Features: Design ideas

Colour Watch: Red

chair
Pumpkin Chair by Pierre Paulin upholstered in Shanghai red, reissued in a limited run to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Ligne Roset. Visit www.ligne-roset.co.uk for details.

If ever there was a colour that could be characterised by ambivalence, it’s red.

Colour triggers an emotional response and while some find red to be warm and seductive, others consider red to be too strident a colour and are repelled by its intensity. ‘My mother warned me to avoid things coloured red’, Swedish artist Claes Oldenburg recalled (as he studiously ignored her advice). Cultural interpretations of red are as polarised as emotional responses to it: red is the colour of revolution as well as royalty, of passion as well as danger, and of prosperity as well as debt. It’s the very ambivalence of red that has designers returning to the colour again and again for inspiration.

In Pantone’s spring 2010 colour report, the fashion director of Neiman Marcus, Ken Dowling, was in no mood to capitulate: ‘RED is the message from the catwalks; bright lipstick to deep Bordeaux will fill…a colour saturated season.’ In the world of interiors, Ligne Roset is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year with a trio of limited edition products, including a reissue of the 1971 Pumpkin chair by Pierre Paulin, upholstered for 2010 in a segmented spectrum of reds. And if another bold statement was needed, it’s the latest temporary Pavilion to be commissioned for the Serpentine Gallery’s annual series. Opening in Hyde Park on July 10th and designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the entire structure is rendered in the vivid red of vine-ripe tomatoes, London buses, and traditional telephone boxes.

On trend for 2010, red has been applied in interior decoration for centuries. Louis XIV covered Versailles in the ruby colour, dressing 435 royal beds in red damask. Dining room walls in palaces and stately homes were decorated in rich burgundy reds as a signifier of status and a complement to gilt framed paintings, a centuries old fashion that reappeared in Victorian town houses of the 1800s. Influencing architectural modernists, and gathering around Dutch artist Piet Mondrian, designers of the early 20th century De Stijl movement used pillar-box red with black, white and primary colours to suggest the energy and vitality of modern life, and the promise of a utopian future. 1950s suburban semis were adorned with peachy and pinkish red tones, while the influence of Pop Art in the 60s and 70s saw a move back to bright reds, as well hot pinks and oranges.

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Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010 designed by Jean Nouvel. Photograph: Philippe Ruault. Image via: www.serpentinegallery.org

While true reds are not for everyone, the red colour palette is as various as its historical applications in interior decoration: from bright tomato to dark blood red, and rich cherry to deep plum tones; from peachy reds to terracotta and rust tones; and from scarlet and crimson to soft berry blushes. Reds with orange or pink undertones are the hottest hues, while reds with blue undertones, such as burgundy or maroon, create a sultry and seductive feel. If you’re looking for depth and warmth, pair red with one of the colours next to it on the colour wheel, such as shades of purple, orange or brown. If red is to be your accent colour, pair it with a neutral such as grey or tan. And if you’re going for high impact, pair your chosen shade of red with its opposite on the colour wheel: a shade of green. Bright colours go well with others of the same intensity and saturation, and if you’re combining different shades of red in the same room, remember that crisp clean shades rarely work together with those of a dirtier dusky hue. While light and dark or warm and cool shades will work together, the clean/dirty combination can be jarring.

For an atmospheric dining room, try a deep red on the walls with accents in gold and grey green. In the living room, a bright red sofa with hot pink and orange cushions will create a retro feel, while combining ruby red with other jewel colours, such as purple or deep blue creates a sumptuous look. In the kitchen, red accessories create a sense of activity, lifting the spirits and leading the eye. Create a really fresh look by teaming red with turquoise, or pair reds with greys for a sophisticated and indisputably modern feel. For a romantic and restful bedroom, raspberry, moss green and dark brown are a great combination.

Take the risk out of red with fabric swatches, wallpaper samples, and tester pots; experiment with different shades and colourways to create your perfect palette.

Best of British

cups and saucer
Tea cups, price on request, Claire Coles Design

Celebrate the best of British design with stylish and sustainable furnishings.

There are plenty of reasons why you should be proud to be British, one of these being our enthusiastic and imaginative contribution to the art and design industry. An important aspect which the following designers have in common is that they design and manufacture their products in the UK. They draw their inspiration from natural and everyday surroundings, and they aim to help the local community and the environment too.

