Choose An Interior Design Theme!

Having a theme is a great way to get the interior design look you want, whether it's whimsical, sexy or just different here's a few tips to the latest interior design ideas which are making it 'big' this year.

A Touch Of The Orient - Give dining rooms a sophisticated update with lacquered accessories and oriental inspired furniture. Dark polished woods give way to glossy red tableware and gold accents. To stop everything looking to heavy you should go for white walls, flooring and light voile curtain fabric at the window for maximum light.

Alice In Wonderland - Thanks to the Tim Burton remake of this classic family movie, a very playful and fantasy filled dining room has been making a huge scene on the design front. Yes - think of the Mad Hatter's tea party and you're on to the right path! Surreal shapes or oversized furniture are at the forefront of this theme - you could always go for a subtler approach with a marvellous cake-stand on the dining table, ornate teapots, candle-holders and mixed up cushions on dining chairs.

Flaunt Those Curves - The latest kitchen designs have proved that kitchens are becoming smoother and less 'square'! Great news for the clumsy amongst us who consistently bump into sharp edges when tackling a Sunday roast! Rounded edges could be brought in with a new round sink, curved faucets or a curved island unit for the ultimate in contemporary styling, use hot pink curtains to compliment the look.

Animal Motifs: From the catwalk into interiors, the animal motif inclusive of all furry, feathered and scaled friends is all over the place! I love it though, as it has a fun element to perk up our interiors. Retro style prints are our favourite and they tie in well with our love of folk-themed interiors this year. There is another side to the animal motif too with bright coloured prints adorning everything from upholstered chairs to funky tableware.

Image: Belle Maison

Children's Bedroom Interior Design Ideas

We always arrive at a problem when decorating a child's bedroom in the first place. This being that we want to inspire their creativity with lots of colour and things to play with - but at the same time we want to help them get a good night's rest with soothing colours and less clutter.

When bedrooms have multi purposes it is good to try and divide areas up. A simple divide placed between the sleeping and playing areas should do the trick - then you can tone down colours and eliminate clutter in the sleeping quarters!

Sleep time should be calm and quiet, no TVs, computers or games consoles otherwise they'll be up half the night! Try and get into a regular routine from an early age – (easier said than done sometimes!) Use colour to help create a calm environment, paler shades of blues and greens are child friendly, leave the lime green curtains or hot pink curtains until they're a bit older otherwise the intensive colours could have a detrimental affect – rather like sugary drinks they're too much when the time should be peaceful and relaxing!

Image: A Life's Design

Sources Of Inspirational Interior Design Ideas

Whatever your reasons for being on trend or adding a touch of glam to your interiors – interior design ideas and lots of advice will help you get the best results. Being clean, tidy and well organised is just a scratch on the surface of having a home that looks its best at all times. You will need to have a good eye for detail and be open-minded about what you think will look beautiful and what the trend forecasts are saying. Your personal taste is always the most important and no matter how much you want to show off a stunning design - make sure you are comfortable with it.

Irrespective of which room or rooms you are thinking about decorating or re-vamping interior design blogs are a great source of inspiration; offering you the best tips and tasty treats for all styles of homes – you can even take a look at homes of the rich and famous to replicate their styles on a smaller scale or find advice on Roman blinds how to make or hang with Roman blind tracks.

Unsure of which colour scheme to use? - turn to the blogs and browse to your hearts content – after all they're free and it never hurts anyone just to look!

Image: AtticMag

Minimalism – You Either Love It Or Hate It!

Minimalism - you might like to see it as a style, then again you might not. It is more a way of living and everyone could feel the benefits of simple living habits. Minimalism does not have to be extreme and lack any form of character, but to have the attitude of 'less is more' will give way to a home environment that is calming, free of clutter and in a strange sense – liberating!

Without all of the clutter in your home and excess, there will be nothing that demands your attention and distract you from the thoughts and tasks that really matter in life. Something else that may appeal to most is the less time you will have to spend cleaning around knick-knacks and hoovering up floors crammed with unnecessary objects.

However minimalism style doesn't have to be bland and boring; it's a case of getting the balance right - colour schemes which suit the style of your home and compliment your furniture and soft furnishings.

Use interior design ideas to give you inspiration and food for thought! - especially if you fed up with every interior design TV show and magazine telling you to de-clutter and you're not quite sure where to begin.

Image: A Life's Design