings.
Fabrics
There are various different fabrics that can be used in your home. The most popular textiles include cotton, silk, linen and wool, all with their own benefits and uses. For example, silk tends to provide a more luxurious interior whereas wool and knitted textures create a cosy, homely atmosphere.
By mixing different fabric textures in your home, you can create an interesting visual contrast. For example, combining the stripes of a corduroy sofa with a thick faux fur blanket is instantly eye-catching. The key is to not use more than 3 different fabrics, and build your colour scheme around the fabrics so there is an element of consistency.
If you’re looking for more inspiration for your bedroom colour scheme, read our blog here.
Wood
Wood is an evergrowing popular choice in home design, as the natural surface connects us to the outdoors. The organic form and texture of wood help to balance out the uniform and minimalistic elements of modern design.
The natural brown tones of wood complement a wide variety of colour schemes and instantly add warmth to any room. However, to create a more subtle effect, wood can be painted to colour-match other furnishings, whilst still providing a textured surface. A wood finish has a variety of uses, from wardrobes to kitchen worktops or coffee tables.
Browse through our painted collection to discover the different painted wood finishes we offer.
Glass
Glass creates a modern and minimalistic look that reflects light and helps to brighten up a room. The transparency of glass also provides benefits and tends to be utilised in the home for windows, shower doors or vases.
Tinted or patterned glass can be used for wardrobe doors or storage to create a high-end aesthetic whilst also making the room feel bigger and brighter. Glass tends to work best alongside other smooth, flat textures such as a glossy finish or minimalistic furniture. However, it can be complemented by organic forms such as indoor plants or wood to create an engaging, modern aesthetic.
If you enjoyed this blog, have a read through some of our other blog posts and if you are interested in any of our services, get in touch!
Small bedrooms can be more difficult to design. With less space available there is more to think about. Whether you need more clothes storage or space for all of your books, it can be difficult to fit everything in, keep it organised, and make it look nice! In this blog, we’ll guide you through some important tips to help you to make the most of your small bedroom space.
Hidden and Fitted Storage
Storage is perhaps one of the most important factors when it comes to any bedroom. However, when it comes to a small bedroom, it can be difficult to fit in all of the storage you need.
The most efficient way to utilise your storage space is to invest in a custom-fitted wardrobe. These can wrap around corners, fit into awkward spaces and be fully customised. You could even add a built-in vanity table to avoid clutter in other areas of the room.
When planning your wardrobe interior, make sure to carefully consider how many shelves, rails and drawers you will need and where they should go. Concealing your storage with doors, curtains or mirrors creates a clean-looking interior, alluding to more space.
Make Use of Every Corner
Some small bedrooms might be packed into an awkward space and therefore have a unique shape that might seem difficult to utilise. To make the most of your space, you should try to use every corner of the room, no matter how small. Alcoves are great places to create a reading corner or a work-from-home desk. If your alcove is too small for that, it could be used for storage such as bookshelves or even for wall decor or a mirror.
Windowsills are also a great place to incorporate storage. A windowsill lends itself to being used as a shelf, usually for objects like plants or books. However, if you have a deeper space, you could create a cosy window seat. This could possibly free up some floor space that would have been used for chairs.
Create an Illusion of Space
Lighter colours tend to make a space look bigger and more open. Whereas darker colours will do the opposite and create a more confined space. Use white or pastel colours as a base for walls and larger furniture to open up your small bedroom space.
You can then contrast with darker or brighter pops of colour for bedding and decor. However, be careful to keep a balanced and consistent colour scheme. Too many colours can make the room look too busy and cluttered.
Adding mirrors and mirrored furniture is a clever way to reflect light and will make a small bedroom feel much bigger. Experiment with different mirror styles, from floor-length to rounded wall mirrors and find one (or more) that works best for your space.
Keep it Minimal
It goes without saying that a clean and minimal space is more calming and creates mental space, but it also creates physical space. When decorating your small bedroom, using minimal decor and simplistic furniture is going to create a cleaner and more open space. It’s also worth making sure you keep your belongings organised and tidy, so your small amount of floor space isn’t covered by clothes!
Get Creative With Shelving
There are various different types of shelving that can be utilised to fit into your small bedroom space. Shelving can be placed high up on the wall, above your bed, inside alcoves or in the corners of the room. Make sure to consider the layout of your room and the order in which you will need things. For example, it makes sense to have your shoe collection stored near your door and your hair products near your mirror.