Design Company: MissPrint London (missprint.co.uk)

MissPrint design a collection of wallpapers, wall vinyl, vintage furniture and lampshades. All of their fabrics are silk-screen printed by hand which means they are handled with great care and with precision in the detailing to give a beautiful finish. Also, all MissPrint products are designed in a small East London studio by mother and daughter, Yvonne and Rebecca Drury. Their Dandelion Mobile wallpaper has proved to be very popular, and its success has led to MissPrint adding two new colour ways to the collection. Its illustration style is influenced by 1950’s design which gives it character with a modern twist.

MissPrint’s studio overlooks a park which helps them understand and get their inspiration from nature and their urban environment. With nature being close to their hearts, all of their products are produced in an environmentally friendly way, including their wallpaper range which is PEFC certified and printed with organic inks. Yvonne claims that they manufacture their designs in the UK “because it is beneficial to our communities, it stimulates trade and helps local employment. It also supports other small UK business.” So, from design through to production a lot of thought goes into the way their designs make it into your home.

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Double sided Dahlia wall flower, £260, Lorna Syson Textiles

Designer: Claire Coles Design (clairecolesdesign.co.uk)

Claire Coles designs a range of wallpapers that are rich in texture and are very intricate and artistic. In 2005 she launched a range of embroidered ceramics, including mugs, tea cups and vases, and also framed artworks. Claire is based at her Bloomsbury studio at Cockpit Arts in London, where all wallpapers are made to order and designed to fit individual personal requirements.

Coles’ hero product is undoubtedly her beautiful wallpaper that uses traditional imagery such as florals and birds which give it a vintage, English garden appeal. Her wallpaper display for Liberty of London was one of her first commissions. Her designs include fragments of hand-sourced vintage wallpapers with silks and leather that give them a luxurious and distinctive style. However, I imagine her tea cups are a popular choice for the perfect, quaint addition to any garden tea party. What could be better than a traditional British afternoon cuppa?

Claire manufactures her designs in the UK and all of her wallpapers are designed and handmade in house; they are made to order and they are also promoted through design/craft fairs and galleries. She has previously exhibited at 100% Design in London which encourages the use of sustainable materials.

Designer: Lorna Syson Textiles (lornasyson.co.uk)

In 2009, Lorna set up her own label Lorna Syson Textiles with help from the Princes Trust, and she is now based in Coventry. She designs and creates hand-made textiles, including cushions and wall flowers that are predominantly floral inspired. Her most popular designs are the oversized wall flowers, particularly the stunning double sided dahlia pieces because each petal is sewn on individually ensuring that every flower is unique. These are three dimensional wall sculptures that are organic and decorative art pieces.

Lorna manufactures in the UK because she feels “it is important to utilize and support UK skills, and it also reduces the carbon footprint dramatically for the products.” She is also excited about a new collection that she is working on which she ensures “will be completely eco-friendly, so as well as the products having a very low carbon footprint they will be 100% Eco-friendly and sustainable.” Lorna believes that sourcing from UK companies and manufacturing her products in this country will help to support the British economy. Her large Leaf cushion is made with wool from a UK company, which means that her products are designed, manufactured and sold in the UK, right down to the finer details such as laser cutting, cushion inner and labels.

side table
Spin tables by Tomoko Azumi, price on request, MARK Product

Design Company: MARK Product (markproduct.com)

MARK Product is a furniture and lifestyle brand from Cornwall that combines style with comfort and sustainability. During the Clerkenwell Design Week, the award winning Net Chair designed by Sam Johnson and the Wave table by Kay and Stemmer were both used. The Net Chair was inspired by fishing nets left to dry in the sun. John Miller from MARK product says that Tomoko Azumi’s Spin side tables are “so handy and portable, and have a special kind of “personality" and that they are “a very "MARK" product, exemplifying our two guiding principles of sustainability and practicality”. They are available in European Oak and Black American Walnut woods, and with Blue, White and Pebble grey tops/shelves.

The company champions local craftsmanship and presents the very best designs and values from contemporary Cornwall. Outside of London, Cornwall has the highest number of artists and designers. 80% of the company’s products are manufactured in Cornwall and the remaining 20% in the UK as part of their policy of using local resources which “reduces manufacturing miles, sustains and develops local craft skills, and benefits the customer though a more responsive service.”

These designers prove that style and sustainability can be combined to create some of the most dynamic designs of our time. They are in keeping with the change our lifestyles towards an eco-friendly environment both inside and out.

Colour Watch: Green

wallpaper
Wild Flowers wallpaper, £57.50 per 10m roll, Lover’s Lounge

Nature’s favourite colour, green works so well in interior design because it’s both reassuringly familiar and alluringly escapist.

