Cheap Roller Blinds Made From Bamboo Are The Ideal Window Dressing In All Styles Of Homes

I have to admit that in many ways I am a great lover of bamboo blinds! It's their simplicity and natural look which gives me pleasure and irrespective of how many images you see of them they always look so chic and stylish!

Of course being made from natural material also has its appeal, along with the different light effects one can so easily achieve. This year the trend is to use natural products within out home and many designers are using a combination of cheap roller blinds and ready made curtains to create some stunning window dressings.

For me a bamboo blind is the ideal choice in bedrooms which don't need blackout roller blinds, so unless you don't have an unwanted light pollution entering your bedroom they are an effective and trendy way to dress your windows.

The other great advantage with any wood or natural material used as a window dressing is the gentle warmth they bring to a room, of course they also produce some wonderful lighting effects during the day time, more especially when it's sunny!

Anyone looking for an inexpensive yet chic way to dress their windows should give serious consideration to using cheap roller blinds, particularly bamboo ones!

Image: Two Ellie

Why? Pink For Girls And Blue For Boys!

Choosing the right colour scheme for babies and toddler's rooms continue to use the colours associated with each gender, namely blue for boys and pink for girls! But where did this stereotype originate from?

After searching and delving the history associated with these colours I have found it fascinating! In a nutshell:

Prior to WW1 it was common to dress boys in pink and girls in blue! After WW1 the colours reversed as many military uniforms were blue, this became the predominant colour for boys as it showed masculinity and strength, whilst advertising campaigns encouraged women to show their femininity and wear pink!

As we strive to reduce stereotypical assumptions, many nurseries are using pale green or sunshine yellow, however it remains 'habit' for splashes of either pink or blue to be added according to the gender of the baby!

Green tab top curtains coordinate beautifully with pink, as such these colour combinations are being found in many rooms of people's homes, not just nurseries and children's bedrooms. Whilst boys bedrooms are rarely pink, interior designers are using bold colours such as post office red, orange and even black to create inspirational kid's rooms which break the boundaries of use of colour without treading on the toes of those who remain steadfast in their stereotypical assumptions!

Image: Belle Maison

Innovative Ideas For Work Stations

Finding a suitable place for a work station can be difficult, you don't want to end up in the cellar or squeezed in under the stairs which often happens! If you are fortunate enough to have a bay window in your lounge or dining room this makes a great place to work giving you lots of natural light to work by.

I love this idea, with fabric Roman blinds or roll-up blinds and the use of sheer voile curtain panels which provide a soft shimmering light effect, furthermore by using a bay window you can even have curtains on the outside of the bay enabling you to completely hide your work station at the end of your working day, if you don't have a bay window a good alternative is to make your work station blend in with your interior simply by adding a vase of flowers and a table lamp. I love the idea of the glass egg timer!

Hiding or disguising your work station is important if you don't have a separate room, otherwise you may find yourself constantly being reminded of work that needs to be completed or the urge just to do a little more!

Believe me, it's true working from home has it advantages, but it also its disadvantages! You have to be very firm with yourself as it is very easy to become distracted or on the other hand you can find that you end up working 24/7!

Image: Two Ellie

Wonderful White Bedrooms

I have to admit that I am more than just a white admirer! As white is the ideal colour to give you a blank canvas on which to work and create stunning interiors, 9 times out of 10 I will elect to choose white as the main stay and foundation of every room!

I think it's because white always gives a crisp clean look to a room, which can be teamed with any other colour and still look spectacular. There is more to white than you may first imagine as even white has a wide range of different shades and hues.

Terms such as winter white, ivory white and not forgetting the paint ranges which were very popular a few years ago which had a hint of colour with white as the basis. Apple white is a beautiful colour which provides an all year round look of freshness. Rose White is ideal for bedrooms as it gives a gentle soft look to a room and of course a touch of blue and white are ideal partners for bathrooms.

However, you do have to be careful if you only going to use white otherwise it can actually look very cold hence the expression ice white! We've all seen enough of the white stuff outside in recent days and so rather than your interior turning out to be a slushy snow colour you need to be careful which shade of white you choose!

White bedrooms create a look of peace, calm and serenity. Bedding sets in white are ideal, if you are fortunate enough to have a bedroom which has a bay window lightweight voile curtains hung from white bay window poles add a graceful charm which is easy and inexpensive to replicate.

Image: Villa Anna

Ignore The Cold And Spend Time Looking At Inspirational Ideas To Transform Your Home!

Forget the fact that it's freezing cold outside and spend time in the warmth of your own home looking at inspirations to transform your home in 2010 into the chic and stylish interior you dream of!

One of this years trends is to use as much natural light as possible, this is not only a great way of reducing your electricity bill, it is also a very worthwhile way to look at new ways to dress your windows.

Although we have seen the use of blinds and curtains being used in conjunction with each other for many years, the 2009 trend of using lightweight voile curtains teamed with natural bamboo or wood weave Roman blinds is going to continue this year as well.

Not only do these make very stylish window dressings they are also an extremely cost-effective way to dress your windows. Wood-weave Roman blinds are the perfect partner for white voile curtains, with one complementing the other perfectly.

If you need a little more substance to your window dressing lined voile curtains are also available in a wide range of colours and patterns. Fitting blinds inside the recess of your windows will also help to retain heat as well as providing you privacy at night when internal artificial lighting is being used.

Image: Haven and Home

Let It Shine Even During The Winter!

One of the most popular interior design trends is to use a combination of curtains and blinds as window dressings. Blinds appear to be gradually replacing the humble net curtain which is used basically to prevent passers by being able to see inside your home during the day time.

New trends have a more open approach with the focus being on making the most of natural light whenever possible. This is not only a cost effective way of reducing lighting bills, but also an effective method of reducing your carbon footprint, why use artificial light when you can have light for free!

White is a great reflector of natural light, as such white blinds and curtains are the perfect solution for harvesting free light within your home. You can also use cheap Venetian blinds, if you need privacy, and by slightly angling the slats upwards you can bounce natural light from a white ceiling back down into the room, another great energy saver!

Despite the typical English weather even when its raining natural light is still available, it's just not as intense! Of course blinds are also ideal for reducing heat build up during the summer, especially if you have south facing windows and snow is white which is also a great reflector of natural light! It's a win, win situation all round!

Image: Style Court

Beautiful Bedroom Roman Blinds

Make use of the winter daylight by using beautiful Roman blinds which coordinate with your bedding. The diffuse light effects create a feeling of subtle warmth during the daytime. At night fully lined Roman blinds with a thermal backing are the ideal window dressing in bedrooms creating chic styling with a modern twist on traditionalism.

Ready made blinds are available on the whole host of wonderful colours and patterned fabrics to suit your décor and your budget effortlessly! Opt for this year's hottest colour trends of a combination of subtle dove greys and shades of yellow, try using yellows which have a leaning towards gold for a chic refinement!

For those who love DIY it's even possible to coordinate a chest of drawers by simply gluing the same fabric to the front of the drawers! For those keen on making their own bespoke furnishings Roman blind kits are the ideal solution which enable you to use the same fabric either on furniture, foot stalls and lampshades.

Give yourself some interior design projects to focus on this year rather than wishing you had and never quite getting round to it! Browse online blogs thumb your way through some interior design magazines which are full of inspirational ideas for you to emulate or which will inspire you to try your hand at a wide range of different crafts to make your home totally unique!

Image: {This is glamorous}