Built-in shelving is also a great option that doesn’t take up floor space. This can provide storage for a large range of objects, from clothes, spare blankets or even decorative items.
Spacing-Saving Beds
Beds take up quite a large portion of our bedrooms, especially if you have a king size or bigger. If you’re living in a really tight space such as a studio apartment, you might consider a less-conventional space-saving bed.
Sofa beds or pull-out beds have come on a long way and there are many high-quality options that can provide the comfort of a standard mattress. Loft beds can be a fun way to incorporate a desk or a dressing table into your bedroom space, and are a great option for children’s rooms.
It’s coming up to that time of year when we start thinking about changing up our wardrobes for warmer months. This also provides an ideal time for a deeper clean. Whether you decide to completely change up your wardrobe or you just need to replace a few items, we have put together this guide to wardrobe spring cleaning.
Get In The Zone
Cleaning out your wardrobe is not something that can be done quickly while the dinner is cooking. Set aside a few hours and really dedicate a part of your day to get it done properly. Put on your favourite upbeat playlist to keep you motivated, make a coffee and light a candle to create a nice environment. Make sure you have everything you need ready, such as extra storage boxes or a pen and paper for making lists.
Get Everything Out
It might seem a little dramatic but pulling everything out is sometimes the best way to start. Get everything out where you can see it and try to sort it all into rough piles (tops, trousers, jumpers, etc).
Start by picking out the obvious items that you really don’t like or definitely won’t wear again. Then filter through the rest of the items and be more critical. Figure out if you’ve got too many similar items that won’t get used or if you have any occasions coming up to wear certain items. Have fun with this, try things on and have a bit of a fashion show! If you can up with any good outfits, photograph them to remember later.
Whilst everything is out of your wardrobe, this is a good time to wipe it clean or give it a hoover.
Sort Seasonal Items Into Storage
Coming into spring and summer, you won’t need all of your winter clothes for a few months. So think about how you can store your thick jumpers, gloves and scarves separately or bring your summer clothes to the front of your wardrobe. If you’re struggling with storage consider some space-saving techniques such as vacuum packing.
Consider The 3-Year Rule
The 3-year rule is a reasonable time limit to work out whether something has wearability. If you haven’t worn something for the last 3 years, are you likely to wear it in the next 3 years? Do you have an occasion soon when you can wear it? If the answer is no to both of these questions, it’s probably time to get rid.
Sell Or Donate
Clothing waste is a big problem for the environment, so don’t throw away everything you don’t use. If you have time list your valuable items on online selling platforms such as eBay or Vinted. If you’d rather get rid of them quickly, donate to a local charity shop or pass down to family members and friends. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
Repair Or Upcycle
If you have an item that you love, but you don’t wear because it is damaged, then repair it! A missing button or a small tear is easily repairable. If you don’t fancy fixing it yourself, ask around family members or neighbours, most people know someone with a sewing machine! If it’s a more complicated item that you want to alter you could take it to a professional seamstress.
Note Any Gaps
Now you’ve sorted through the things you want to keep, repair and get rid of, it is a good time to make a list if there’s anything you think you need. Are you missing any basics for summer? Have you grown out of your favourite dress? Perhaps you just need some more socks. Make a list of things you need or want to go back to later.
Think About Storage
This is also a good time to think about whether your storage is working for you. Perhaps you want to rearrange your wardrobe categories or you need some new boxes. You might even need a new wardrobe that is more customised to your space!
We hope you enjoyed this guide to wardrobe spring cleaning. If you’re considering some new bedroom storage, get in touch to see how we can help!
Lots of us are taking steps in our everyday life to be more environmentally friendly. However, our home interior is an area that is easily forgotten when it comes to sustainability. In light of Earth Day last week, we have created this blog detailing tips on how to make your home more eco-friendly.
Energy Efficiency
Energy consumption is one of the biggest contributors to environmental change. To reduce our impact, we can improve our home’s energy efficiency by decreasing the amount of energy we use for heating, lighting and running appliances.
Most of our indoor heat escapes through windows so installing high-quality windows with good insulation can reduce this. Insulating curtains and blinds can keep the cold air or the sun’s heat outside. Opening and closing them can control the room temperature in an energy-efficient way.