Conjuring images of rolling hills, grassy meadows and mossy forest glades, green is an uplifting and soothing colour that evokes a sense of wellbeing. In religious and folkloric tradition, green symbolizes eternal life, renewal, and hope. Yet, negative associations of poison and decay, inexperience and envy, sickness and institutionalisation, sit alongside the positive associations of green with healing and safety, freshness and rejuvenation, purity and calm. It’s a question of choosing the right shade. When Johnny Cash sang ‘Forty Shades of Green’ he wasn’t far wrong: occupying more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye, there are more shades of green than any other spectral hue.

Historically, different periods have favoured different variations of green. The dark olive greens of Georgian estates spoke of hunting lodges and ancestral woods, while the Regency period moved towards a softer, more muted shade of sage. Victorian interiors featured dark and atmospheric forest green, while an emphasis on light and space in 20th century interior design brought with it paler shades of mint in the 1930s and hints of lime in the 1950s. The last few years have seen a return to the sage grey-greens of the Regency, and elegant duck egg blue-greens remain ever popular. However, if Pantone’s 2010 colour of year, a vivid shade of turquoise, is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing crisper and brighter shades of green springing up in the world of interiors.

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Lexi Armchair, £990, Origins Design

Green is a balancing colour, invigorating yet restful to the eye, making it a calming agent and a particularly liveable colour in the home. When choosing a shade of green, think about the mood you want to create: rich and dramatic, uplifting and refreshing, or soothing and meditative. Greens with yellow undertones are generally warmer, while blue greens are more tranquil. Green is a particularly versatile colour in that different shades can be combined harmoniously with relative ease. Unlike other colours, and taking nature as a model, clean and dirty shades of green can be used together in one space. For a sea of greens to work in one room, just make sure that the undertone (either yellow or blue) is the same across each shade.

Fresh, crisp greens work particularly well with black and white as neutrals, while emerald green goes fabulously well with other jewel tones such as purple and sapphire blue. Grey, yellow and gold tones are also great with green and don’t let anyone tell you that ‘pink and green should never be seen’. Pea green and rose pink is a joyful pairing, and combines well with brown tones. But the colour that unites every shade of green - from the misty greys through duck egg and teal, to racing green, lime and apple – is navy. Tying together the enduring sage greens and duck eggs with the current trend for fresher and brighter greens, navy is definitely a colour to watch; use it as a neutral with any shade of green and it’ll give the look a contemporary edge.

Green can work in almost any space because of the huge variety of shades, but take extra care with bathrooms. Depending on your skin tone, covering the smallest room in the house with green can make you look pallid, which isn’t a good look when you’re getting ready to go out (unless it’s Halloween). A blue green rather than a yellow green is often more forgiving. As with any colour choice, always use tester pots in the corners of the room and judge the effect of variations in natural and artificial light. Introducing green through soft furnishings and accessories is a great way to harmonise a room scheme. It’s the central position of green on the colour spectrum that creates that sense of balance. Draw the eye with vivid accessories in a single shade of bright green, or create a varied landscape of different shades and textures with cushions and throws. A beautiful way to accessorise with green is with leafy plants. A variety of ferns in decorative pots bring a lovely finishing touch your home.

Breathe new life into your home and capture the essence of springtime with green.

Trend watch: Wood

screens and divider
Mahogany Limed Screen, £450, The French Bedroom Company

Stay in style and go green by choosing some gorgeous wood furnishings that will give your home a long-lasting, natural look.

Wood inspires a naturally beautiful interior that exudes texture and will provide you with a long-lasting stylish look. Its inviting feel makes it an irresistible choice for anyone looking to give their home an eco-friendly makeover. It isn’t hard to bring this current trend into your home, whether you are redecorating a whole room or just looking for a stunning feature piece you can mix and match different tones of wood furniture or find decorative pieces to suit your personal style.

Furniture and storage

Wood furniture has a versatile look whether it is polished or rustic to suit either a modern or traditional style interior. There are some fabulous dark wood furnishings available from Lombok (lombok.co.uk) including the simplistic Malang writing desk and the rustic Tallboy chest of drawers. The darker stains found in teak or mahogany, for example, can be complimented with oranges and earthy paint colours to bring warmth and drama to a bedroom or living room.

Lighter wood tones such as oak and pine work well in living and dining areas to maintain a light and spacious feel. The pine Rustic open book shelves from Rose & Grey combine shelf storage with natural style; the wood markings are something to treasure as they make your furniture unique. Enhance your wood’s finish with wall colours and fabrics that will bring out the dominant hues in the stain.

