With the weather getting colder and the days getting shorter, you might be thinking about preparing your home for winter. One of the best things you can do to make your home feel warmer (aside from central heating) is to create a cosy atmosphere through your interior design and accessories. The living room is at the centre of most homes, so in this blog, we’ll go through some tips and ideas for how to create a cosy living room ready for winter!
Use a warm colour palette
One of the quickest ways to transform your living room into a warmer and cosier space is to use a warm colour palette. Warm colours have been shown to have the psychological ability to cheer us up and make us feel more comfortable. Rich and deep colours, such as burnt oranges, deep reds and earthy tones are in trend this Autumn and work really well to create a warm atmosphere in your home. Warm tones of blue, containing hints of red, or warm greens with hints of gold can also give your room a snug feel if you’re not a fan of red or orange.
Repainting your walls or large furniture is the best way to create an impact but for a quicker fix, you could just swap out some smaller accessories and furniture items for warmer colours. Check out our door replacement service for a quick and easy way to transform your existing furniture.
Layered thick and soft textures
Another fun way to create a cosy atmosphere in your living room is to layer soft textures and thick materials. The most common way to do this is to use thick blankets and fluffy pillows on a textured sofa or seating area. This could also be achieved by using rugs layered on carpet and decorating with art made from fabric materials, such as macrame.
Layers of soft furnishings are perfect for bringing a cosy living room vibe, but can also help you to balance your patterns with plains and keep your interior looking modern. Read our guide to adding texture to your home.
Create a gallery wall
If you don’t have the time or budget for a full revamp of your living room, you can get clever with wall decor to create a cosy atmosphere. Create a gallery wall using your favourite framed pictures and art prints to add depth and interest to your living room. Filling your wall with imagery will remove the empty space that makes a room feel more spacious therefore creating a cosier vibe. This would also work by creating decorative shelving displaying objects such as books, sculptures and candles. However, you shouldn’t overdo with it decorative items, as your living room will feel cluttered and make it hard to relax.
Use seasonal scents
Scents have been shown to trigger feelings and add to an atmosphere so can be used to add a sensory experience in our home. Why not add some seasonal scents to your living room to create a warm and cosy atmosphere? Winter-warming smells typically include spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg or sandalwood. A popular way to add scents to your home is to use wax burners, candles or reed diffusers that can visually create a homely atmosphere as well as fill the room with a scent.
Choose soft lighting
Lighting is one of the most important elements of creating a cosy living room atmosphere. A harsh white spotlight can immediately ruin an otherwise cosy interior, whereas a warm, dimmed light can help to accentuate a cosy atmosphere. Prioritising table lamps or floor lamps instead of overhead lighting helps to create a more close and homely atmosphere. By creating small areas of warm light you can illuminate certain areas for a function such as a reading corner or a coffee table, rather than brightening the whole room unnecessarily. Another option is to use candlelight and lanterns to create an even more cosy ambience.
We hope you enjoyed this blog and feel inspired to mix up your living room interior to create a more cosy atmosphere. If you are looking to read more, take a look at our blog about how to make your bedroom feel warmer leading up to winter.
Slat wall panels are a great way to introduce contemporary Scandinavian design into your home and they can be used in any room. The natural wood finishes give a bespoke hand-crafted look whilst creating a modern structure that will balance out a minimalistic room. Wooden Slat Walls create a big impact and look like they have taken a long time to construct, however, they are actually quite simple and easy to assemble.
In this blog, we’ll look at some interior design inspiration for using wall slats in the rooms of your house.
Living Room
A wood slat wall can be used to create a cosy and stylish atmosphere. A popular choice for living rooms, the texture of wood slats creates the perfect sleek backdrop for your seating area and can help you separate areas such as a dining area and lounge area.
Hallway / Entrance Room
Adding a slat wall to your hallway or entrance provides immediate impact when stepping inside your house. A linear layout will help you heighten the visual impact while highlighting a specific area, such as alcove seating or decorative furniture.
Bathroom
Morning rituals and evening routines are important for mental and physical health, so it’s important to look after your bathroom space. Adding a sleek slat wall will create a luxurious spa-like feeling in your bathroom and help you to wind down at night.
Bedroom
Slat walls can be installed as an alternative to a headboard to draw attention to your bed and give it a hotel-worthy makeover. The slats can be matched to your other furniture or used as a contrasting centre piece. Natural wood textures and a biophilic theme have been shown to help create a calm atmosphere, perfect for sleeping.
If you feel inspired by this blog and like the look of any of these ideas, get in touch to find out more information about our slat walls! Also make sure to check out our other blog posts for more interior design inspiration.
The Art Deco design movement originated in France just over a century ago and influenced everything from interiors to cars to architecture. Recognisable elements of Art Deco design are abstract geometric patterns, vibrant contrasting colours, mirrored panels and stylized imagery of figures, plants and animals.
In recent years, the Art Deco style has remerged into the interior design world and is constantly being re-interpreted and combined with other styles. In this blog, we’ll take you through some key elements of Art Deco in interior design and suggest how you can add Art Deco design to your home.
