COLOUR! - Do You Dare?

One of the key elements in a home is the colour scheme. A safe choice is always to paint the walls white or cream and then perhaps add colourful furniture. However, experimenting with colour can have a fantastic result. Mixing certain colours together is almost against the norm. Take orange and pink, they are two beautiful colours, however, they supposedly clash when mixed together. Nevertheless, there are many different types of pink and orange and their different saturations and intensity. In addition, colours can be separated by warm and cold saturations. You can get assistance with colour-coding in your local hardware shop in order to find the perfect hues for your home.

Another typical ‘colour-clash’ is a mix of red and pink. The same principle applies to these two colours when mixing them; finding the correct match in the saturations. In addition, different patterns in the colours are a great way of making an interior more interesting. So why not paint one of your rooms in a warm and pale orange and incorporate furniture in a warm pink hue and add some red accessories? Se below for beautiful mixings:

Shoes Off!

In many cultures it is considered rude to walk in to someone’s house with one’s shoes on. A shoe rack is quite a good way of hinting that the rest of the home is a ‘shoe free zone’. If you enter a typical Swedish home you will often find a shoe rack by the front door. Some even have a built in shoe rack inside a unit where jackets and other outdoor accessories such as hats and gloves can be placed. These units are indeed very practical and will make an entrance look more organised. Units of this kind can be purchased in many well-known furniture stores, and come in different sizes, materials and colours.

If you have a house or a flat where the front door opens up to the kitchen or living groom, there may not be enough space for a large storage unit. Therefore, another idea is to place a thin, almost book-shelf-like unit, approximately 1800 mm high and 400 mm wide. Shoes could be placed at the bottom and gloves, hats etc. could be placed inside baskets on the other shelves.

However, there may not be enough space for this smaller solution either. Another example is to simply place a small shoe rack with a couple of levels behind or next to the door. In this case, get four to six hooks in a nice design and attach them above the shoe rack or perhaps on the back of the door. If you have incorporated one of these ideas for the purpose of making people take their shoes off when entering your home, but you are finding that not everyone gets the hint; why not design your own poster or frame a piece of paper saying ‘Park your Shoes’ or ‘No shoes after this point’ an so on. That way, using a witty solution, you will let your guests know the deal without having to tell them.

Dorm Room Design Tips

The summer has finally arrived and the reality of University enrollment dates may seem far-away. The next few months may be a time for relaxation and family holidays, but September is closer than you think. For many first year students, this will be their first time of living away from home and will now have to pretty much take care of themselves.

Many first year University students decide to move into halls of residence where they will be sharing kitchen and restroom with several other students. The bedrooms are usually outlined in a simple design with a bed, wardrobe, desk and a chair. This may feel a bit impersonal and dull, so why not make the nine months stay in this small little space an enjoyable experience with a personal touch of your own.

Why not begin with choosing a couple of your favorite colours, they can be dark or light, bright or discrete. Remember; you are making this space your own and you are the one who needs to enjoy there. Go down to the local market and find a fabric stall and some needle and thread. While you are there, perhaps pick up some plants and cheap tea lights. Design your own cushion covers which you could place on your chair and bed as decoration. Find a local shop where everything costs a pound or two, there you can get cheap plant pots and glasses. Using left over fabric or anything from ribbons to small findings from the nature; design your own candles holders using your newly purchased glasses and pots. Another tip to make this space inviting and snug is to get some curtains and a rug.

Maybe you have a bed without a headboard? Why not use an old piece of wood, which you can lean against the wall. Decorate this wood with some fabric which can be stapled to the back, or perhaps place some fairy lights on top to make the space cosy in the evenings.

Scribble down your important appointments and deadlines on a homemade backboard. Find a piece of wood or an old picture frame and paint it with blackboard paint which you can get in most hardware stores and doodle away.