Or bring a natural, Zen feel to your bathroom with a wooden bath from William Garvey that you can relax in at the end of a hard day’s work.

bookcase
Rustic Open Book Shelves, £625, Rose & Grey

Flooring

Solid wood flooring creates a natural warm ambience and it’s very long lasting, although it must be installed by a professional. Despite needing a larger budget to complete this look, in the long run it is an excellent investment for its authenticity and durable beauty which improves with age. Engineered wood flooring is more resistant to moisture changes. Pre-finished wood gives you a wide range of choice of finishes and styles. Alternatively, laminate flooring does not use real wood but imitates the look, and it is a popular choice because it is affordable for those with a lower budget and it is easy to lay and fit. The disadvantage with this type of wood is that it will not be as durable as natural wood and they won’t feel as warm underfoot. For specialist floors try 1926 Trading Co. Ltd.

Bamboo is a lightweight sustainable material used for furniture that makes it easy to rearrange and it will give a room a calm and modern feel. However, it is most commonly used for flooring because it’s an eco-friendly resource that is not only strong but durable too. Check out Urbane Living’s bamboo flooring or for more ideas try Moso bamboo surfaces.

pendant light
Ribbon pendant, £415-435, MARK Product

Accessories

Don’t be afraid to mix and match with wood types and styles because this is very much in vogue this season. Interior designers are encouraging us to mix the old with the new and to embrace the beautiful natural appearance of wood.

Choose accessories that aren’t permanent fixtures, for example, a large piece like the solid mahogany Limed screen from The French Bedroom Company. Wooden screens or dividers give a stunning chateau-chic impression that will suit any lavish boudoir.

Try a few statement pieces to lift your interior, for example, vases or picture frames are great for adding a personal touch. Accessorising with wood doesn’t have to be expensive; John Lewis supply vases in different shapes and sizes to make your home flourish with texture. If you have a small bathroom, try a wooden framed mirror such as the handmade Faux driftwood mirror from Pebbles to Sand to bring a washed-up beach look.

For an inspiring pendant lighting to illuminate your interior, try Tom Raffield’s Ribbon pendant from MARK Product (available in ash or walnut), for a unique sustainable wood design that has a contemporary and stylish allure.

Trend Watch: Animal Prints

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Diane von Furstenburg, Spring-Summer 2010 collection. Image via elleuk.com.

Less is most definitely more when letting animal prints loose in your home.

Interior designers have answered the call of the wild and animal prints are a fierce trend for 2010. Prowling the catwalks for some time, leopard, zebra and tiger prints show no signs of fading from view; in fact it’s looking more like a stampede. But there’s a fine line between style and sleaze. Allowed to run riot, a profusion of animal prints will have your living room looking like Peter Stringfellow’s bachelor pad. So tame the beast and introduce these graphic prints as accent pieces to add visual drama and dynamism to your space, without swamping it. A monochrome zebra print rug in a whitewashed room makes a sophisticated statement; leave it to speak for itself.

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Rodeo Recliner, £625, Sweetpea & Willow

The sensual appeal of animal prints in texture, colour and pattern is what makes these pieces work in the home as striking accents. Engage the senses with different textural effects and team animal print accents with simple furnishings and block colour. Used in small doses, the graphic patterning of animal furs and skins in their natural colourings will lend an air of luxury and elegance to your scheme, while animal prints in bright colours make a playful addition to a plain interior. From wallpaper to ottomans, accessories and soft furnishings, almost any interiors product you can imagine has had the animal print treatment this season, and designers have introduced giraffe print to the usual mix of zebra, leopard, cheetah and tiger. As long as you go for only one or two pieces per room, you won’t get bitten.

Transcending fashion, cowhide floor coverings have timeless appeal, adding textural interest, visual impact and a sense of understated luxury to both period and modern room settings. No two hides have the same patterning meaning you have a unique piece and an investment to treasure. Used on the floor, draped across the back of a sofa or over a bed, cowhides are versatile and extremely hardwearing: a stylish and sustainable approach to the animal print trend. Combining an exotic animal print with the enduring elegance of monochrome, zebra printed cowhides are a stylish choice. Used in isolation, cowhide footstools, ottomans and cushions add just a touch of animal print to a room without overpowering it. London Cows has a small giraffe print cowhide footstool that’d be perfect in an otherwise understated scheme. Sweetpea & Willow’s Corbusier-inspired cowhide Rodeo Recliner in brown and white, and Hide Armchair in black and white are great choices for simple modern settings.