Striking Colours & Bold Contrasts
Art Deco design is defined by vibrant colours and dramatic contrasts. Highly saturated jewel colours such as red, green and blue, are used frequently. Silver, black and gold metallics create rich and glamourous accents. This rich combination is then contrasted and balanced out with more subtle pastel and neutral tones, such as beige and cream.
To add an Art Deco colour scheme to your home, choose dramatic contrasting colours. Start by choosing one or two bright colours; teal green and red or dark blue and orange work well together to create interesting contrasts. Then select gold, silver and/or black for your metallic accessories, and finally pick a neutral pastel colour to balance out the palette
Geometric Patterns & Shapes
Art Deco patterns are quite distinguishable, usually made up of geometric shapes, tightly repeated patterns and emphasised vertical lines. Often depicting motifs such as animals, flowers, arches, feathers and fans in a bold line style.
You can make an impact with Art Deco patterns in your home by using patterned wallpapers or geometric tiled flooring. If you prefer a more subtle effect, you could try patterned pillows, art prints or light fixtures.
The stylised motifs used in Art Deco patterns are also utilised to inspire sculptural furniture and accessory shapes. Sculptures and other works of art were abundant throughout the Art Deco period, so it will complement your theme to add a sculpture or two for decoration. If you have a bigger budget, you could introduce sculptural furniture; curved sofas and waterfall-style consoles create a luxury Art Deco presence.
Art Deco-style lighting is a prominent accessory that can transform your space. Usually, large chandeliers or geometric-shaped pendants are fashioned from steel, polished bronze and glass, often coloured to create a stained-glass effect.
Reflective Surfaces
High gloss surfaces and reflective materials are another important element of the Art Deco style. The rich shine of a lacquered table, a decorative mirror wall or high gloss furniture creates a glamorous and luxurious atmosphere, perfect for an Art Deco interior. Glossy surfaces can be overwhelming so they are more commonly used as accessories or smaller furniture pieces and balanced with patterns or less glossy surfaces.
To add these to your home interior, choose glossy furniture finishes, mirrored tables or metallic accents. Metallics, in particular, have risen in popularity in recent years, so there is an abundance of options when it comes to metallic accessories and furnishings.
Luxurious Materials
The luxurious feel of the Art Deco style lends itself to working with other elegant and unexpected materials. Interesting wood textures, velvet, crystals, animal prints and marble have all been used to compliment an Art Deco theme.
These materials can be used for large furniture pieces such as a marble worktop or a velvet sofa. Or for a more subtle and budget-friendly option, luxurious accessories such as velvet cushions, crystal decor or marble vases work well.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this blog and feel inspired to introduce the Art Deco style into your home. Make sure to check out our other blog posts and get inspired by more interior design styles!
In light of Book Lovers’ Day this week, we have put together this blog to help you create storage for your books at home. Whether you’re a novel enthusiast with a large collection or a casual reader with a few favourites, this blog is bound to give you some home book storage ideas.
Use the space you have
Our first tip is to use the space you have wisely. Rather than creating one area for all of your books that might not fit or might get in the way, you can display your books in different spaces that you have available. For example, you might have some shelf space in your living room or an empty corner in your bedroom, there’s no reason why you can’t spread your book collection across both of these rooms.
It’s also smart to consider where you’ll want to read or use your books and try to store them in that area. For example, if you have any recipe books, they’re best kept in the kitchen.
Try different storage solutions
When we think of book storage we usually think of bookshelves or bookcases, however, there are some storage ideas that are more outside the box. The space you have available will decide how creative you can be with your storage, but you could utilise high wall space, frame your doorway or even use a glass coffee table with storage to display your books.
If you have an awkward space and you’re struggling with fitting storage in it, we can design and create fitted book storage to fill your space perfectly, contact us to find out more!
Consider adding seating
If you have a larger space available and you want to make more of a feature of your book storage, you could consider arranging some seating or creating a reading corner. A small sofa or fitted seating in a windowsill or corner of a room works well and allows for lots of storage space. If you have a room corner available you can use both surrounding walls for book storage or decor. Or if you’re near a window, the windowsill can be used as a shelf itself.
If you’re not sure what will work best, we can also help you to build seating into your fitted storage unit.
Decide how to organise
Finally, you will need to consider how you want to organise your books. You might like to create an aesthetic display by organising by colour, or if you have a bigger collection you might be able to sort it into genres. You could also think about decorating your shelves with bookends, plant pots or other ornaments.
We hope that this blog has given you some ideas for organising your book collection. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’re looking for fitted storage!
Colour is an important factor to consider when designing the interior of our homes, but most of us don’t actually realise how impactful colour can be on our emotions and well-being.
Colour psychology, the relationship between our emotions and colour, has been around for centuries dating back to ancient Egypt and Greece. More recently, chromotherapy has provided us with a deeper understanding of colours. The power of colours is still being studied however, experts have confirmed that the colours we surround ourselves with influence how we feel and act.
As a result, colours have the potential to significantly impact interior design and allow us to achieve a specific mood in our homes. Read on to find out how you can use colour psychology in your home design.
