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

Beautiful Black Dining Rooms Designs

If you keep your dining space for special occasions - a colour scheme of black, red and white is very festive and special. Use a panel of black and white wallpaper on a feature wall. Wallpaper is right on trend and there are some great floral and patterned wallpapers that use black as a main colour. A sheer finish adds further glamour and sparkle to the party room. Red can come with accents such as neat ready made roller blinds or table décor.


It is risky to paint all four walls black in a smaller dining room, so the way around this is to just paint one wall in a gloss black - the gloss cleverly bouncing more light around the space. This can also be achieved with patterned wallpaper - dress the wall of the fireplace, behind your dining table or the outer wall if you have a beautiful window. If you want to incorporate the latest interior design trends then a blackboard wall will fit into a black dining room superbly!


Another idea for lessening black on walls is to use wainscoting with black below and cream or taupe above. Despite wainscoting being a period feature, you can get away with it if the rest of the room uses modern furniture and clean lines.

Image: Small Place Style

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

Fantasy Interior Design Ideas - Alice In Wonderland!

This is urban fantasy where everything gets thrown out of proportion! Mix and match furnitures and the odd colour clash pave the way for this summer trend.
Hot Pink Curtains provide a cheap and quick update for homes looking for the playful side of decorating. Fuchsia pink curtains can be seen next to other brights such as red or yellow for a really spontaneous interior which is bright, fun and funky!

Oversized floor lamps - or anything oversized for that matter - it is one of the key elements of this themed look. Although this is best achieved through decorative pieces such as sculptural floor lamps, artworks or larger than life vases for pretty blooms.

Include the Mad Hatter's tea party as a theme for your dining area using pretty china tea cups and saucers, add a trendy tea pot along with an on-trend table runner made from cotton curtain fabrics online and add oversized cushions and throws to give a quirky, yet very comfortable place to eat!

You don't have to be a child to adore this theme just young at heart with a good sense of fun and the need to do something completely different to your home!

Image: Freshome

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

A Brief Look At Feng Shui

You could look at Feng Shui as having an underlying theme of nature and its concepts will relate in some respects to the interior design trend of green-living.

First, the arrangement of furniture is very important. With beds or seating, you should try to have them placed so that when they are in use you have a clear path of sight towards the door or entrance to that room. Furthermore, the positioning should allow you to see so much of the room as possible. For example, bed-heads will be placed on the back wall of a room in the direction of the door.

* You will need adequate and good storage solutions so that everything is neatly kept in place rather than cluttering up spaces and the flow of nature's energy.

* Never use dried flowers as these are considered dead and therefore don't provide positive energy – always use fresh flowers and plants. Add further touches of floral designs by opting for curtain material online which will give you the widest choice of colours and designs to compliment your colour scheme.

* Choose your colours wisely as some will have a more positive affect on well-being than others. Lime green curtains are a good choice which reflect nature, new growth and new beginnings.

Keep you home clutter free and introduce aspects of Feng Shui into each room to feel the difference in your home!

Image: AtticMag

Can't Find The Curtains You're Looking? - Simple, Make Your Own!

If you're looking for a particular style of window dressing and are fed up with not being able to find exactly what you're after, then why not join this years interior design revival of making your own curtains or blinds? Further still you could even opt for second hand curtains and add your own personal touches with trimmings.

Making curtains is really not that difficult as long as you have the basic skills of being able to use a sewing machine; having said that you could even cheat and use the latest haberdashery and take up hems using iron-on tape! If you want Roman blinds these are available in kit form and all you need is a kit and the fabric!

With those parts out of the way you can begin with contemplating colours and/or patterns for your curtain project. Neutral colours are easy on the eye and can look good in nearly every space - they will also enhance on light or give the impression of light.

Colours create moods too so think about cool tones for bedrooms and bathrooms, warm tones for kitchens and dining spaces. It might be easiest to go with an existing colour palette that you have in your room. With large windows or rooms you have more options when it comes to bold patterns but with a smaller scale you should look for delicate details or stripes.