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Zebra print cowhide rug, £449, Graham & Green

But you don’t have to go for the real thing to create an elegant look with animal prints. Occa Home’s Zebra cushion in soft velvet is available in beige and cream, brown and black or grey and black. The restrained colour palette and bold print creates an impression of understated glamour. Pair with a plain block-coloured sofa and other cushions with textural detailing in varying sizes. In a simple colour palette of grey and silver (zebra) and gold and silver (leopard), the Aura sequin cushion range from Heal’s is another clever balancing act. Catching the light with a subtle shimmer these cushions are perfect paired with white bed linen. Depicting a cheetah lounging amid oversized and stylised foliage, the Sininen wall hanging from Sheerhome is a great alternative to animal print soft furnishings and looks fabulous against off-white walls. At nearly a metre square it’s a high-impact piece, but the muted colourings of browns, creams and greens on a black background make it a stylish and sophisticated way to introduce animal print to your scheme.

The striking graphic qualities of animal prints, especially in monochrome, have enduring appeal for designers. Chosen carefully, animal prints will engage the senses and bring energy and elegance to your home.

10 ways with…Paint

office accessory
International One Coat Blackboard Paint, £9.99 for 750ml, Homebase [www.homebase.co.uk]

Revamp your décor with a splash of paint.

The surface preparation might be a bore, but in this weather you won’t be watching it dry for long. There are few things more satisfying than a freshly painted room, but with our 10 ways, there are plenty more options with paint. Time to get the overalls out.

1. Feature Wall

A feature wall is a great paint option, particularly if you want to go for bold colour. It’ll lift the room, add drama and create a natural focal point. Use a paler shade of the same colour on the other walls, or complementary wallpaper, to make sure your scheme ties together. Accent walls are particularly appropriate in modern homes and open plan spaces. Use the feature wall to zone your space, for example if your dining room flows into your living room. An accent wall will add life to a stairwell and a sense of drama used behind the bed. Colour-blocking is also a huge trend at the moment in both fashion and interiors. Get the look at home with a bold feature wall teamed with accessories in the same colour or sofas and chairs in a contrasting block colour.

2. Painting Furniture

As long as it’s not a 20th century icon, a beautiful 17th century cabinet or some such wondrous antique, painting furniture can be a great way to revive an old piece or change it to fit in with a new decorative scheme. And if you’re into the shabby chic, relaxed coastal look, then this could be the thing for you. Equally a flea-market find might be brought into the 21st century with a splash of shocking pink gloss. Painting furniture for kids’ rooms, and getting them involved, is a great way to add personality to their rooms. Think about where you want the piece to go and have some fun with it. If the piece has been painted before, sand off old or flaking paint, going with the grain of the wood. If it’s unpainted, use a knotting solution to seal any knots and apply a wood primer. For your topcoat, a water-based acrylic paint is less messy, environmentally friendly, and available in matt, gloss and eggshell finishes.

3. Blackboard Paint

Blackboard paint is now widely available and it’s a playful, versatile medium. Use it in the kitchen for shopping lists, the hallway for reminders, home offices for to-do lists, or kids’ rooms just for fun. Magnetic blackboard paint allows you to add photographs, postcards or anything else that takes your fancy. Blackboard paint adds personality and dynamism to a space, with scrawls and doodles providing an evolving record of family life. Make a bold statement in a light-filled kitchen or studio workspace with an entire wall in blackboard paint, or use it in small doses in panels or on cupboards and drawers to mark the contents. IIf your child’s room is on the small side, blackboard paint looks wonderful on toy boxes or painted in cloud shapes on the wall with bright blue raindrops and a sun peeping out of the top.

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Eco Floor Paint in Down Pipe No.26, from £19.50 for 750ml, Farrow & Ball [www.farrow-ball.com]

4. Floor Paint

Make a feature of your floorboards with paint. The Little Greene Paint Company has beautiful soft sheen floor paint in the full range of colours, from neutrals to brights and everything in between. Farrow & Ball has eggshell finish floor paint, also available in the complete colour range. Painting the floor will transform your room, so it’s important to think carefully about the colour, taking into account the amount of light in the room, and use tester pots. Durable and hardwearing, floor paint is suitable for almost anywhere in the house, and can be a great way to brighten up kids’ bedrooms, hallways and kitchens.

