With the weather warming up and the festival season beginning, you might be starting to think about your summer plans. If you’re planning to host a garden party, there are a lot of things to consider. From decorations, and garden furniture to themes and food preparation. We’ve created this blog to guide you through some tips and hopefully help you with your summer garden party planning.
Decide on a Theme
First of all, you need to decide what kind of party you want to throw. Is it going to be a low-key gathering with a few drinks and snacks or an elegant sit-down meal? This should help to give you a few ideas for an appropriate theme.
It’s important to think about what type of atmosphere you want to create and whether this matches the rest of your house. Gardens are an extension of our indoor spaces. So consider how you can insert your own personality, and perhaps link your theme to your interior style. Maybe your home interior is inspired by Biophilic Design, in which case it is easy to continue that into your garden. If your kitchen is decorated with bright reds or yellows, try to add these colours to your garden decor and party accessories.
Decorations
Now that you have decided on a theme for your garden party, it is time to think about decorations. You might not want to spend too much time or money on decorations, so think about some budget-friendly and easy-to-use options. For example, bunting and paper lanterns are relatively cheap, can be put up in 10 minutes, and instantly transform your garden into a classic British summer party!
Depending on how creative you are and how much time you have, you might want to add a personal touch with some homemade decorations. Check out this homemade bunting tutorial.
If you have a bigger budget and want some larger decorations, think about adding a photo booth with props, a garden bar, a flower wall or even a balloon arch!
Lighting
Arguably one of the most important elements of your party decor is the lighting. If done correctly, good lighting has the power to transform a space and there are so many options to choose from.
Some popular choices for a cosy garden party are fairy lights, hanging lanterns or candles. You could also consider a more eco option by using solar-powered lights. The great thing about some of these options is that they can be intertwined with your existing furniture and decor. For example, fairy lights can be wrapped around trees and fences, or candles and lanterns can be scattered on tables.
Furniture and Seating
The amount of seating you need will depend on the size of your guest list as well as the theme of your party. If you’re planning on cooking dinner for your guests, you will need to make sure you have a table and chairs big enough to seat everyone. However, if you’re going for a more laid-back cocktail party with a few snacks you can get away with more casual seating.
It also depends on the kind of atmosphere you want to provide. Perhaps you’ve decided on a tropical beach theme, in which case some deck chairs and picnic blankets might work. Whereas using some garden sofas or even a hanging egg chair will provide a more luxurious and comfortable ambience. Painted garden benches are also a great option if you’re going for a more rustic, personalised theme!
Different Zones
Depending on the size of your outdoor space, you might want to split your garden party into different zones. For example, you might have a cocktail area or bar where your guests can grab a drink, a seating area for food, and then a cosier seating area around a firepit for when it gets colder in the evening.
Consider the small details of these areas to make sure they are optimised for your guests’ experience. Place the music speakers in the bar area and away from the seating areas where your guests might be talking more. Add blankets and pillows to the firepit area to make it more cosy and comfortable. Add extra lighting around the food area so your guests can see what they’re eating!
We hope we have inspired you and helped you with the planning of your garden party. If you enjoyed this blog, have a read through some of our other blogs here!
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!
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!
Biophilic comes from the term ‘biophilia; meaning a hypothetical tendency to interact or be associated with other life in nature. Biophilic design is about bringing the outdoors in to enhance connectivity to the natural environment.
The Biophilic Design trend has grown in popularity over the last couple of years and is looking to be one of the most significant trends of 2023. This popularity is likely a result of the increased time spent at home and more awareness of our surroundings and our impact on the environment.
Creating a biophilic environment is beneficial not only for the aesthetic of our interior but also for our health and well-being. Read this blog to learn about the biophilic design trend and how you can create a biophilic environment in your home.
The Benefits
It is no secret that being immersed in nature is good for our mental health. With a lot of us spending a significant amount of time indoors, biophilic design can help to bring these benefits inside.