Image: Absolutely Beautiful Things

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

Ideas For Decorating Children's Bedrooms: A Beach Theme

First, you will need to pry open the door and assess the storage situation. Most of the time, it is the ever-growing pile of toys and books that make us shudder on entering our child's bedrooms. It is this clutter and chaos that makes us realise that something needs to be done and it wouldn't be harmful to give the whole room a makeover!

Buying some extra storage would be a good move in the right direction. The cheaper options are plastic boxes with clip on lids - choose them in bright colours to add eye-candy for kids or even consider normal waste bins in bright colours for storing anything from toys, school supplies and hats. You will feel a lot better knowing that all of their possessions have a given space and they will like the bright colour additions!

Children absolutely love the beach so they will be fascinated to see their own bedroom transform into their very own private beach cove! Strongly linked with summer holidays, the beach theme will play on light and bright colours to have that sunshine feeling. Choose bedding and curtain sets in colours inspired by the sea. Involve your children with the decorating process - they will give lots of hints at to what they love about the beach and how you can incorporate their ideas into the room or even as a focal point.
Image: On Interior Design

Adding Colour To Your Home

Looking to brighten your interior? Colour plays a vital role in our homes, having an impact on our well-being and although not everyone has a favourite colour and so you might take ideas from the latest colour trends for interior decorating.

Thankfully, there is never just one colour trend so everyone should be inspired by at least one of the following colour trends for 2010:

* Serene Colour Palette - Try cool blues, mineral greys and muted teals.

* Futuristic Colour Palette - Try intense reds, purples, zesty yellows and turquoise.

* Elegant Colour Palette - Try dusky lilacs, pinks, bronze and gold.

* Harmonised Colour Palette - Try natural greens, coral and warm greys.

* Playful Colour Palette - Try mixing it up with bright colour, earthy tones and clean pastels.

Adding colour in small quantities, such as choosing cheap cushion covers in a new colour may be a good start rather than subject your system to a complete shock – not only will you be able to see how a new colour affects your well-being – if you come to loathe the colour it's easier to change, and more cost effective, than having to completely redecorate.

Image: Haven and Home

Decorating Ideas For Young Teen's Bedrooms

Decorating children's bedrooms can be fun, but once your kids reach a certain age you may find there are vast differences between what they like and what you like and that includes the cost!

They're no doubt be after the latest on-trend 'must-have' which will cost an arm and a leg, whilst you'll be looking for value for money and hard wearing, durable fabrics and materials!

Neutral walls and flooring will be a better plan than bubblegum pink or primary blue. You have so many options to add colour in where it can be easily changed, such as the window dressing, that it is better to leave the walls and flooring a neutral canvas that will easily blend into new designs later down the line. If your young teen wants hot pink curtains to match their bedspread then go with it, next year they'll probably want lime green curtains and new duvet cover sets!

Besides, try having the final say on decorating your teen's bedroom! The older they get, the more difficult it is to decorate their bedrooms and the more toys/books/clothes etc. etc. they will have to be stored away - making storage a key planning essential. Furthermore, their rooms become multi-functional and not only will they need it for sleep but for entertaining friends, doing their homework and generally to have seek refuge from moaning mums and dads!

Image: Small Place Style

Choosing Blue For Beautiful Bedrooms

Blue is one of the most calming of all colours and can be very easy to work with. Modern and contemporary homes are looking more and more to the qualities of blues such as navy, teal, azure and cobalt.

Like green, the colour blue reminds us of outdoor spaces and nature - specifically our skies and various bodies of water. This connection can also give answers as to why blue is so calming - dreamy blue skies and soothing water therapies. Our contemporary blues do have a tendency to steer towards ocean and aquatic blues that have a gentle shimmer to them.

The many different shades of blue can carry various colours but to stay on trend you should keep things simple with cool neutrals such as a light grey or a pale pink which will lighten darker blues.

Smoky and blue-grey tones are so very now and the best colour for a sophisticated bedroom. Go with a few different shades and give the bedspread or curtains a sheen fabric for added depth and interest. On the contrary, young adults or teens might prefer a more fun approach with bold blues. Make the most of it by adding an accent colour such as hot pink curtains and accessories.