Picking the right colours can help to save energy used for lighting. Lighter colours reflect more natural light, while darker colours need more artificial lighting. Using reflective surfaces helps to increase the amount of light in a room, so less artificial lighting is needed.
Most people have heard of or used LED light bulbs and they are a great solution for the future of our planet. They use around 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than conventional light bulbs, so are a great way of saving energy as well as waste!
Waste Reduction
Fortunately, recycling, upcycling and repurposing are all increasing in popularity and becoming a new norm. Most people in the UK have a recycling bin collection. Make sure your household is using a separate recycling bin and check your packaging to make sure you’re recycling everything you can.
When buying new home items or furniture it is worth researching items that are made from recycled waste and can be recycled. A lot of mainstream shops and supermarkets have introduced recycled ranges to their products. Look out for these in-store, or better still find local or small businesses that specialise in eco-friendly products. We’ll talk about specific materials later in the blog.
Reuse or Upcycle
Reusing or upcycling your old items for different functions can be fun and creative! There are many knowledgeable experts giving advice and tutorials online. These can range from simple ideas to more complex projects that require specific skills. Whether it’s upcycling a coffee table by giving it a new colour or creating garden decorations out of fairy lights and old jars, you’re sure to find something to suit you. It’s a great idea to reuse and upcycle non-recyclable items that would otherwise end up in landfill or be destroyed. So before you throw something away think about if there’s anything useful you can make from it.
If DIY isn’t your thing, you can always find a local business to help with your project. Our door replacement service is a great way to refresh your interiors, such as your kitchen cabinets or bedroom wardrobe, without having to start again with new cabinetry.
Another sustainable practice is shopping second-hand. Places like charity shops, antique shops or online websites such as eBay sell a great range of furniture and interior items and you can find some real treasures! It is a fun way to help to reduce wastage and can also save you some money. Second-hand items can also be a great starting point for an upcycling project.
Timeless and Flexible Design
The lifespan of home items should be considered to make sure they last longer and don’t get discarded quickly. This should especially be considered if the item will be used daily and subject to more wear and tear. It is way more eco-friendly (and cheaper in the long-term) to invest in a higher-quality item than to have to buy a new one often.
It is also necessary to consider the flexibility of your interior design. This is especially important when looking to completely renovate a space or purchase large furniture. The key to a flexible interior is to choose high-quality, classic and simple furniture, instead of following trends that you might get bored of or might go out of fashion. Then if you change your mind about your colour scheme in the future, you don’t need to throw away all of your furniture, you can just adapt it to fit in.
Sustainable Materials
Choosing sustainable and responsibly sourced materials is important for an eco-friendly interior. We touched on this earlier when talking about choosing products made from recycled waste. Here we’ll go into more detail about some of the most sustainable materials to look out for.
It goes without saying that cutting down trees for new furniture is not good for the environment. Choosing reclaimed wood is a much more eco-friendly option. This can also provide a more rustic style if that suits your interior theme. Bamboo has surged in popularity in the interior design world and is a great versatile material. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio and is a fast-growing and renewable resource. It also doesn’t require much, if any, fertilizers or pesticides, so it is great for the environment.
Recycled metal is a great material for saving energy as it requires less processing and resources than non-renewable materials. It can also be repeatedly recycled without degrading its properties. Recycled plastic is diverse in its uses in interior design. From rugs to furniture there are many ways it can be used. The colour of the plastic is solid throughout, meaning it is highly fade-resistant and keeps its new quality for a long time. Jute fibre is a natural affordable fibre that, similarly to bamboo, grows quickly and is renewable. Jute rugs and accessories add an eco, earthy look to an interior, and are also a good heat insulator!
Eco Appliances
When it comes to appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens and washing machines, there are plenty of more eco-friendly options. These appliances can use a lot of energy or water so finding one that reduces this consumption is much better for the environment. These can be a little pricier than standard appliances, however, using less energy and water is going to save you money in the long term. If upgrading your appliances isn’t in your budget, some appliances should have an eco option. For example, washing machines that have an eco option that uses a lower temperature.
We hope that this blog has inspired you to make some more eco-friendly changes in your home! If you are interested in any of our services for your eco-interior project, then get in touch!
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