Whether a biophilic environment is created at work or at home it can have many benefits. It can help to reduce stress and fatigue, enhance creativity and improve mood and general well-being. A study by Environment International found that biophilic environments had a larger restorative impact in reducing stress and anxiety.
If indoor plants are your thing, they have their own benefits when it comes to air quality and can reduce air pollution in homes and offices.
How to Create a Biophilic Environment
Now you know more about the biophilic design trend, you might be wondering how to create this in your environment. There are many ways to incorporate nature into your interior design. Some ideas are more subtle accessories and some are bigger transformative projects.
The obvious idea that springs to mind is adding indoor plants. If you have time to look after them, plants can look great and can also possess the air quality benefits mentioned earlier. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, other natural objects could be a fun alternative. Examples include shells, water features or even rocks and stones.
Using nature-inspired colours such as green and brown can instantly transform an interior to feel more outdoorsy. These colours are easy to use because they aren’t too overpowering so have many suitable uses. They can be utilised for painting walls, wardrobe doors, and kitchen cabinets as well as smaller furniture and accessories.
Another way to add natural elements to your interior is by using textures and materials such as wood and stone. These materials remind us of their natural origins and can have various uses such as for kitchen worktops or wardrobe doors. For an interesting contrast, combine these textures with solid paint colours. Shown below on this fitted wardrobe using our Natural Halifax Oak finish combined with white.
If you’re not looking to completely refurbish your interior, there are some more subtle ways of bringing natural elements into your home. Using botanical or greenery-inspired patterns for accessories such as rugs and pillows. Decorating with nature-inspired artwork or prioritising organic shapes and forms for lamps and vases. Another idea that might be less obvious is bringing in sounds and scents from nature. For example using an essential oil diffuser or a recording of relaxing wild animal sounds.
We hope that this blog has helped to clarify what biophilic design is and how you can introduce it into your interior. If you’re looking for nature-inspired wardrobes or interior storage then get in touch to discuss what we can do!
With the days getting longer, flowers blossoming and the weather getting warmer, spring is upon us. A new season means changes in the light in our homes which often causes us to desire bright, fresh spaces. After the cold winter we have just endured, a change in our home interiors could be the fresh start we need to put the bad weather behind us.
When thinking of springtime, we think of the gradual change in colours outside; green grass, soft pink blossom, yellow daffodils and blue sky. Recreating these colours at home will help to bring the outside in and create a joyful atmosphere in your space. In this blog, we will discuss some spring colour interior ideas and tips on how you can use them in your home.
Pastel Greens and Blues
Pastel colours are a great way to lighten up a space whilst using subtle elements of colour. Green and blue’s association with nature helps to create a tranquil atmosphere and makes us feel more connected to the outdoors. Easy on the eye and easy to decorate with, using pastel green or blue allows for a ‘safer’ option as opposed to brighter and more intense colours. An on-trend choice for Spring 2023 is using pastel mint green or aquamarine alongside white furniture, creating a fresh and bright interior. Try accessorising your kitchen with a pastel fridge, kettle and toaster.
Don’t be afraid to contrast pastel colours with pops of darker colours! Using darker shades of your chosen pastel tone can create a balanced monochromatic look and allows for a more flexible colour scheme when decorating.
Statement Colours in Small Doses
If you’re craving a strong colour for spring such as a bright red or orange, be careful not to overdo it. It’s easy to get tired of a striking colour so it’s best to limit it to a small amount. Instead of painting your walls try painting smaller furnishings, such as bookshelves, tables and chairs or even go for a kitchen door replacement! This is a great way to introduce brighter elements into your interior without overwhelming it, as well as sticking to a smaller budget. You might even decide to add more of the statement colour throughout your decor such as with paintings or vases.
Earthy Tones as a Base
Whilst earthy and warm tones are often associated with autumn months, it doesn’t mean they cannot be utilised for spring! Neutral tones such as beige or grassy green are a great base for accessorising with bright, spring colours. These colours are also a great option when investing in new furniture such as kitchen cupboards or fitted wardrobes, as they can be adapted to a variety of colour schemes to suit all year round!