Turquoise is this year's most trendy colour choice and is a blue-green shade. In fact, we are seeing a lot of natural blue-green shades right now and they are definitely the way forward for an ultra modern bedroom interior. Bright and subtle tones are equally on trend and smoky blues are favoured for a more sophisticated edge - well matched with cool neutrals.

Image: House of Turquoise

Pretty Summer Pastels

Pastels colours are rather like Marmite, you either love them or hate them! However, the newest sherbet colours bridge the gap between the palest of pastels and the more intense colours of bright bolds rather effectively and of course sherbets are right on-trend!

There will be rooms within the home that can carry off a completely pastel or sherbet palette such as the bedroom and the bathroom. These spaces should be easy on the eye and relaxing - something that a pastel can achieve in an instant. Duck egg blue bedding works well when teamed with cream or ivory for a chic refined look which is up market and more formal.

More livable rooms such as the lounge and dining space may work better when you add a punch of neon colour such as lime green curtains to a pastel backdrop.

Pretty pastels can be used in the bathroom to create a soft and relaxing place to relax and de-stress. For a coastal look experiment with light shades of blues and greens that will look all the more crisp when paired with white wood and fixtures. Choose accessories carefully, as your don't want the style to vie for attention with the colours; peaceful tranquillity is desired look.

Image: Delight By Design

Jazz Up Your Living Space With A By-Gone Era

Trying a new design style in your home is a great way of adding a new lease of life to a tired looking interior without having the expense and upheaval of moving home.

Try styles inspired by past eras which fit in with the style of your home and your lifestyle. With so many great ideas around at the moment there is no one style which is deemed better than another. Interior design is all part experimenting and trying new things, mixing and matching if you so wish, just as long as you remember to keep to the basic principles of design.

For Art Deco inspiration we have a very useful guide on how to get the look - but to inspire you further don't hesitate to spend a night in watching old Hollywood films from the late twenties and early thirties.

No interior designer can forget the influence of early Hollywood and jazz - shiny fabrics, low lighting, highly polished wood, cocktail cabinets and mirrors. Ultimately in a time of depression - Art Deco offered a little luxury and opulence to the regular family home; which seems pretty apt for the current economic situation!

Both wall lights, floor lamps and table lamps UK were popular - look for geometric shapes and sandblasted glass. Scour antique shops for female figurine table lamps that were a Hollywood influence.

Image: Decorology

What Gives Your Bedroom The 'Wow' Factor?

If you have a fairly sleek bedroom and want to give it more of the 'wow' factor, consider one piece of furniture or a wall decoration that makes heads turn. An armchair that is an unusual shape and with a chosen accent colour. Taking one wall and giving it new life with a daring wallpaper print would also be a good option.

If you insist on having neutral colours in the bedroom then why not warm things up by choosing a monochrome scheme in shades of black and white. With the right choice of fabrics and black and white bedding you can make a relaxing retreat - go with all things soft to touch such as cashmere or Chinese silk. A simple graphic print on bedding will add more depth and interest to the final look.

Perhaps you need more space? It can be that you are looking to re-decorate with new colours and fabrics or even update furniture and/or the flooring.

You could also install spotlights above the bed for extra light on the evening. Try to choose colours and patterns that are not too dark, demanding or 'busy'. Neutrals and pastels in block colours or with a fine pattern will be the best option to give the appearance of more light and space.

Image: Decorology

Opposite Sides Of The Room

Bohemian doesn't have to resemble the Gypsy style but it can take influence from anything that is different and decorative pieces can be thrown together with disregard to matching colours and patterns. Before we look in more detail, it is worth noting that the Bohemian look will not suit characters who like order and simple lines in the home.

An exact opposite to Bohemian décor would be minimalism - you want to dress up everything and literally cram those books on the shelves or hang wall pictures within a millimetre of each other - the more accessories and those little life mementos on display the better - just don't get confused with kitsch or you'll spoil the desired look!