White
White is the colour of reflection and reflects more daylight than other colours. It can signify purity and innocence and relates to a clean and minimal layout. Using white in interior design makes the space appear bigger and allows more ‘room to breathe’. This feeling of spaciousness ultimately makes us feel more relaxed and comfortable.
White is a great base to layer with different colours and textures. However, be careful to not use too much white as this can create a clinical atmosphere with no character.
Yellow
Yellow is often considered a happy colour, relating to the warmth and brightness of the sun. It can create a cheerful and energetic atmosphere that helps you to concentrate and feel motivated. It has been shown to have the most impact in environments that require reflection and decision-making, such as an office space.
Yellow is best used in interior design as an accent colour as too much bright yellow can feel overpowering. However, pastel yellow can be more widely used due to its muted tone and can create a peaceful and joyful atmosphere.
Red
Red is one of the most powerful and striking colours, especially when used in interior design. It is widely used to provoke positive emotions such as love, passion and energy. However, it can have the opposite effect in certain environments, inducing feelings of danger and fear.
In interior design, it can be used to create an ambitious and bold atmosphere usually associated with power and success. For this reason, it is commonly used in offices and creative spaces. There is a wide range of attractive red shades to choose from depending on the look you’re going for. Deeper tones such as maroon or burgundy can create a more luxurious interior. Whereas lighter shades closer to pink or orange tend to be more playful and suited for children’s rooms.
Blue
Blue encapsulates a variety of shades that can create different atmospheres and emotions. However, it is largely associated with calmness and has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
Deeper tones of blue such as navy and royal blue are related to confidence, loyalty and trust, therefore widely used for commercial interiors where trust is important. Whereas lighter shades of blue are known to evoke a sense of peace and tranquillity, commonly used in relaxation spaces. If you’re looking to create a relaxing bathroom space or a peaceful bedroom, then using a light blue could be the answer.
Green
In colour psychology, green is a very positive colour full of optimism, balance and peace. It is immediately associated with nature and relates to growth and restoration. This makes it a great way to bring the outdoors into your home. Like blue, green has also been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, due to its peaceful connotations.
Green can come in a range of attractive shades making it suitable for home interior design. Deeper shades such as olive green can create a more grounded and classic interior, perfect for a cosy bedroom. However, lighter shades of green such as mint can create a more subdued and calm atmosphere, perfect for a yoga studio or reading corner.
Grey
A popular choice for modern home design, grey creates a neutral and calm atmosphere. Whilst grey initially feels less exciting than other colours, it can be a great substitute for white to create a neutral base for brighter colours. Its subtle tone means it creates a sophisticated and refined environment that also represents strength and intelligence.
Commonly used in living rooms alongside yellow or pink, grey can be paired with any bright colour to create contrast and layers of interest. It can also look great paired with white and black to create a monotone theme, suited for a contemporary kitchen design.
It’s crucial to think about the kind of mood you want to create in your interior and decide which colours will help you to do so. The colour wheel below gives a simple visual to summarise the feelings that different colours can create.
We hope this blog has helped you to make some more informed decisions when it comes to the colours in your home. Don’t forget to browse through our other blog posts and get in touch if you think we can help with your fitted interiors.
Scandinavian design is a minimalistic and practical aesthetic known for its neutral colour palettes, clean lines and striking modern furniture. Emerging in the 1950s alongside the modernist movement, Scandinavian modern style prioritized affordable and sleek furnishings and interiors. Its natural feel and everyday practicality make it a popular and timeless choice for home design. Find out more in this blog about how you can add Scandinavian Design to your home.
Use a Soft Colour Scheme
Scandinavian countries get little sunlight, especially throughout winter, so Scandinavian design is focused on creating light spaces. Soft colour schemes that include lots of neutrals and whites reflect the little amount of daylight available. Large windows and minimal blinds or curtains are also prioritised to further maximise the amount of daylight coming in.
A white base is always a good place to start, but deciding on what tone of white can be a little overwhelming. Cooler tones with hints of blue or grey can be harsher and less comforting whereas a warmer white with pink or yellow tones creates a more homely feel. Starting with a white or neutral base allows you to add brighter colours and adapt or change your colour scheme over time.
Create Contrast
Scandinavian interior design uses a blend of textures and contrasts to make sleek, modern decor feel warm and inviting. There are many ways we can create contrast and interest inspired by Scandinavian design. Through contrasting colours, for example, adding darker-toned furniture or accessories to your lighter colour scheme. Using contrasting textures by mixing natural textures such as wood and wool with smooth and glossy manmade materials. Handmade pieces add an interesting feature to a minimalistic Scandi-style interior.
Install Modern Furniture & Smart Storage
Minimalism is at the heart of anything Scandi-style so using minimal furniture and storage is key. Handleless wardrobes and drawers create clean lines and are a modern, practical storage solution suitable for Scandinavian-style interiors. Installing fitted furniture suited to your storage needs helps you to keep clutter stored away resulting in a cleaner, more minimal interior.
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