For spring, try matching your beige furniture with brighter reds or pinks, or add natural wood furniture to your green colour scheme.
Yellow or Orange Brighten a Dark Room
Nothing says sun and warmth like yellow and orange, making it a popular choice for spring or summer interiors. If you have a dark room with less natural light such as a study or a small bedroom, you can utilise yellow or orange to brighten it.
Try a mustard yellow wallpaper or an orange statement piece to create a big impact, or simply add some warm accessories to elegantly brighten up a dark-coloured room. These colours combined with different textures, such as a textile chair or natural wood finish, can create an interesting room with depth and warmth.
Florals and Plants
Nothing says spring like blossoming flowers and greenery! If you’re feeling brave, a floral patterned wallpaper is a great way to instantly transform a room, however, these patterns can look a bit dated. For a more modern look, try a duotone floral pattern and make sure the rest of your interior compliments your wallpaper, we love this example by Graham & Brown.
If you prefer a white or grey theme, lots of house plants or bright flowers are a great way to liven up your interior. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, try some of these low-maintenance indoor plants.
We hope that some of these tips and ideas have inspired you to refresh your interiors for spring! If you’re looking for more colour tips for your bedroom read our guide to bedroom colour schemes.
Whether you have just moved into a new build house or you’re in the process of buying one, it’s important to start thinking about your furniture. New builds usually don’t come with fitted wardrobes or storage. This means you will be faced with some decisions to make regarding your furniture once you’ve moved in.
In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of installing fitted furniture in your new build house and hopefully make some of these decisions easier for you.
Space saving
One of the biggest benefits of fitted furniture is the amount of space it saves. New builds tend to be packed into small areas which means they can be smaller than older houses and have less storage space. It is important to utilise the space you have in each room and fitted furniture is a great way to squeeze in as much storage as possible!
All of our fitted interiors and bedrooms can be made to measure so they will perfectly fit the space that you have available.
Customisable
Another great benefit of fitted furniture is that it is fully customisable and made to match your space. No more endlessly searching for wardrobes that slightly match your decor. Instead, you will have the choice of hundreds of combinations of door styles, finishes, colours and handles. We also offer a colour match service, so we can create the perfect colour to match your plans or existing decor. Browse our fitted bedroom ranges and our colour collections to find your perfect match!
Fitted for you
We know buying a house and moving can be a stressful experience. So why not let us take a bit of pressure off when it comes to installing and fitting your new furniture? With our skilled team of manufacturers and fitters, we will handle everything from start to finish and install your fitted interior perfectly. No more stressful flatpacks and worrying about building your furniture correctly. Just sit back and let us do the work!
Loxley bedroom
More organised
It goes without saying that having nice storage that’s tailor-made for you, will help you to have a more organised space. You can choose your perfect combination of shelves, drawers and hanging rails to make sure your wardrobe and cupboards are suited to your needs. If your storage and interior are more aesthetically pleasing, you’re more likely to want to use them and keep them tidy.
Fitted furniture tends to be a lot easier to clean than free-standing wardrobes or drawers. There are fewer gaps between walls and ceilings where dust can collect, so there’s one less cleaning job to worry about. Also if all of your belongings have a dedicated storage space, there will be less mess lying around to clean away every day.
It’s a long-term investment
Fitted furniture may seem pricier than free-standing or flat-pack furniture, but it should be seen as a long-term investment. Our fitted furniture is made from the highest quality materials and comes with a 6-year guarantee. You can also choose a finish that has built-in anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint technology so your interior will look newer for longer!
If you’re just moving into a new build house, it is beneficial to invest in high-quality furniture that will last for a long time. This way you won’t have to worry about replacing it any time soon. Alternatively, if you are looking for an investment, fitted furniture will add value to the house for potential future buyers.
We hope this blog has helped to clarify some of the benefits of installing fitted furniture in your new build house. If you are interested in any of our fitted furniture services start by reading about our different ranges or get in touch.
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