We are currently working alongside some of the countries top Estate Agents in Somerset providing a free one hour interior design consultation to people just moving home.Finish unpacking your boxes, set up home, and then call us in!
Maybe this is a new style of property for you and you don't know how to make it work?
Maybe your previous efforts at decorating have not turned out as you had hoped?
Do you have a vision for your new home but don't know how to achieve it?
We will come along, and free of charge for one hour, will offer advice on paint colours, lighting, updating soft furnishings, ideas on window treatments and general tips on how to achieve a co-hesive look.
If you have just moved and didnt receive one of our promotional leaflets don't worry - please email Alison on alison@alchemyofdesign.co.uk and we can have a chat to see if we can be of assistance to you.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Thursday 4 March 2010
Updating our living spaces.....written for Somerset Life
In this environmentally aware age when we are making more informed choices about how we spend our money we are less likely to chose to begin again from scratch with our interior decorating schemes and more inclined to revitalize our homes through the use of carefully chosen soft furnishings and accessories.
Through all the inspirational media that now surrounds us we are far more aware of how it is possible to inject our unique character and style into our living spaces through the use of carefully chosen soft furnishings and accessories, but sometimes, with all the choice available to us, it can be confusing to know where to start.
The first step in updating our homes must be to step back and look at what we already have. So, using the living room as an example ask yourself is the furniture working for us? Is it still in good condition? Is it comfortable and fits the space well? If the answer is yes to these questions but you still want to up-date the look of the room then re-upholstery or loose covers should be taken into consideration. It is often surprising to find that the cost of re-upholstering can be almost the same as investing in a new piece of furniture, but when we have already taken the time and effort to find the right pieces to fit the space, they are good quality and still comfy, then it makes far more sense to update them, and as conscious consumers, more sense to the environment as well. When you are selecting new fabrics try to pay attention to some of the amazing eco fabrics that are available now. Fabrics that have been produced in this country, produced with greener living in mind, or made from exciting new sustainable fibres, such as nettles, corn and bamboo. It is now possible to create balance by working in harmony with your beliefs and your lifestyle whilst still retaining a luxury feel.
If you have neutral basics then changing the colour of your interior accessories is often considered the best to way to revamp the look of a room; a good design tip is to limit yourself to no more than three colours, and to use fabrics of different scales and textures, mixing small and large checks, wools and linens for example. Cushions, ….loved by women and misunderstood by men, are a great way of doing this! They are part of the style makers - the crucial elements that finish off a room perfectly. Don’t limit yourself to what is available off the shelf…find a good local workroom and source your own fabrics, maybe mixing vintage textiles with crushed velvets in jewel colours, or dust off your sewing machine and get creative!
If you are tired of your curtains but fancy a new look then add some jewellery! Pick a colour from the fabric and trim the leading edges with funky bobbles or elegant beading, add a plain silk or linen blind behind them in a strong colour, invest in some of the new wonderful tie-backs made from beads or feathers that are now available and you have created a whole new look without spending a fortune.
There are fabulous new lamps and lampshades easily sourced now; another great way of updating and adding a new colour. Beautiful coloured glass bases, or gloss black with shades lined in contrast coloured silks, or silver and gold, can be real statement pieces, and if your base is looking a little tired, but you cant afford to change it, then get out your brushes and paint it.
Our bedrooms should be our personal haven and sanctuary from the outside world and the colours you pick here should really create this feeling. When you wish to change the look of your bedroom, consider adding a wall of wallpaper behind the bed, or paint the wall an atmospheric colour. Be inspired by boutique hotel styling and invest in a large scale headboard covered in a luxurious fabric such as suede, or one of the new metallic cloths that subtly catch the light. Add some glamorous beaded cushions and a silk and velvet throw over the end of the bed, and you will have created a sumptuous and inviting space to relax into at the end of the day.
Remember also to work with the seasons to inspire you in your creations. Swap rich paisley throws in the winter for loose linen covers in the summer; tartan fringed cushions for summer ticking.
Above all have fun and don’t take it too seriously. The best interior schemes look as if they have evolved from much cherished items collected over the years rather than put together all from one co-ordinated look book.
Through all the inspirational media that now surrounds us we are far more aware of how it is possible to inject our unique character and style into our living spaces through the use of carefully chosen soft furnishings and accessories, but sometimes, with all the choice available to us, it can be confusing to know where to start.
The first step in updating our homes must be to step back and look at what we already have. So, using the living room as an example ask yourself is the furniture working for us? Is it still in good condition? Is it comfortable and fits the space well? If the answer is yes to these questions but you still want to up-date the look of the room then re-upholstery or loose covers should be taken into consideration. It is often surprising to find that the cost of re-upholstering can be almost the same as investing in a new piece of furniture, but when we have already taken the time and effort to find the right pieces to fit the space, they are good quality and still comfy, then it makes far more sense to update them, and as conscious consumers, more sense to the environment as well. When you are selecting new fabrics try to pay attention to some of the amazing eco fabrics that are available now. Fabrics that have been produced in this country, produced with greener living in mind, or made from exciting new sustainable fibres, such as nettles, corn and bamboo. It is now possible to create balance by working in harmony with your beliefs and your lifestyle whilst still retaining a luxury feel.
If you have neutral basics then changing the colour of your interior accessories is often considered the best to way to revamp the look of a room; a good design tip is to limit yourself to no more than three colours, and to use fabrics of different scales and textures, mixing small and large checks, wools and linens for example. Cushions, ….loved by women and misunderstood by men, are a great way of doing this! They are part of the style makers - the crucial elements that finish off a room perfectly. Don’t limit yourself to what is available off the shelf…find a good local workroom and source your own fabrics, maybe mixing vintage textiles with crushed velvets in jewel colours, or dust off your sewing machine and get creative!
If you are tired of your curtains but fancy a new look then add some jewellery! Pick a colour from the fabric and trim the leading edges with funky bobbles or elegant beading, add a plain silk or linen blind behind them in a strong colour, invest in some of the new wonderful tie-backs made from beads or feathers that are now available and you have created a whole new look without spending a fortune.
There are fabulous new lamps and lampshades easily sourced now; another great way of updating and adding a new colour. Beautiful coloured glass bases, or gloss black with shades lined in contrast coloured silks, or silver and gold, can be real statement pieces, and if your base is looking a little tired, but you cant afford to change it, then get out your brushes and paint it.
Our bedrooms should be our personal haven and sanctuary from the outside world and the colours you pick here should really create this feeling. When you wish to change the look of your bedroom, consider adding a wall of wallpaper behind the bed, or paint the wall an atmospheric colour. Be inspired by boutique hotel styling and invest in a large scale headboard covered in a luxurious fabric such as suede, or one of the new metallic cloths that subtly catch the light. Add some glamorous beaded cushions and a silk and velvet throw over the end of the bed, and you will have created a sumptuous and inviting space to relax into at the end of the day.
Remember also to work with the seasons to inspire you in your creations. Swap rich paisley throws in the winter for loose linen covers in the summer; tartan fringed cushions for summer ticking.
Above all have fun and don’t take it too seriously. The best interior schemes look as if they have evolved from much cherished items collected over the years rather than put together all from one co-ordinated look book.
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