It might be time to go through old storage and dig out those postcards from faraway places, those elephant sculptures brought back from India or that old plaid Ottoman passed down from your grandmother - your home will be telling your story and will reflect your personality in its purest form. If you want to cheat you can always visit local antique shops, table lamps sale or second hand markets to find new treasures for your home.

Getting The Shabby Chic Look

The furniture that you will bring into your home will be very important but let's not forget that existing furniture can be played around with to get the desired look. More often than not, wood is the primary material used in furniture but it gets a makeover with several layers of paint - not forgetting the aged look of chips and a little wear and tear. You can create this look yourself by sanding or distressing the top layer of paint to show the wood or other paint layers underneath.

Furniture should be comfortable as it is no good just choosing pieces for the purpose of looking great if they are going to make you feel stiff and rigid when sitting. Shabby chic is very cosy and should invite you to curl up on the sofa with a good book or cup of tea with friends. You can make things even more cosy with lots of plumped up pillows.

Wicker also works well in the shabby chic décor - give wicker items a white coating or if you have more than one piece you can leave one or two in its original condition for contrast. A couple of patchwork throws wouldn't go a miss and a good focal point could be a table with a display of random white ornaments and odd table lamps uk style to create an ambient, diffused lighting effect in the evenings.

Image: Small Place Style

Beautiful Summer Colour Combinations

Beautiful summer colours bring a room out of the doldrums and make you smile! With an eclectic mix of colours which radiate summer shades, living rooms become stylish interiors which ooze chic style.

Mixing and matching patterns is right on-trend and a great way to keep your living room bang up to date without having to spend a fortune; you can even cover the seats of your sofa and chairs in a completely different colour, pattern and type of fabric to create a fresh new look – a marvellous way to extend the life of your furniture along with embracing the trend of up-cycling effectively.

Add table lamps modern, bright and in a contrasting colour to add interest to a room and don't forget to add an abundance of fresh flowers to add the summer touch which can be picked from your garden! With the Chelsea Flower show in full swing this week it makes the quintessential flower inspiration easy to follow!

Mix stripes with floral fabrics, chevrons with blocks of contrasting plain colours within the same colour range and it's easy to achieve a beautiful room which is full of character and chic charm.

Image: VT Interiors blogspot

Stay True To Your Own Individuality

Mix and not matching creates a chic style which suits modern family homes and lifestyles. Stripes are known to make rooms appear taller which gives the illusion of more space and light.

With discount fabric warehouse stores online its easy to collect materials of all colours, patterns and fabrics to make an abundance of cushions to pile onto sofas, chairs and beds to create a homely look.

I think it makes a real change to focus on reality rather than dreaming of the impossible! Interior designers undoubtedly create great interiors, however for the vast majority these designs come with a hefty price tag – the trick is to use the ideas, tweak them a little and create your own interior style which reflects your independence and personality not your budget.

With little skill you can transform your living space into a haven rich with colour, pattern and chic style. Just remember to stand true to the style of your home and leave the homes of the rich and famous as places to visit in person or via the internet and pinch ideas from!

Be open to trying new styles, experiment and broaden your horizons so that your home becomes envied!

Image: Decorology

Innovative Ways To Brighten Your Kitchen Cupboards

We know that bold patterns are right on-trend this year, along with people being more pedantic over the choice they make for using sustainable materials. As such why not use bright bold fabric to cover your kitchen cupboards?

An inexpensive and very different approach to up-dating kitchen cupboards! With the ability to buy fabric online then are a whole plethora of beautiful designs and patterns to choose from. Opt for medium weight fabrics to enable you to simply stick it to the cupboard doors.

You should also look for fabrics which don't fray otherwise you'll have to turn a small hem all the way round which, unless you're very careful won't give you a nice flat and even surface edge. PVC fabric may be the best choice as these are also wipe clean, have a thicker density which won't be spoilt by glue seeping through.

Ask staff in a fabric warehouse for suggestions if you're unsure or drop their customer service team an e-mail for advice.

You have to admit this is an ingenious and inexpensive way of bringing a whole new trendy look to your kitchen! You could even use the same fabric for a table runner or make your own Roman blinds for a balanced and cohesive look.

Image: AtticMag