5. Stencils

Stencils have moved on from the sponged horrors of the 90s. But, that being said, there’s a fine line between style and vile when it comes to using and choosing stencils. A great way to create a focal point, or a feature wall, it’s best to use stencils as accents. For kids’ rooms they’re great fun, especially to jazz up furniture and toy boxes. The Stencil Library has a huge range to choose from, including Alice in Wonderland, character stencils for children, animal prints, Art Deco patterns, and classical architectural motifs. The Stencil Studio also has a useful ‘How To’ guide, and even stocks Banksy-style stencils, if you want to jump on that bandwagon.

6. Combining Matt and Gloss finishes

Combining a chalky matt paint on the walls with a high gloss for skirting and windows creates a crisp finish. Whichever colour you choose for the walls ensure that the gloss trim colour provides enough of a contrast. With rich wall colours a creamier trim colour, rather than bright white, will be more flattering. If you want to go for a coloured trim, rather than a neutral, choose a lighter or darker shade of the same colour as the walls, to create contrast. For a really dramatic effect, use full gloss on the walls or ceiling, using a matt finish for the trim.

7. Painting Tiles

Painting over tired or nasty looking tiles is a good way to revive your bathroom or kitchen on a tight budget. Any painting job requires surface preparation, but with tiles this is absolutely crucial. The surface must be spotlessly clean in order for the paint to adhere properly. Wash the tiles with sugar soap and rinse clean to remove any residue. Use a hand-held orbital sander with fine grit paper to lightly scuff the tile glaze and wash again to remove dust. A primer such as Ronseal’s One Coat Tile Primer will prevent the topcoat paint from pealing. When applying paint, use a small gloss roller to avoid brush marks and apply several thin coats to build up adhesion in layers. Specialist tile paint is available in a limited colour range, but any latex or oil based paint is suitable for the job.

8. Using Tester Pots on Canvases

Create art that fits in with your room scheme using tester pots on canvases. Having no artistic skill, I think I’d stick to letting the kids do it. Messing around with a few pots of paint and a canvas sounds like fun, but it can be a hit and miss affair when it comes to interior design. Short of taking an Art Foundation course, there are two options for the artistically challenged. Spontaneous and simple figurative pictures can add a lively element to a room. But abstract work is more forgiving. For example, Rothko-esque fields of colour, or Pollock-style splatters, painted on several canvases can look great in a drab hallway or open plan space.

9. Paint Effects

With a roll of low-tack masking tape you can create all sorts of geometric patterns with paint. Use vertical stripes to give the illusion of higher ceilings or horizontal stripes to add width. For a subtle stripe, use two different tones of the same colour, or make a bold statement with two or more contrasting colours in varying widths. Creating a pattern with paint is a great way to create a feature wall behind your bed, brighten up a playroom or add some drama to a hallway. Whatever pattern you want to go for, and especially with spots and circles, mark it out in pencil first. With stripes, use a spirit level to make sure your lines are straight.

10. Revamping Garden Furniture

Revive a rusty patio set or a tired wooden bench with paint. With metal furniture, wash down with hot soapy water and remove any rust or flaking paint with a wire brush and coarse sandpaper. Use an anti-rust primer and paint, such as Plasti-Kote’s Metal Primer and Super Spray Paint. Really easy to apply, Super Spray Paint is available in a huge range of colours. For wooden furniture, sand the item along the grain until smooth and then use a primer, such as Cuprinol’s clear Wood Preserver. Cuprinol’s Garden Shades and Ronseal’s Woodland Trust Colours will give tired wood a new lease of life.

Get your overalls on and have some fun with paint.

Trend watch: Stripes

Earn your stripes with a contemporary and chic take on a classic style.

Whether you are looking to update your wardrobe or your décor, it seems that fashion and interior designers simply cannot resist the reliable, classic style of stripes. Catwalk fashion has been dominated by Parisian chic whilst interior design has been inspired by this geometric print for fabrics, carpets, wallpaper and furniture.

Wallpaper

Use stripes on your wall to enhance the shape and size of your room; horizontal stripes running along the midpoint of a wall extend and elongate a smaller room, and lighter cooler tones will make a space seem larger. Hang Stripey Wallpaper from Flock Your Wall or Gradient Wallpaper from Graham and Brown vertically or horizontally to give a contemporary look to any room. Using vertical stripes in moderation will make a low ceiling feel higher; an overload of pattern will crowd a room therefore making it seem more enclosed. A feature wall behind a bed or surrounding a fireplace, for example, will help break up the pattern. Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen’s Mosaic Stripe from Graham and Brown, interprets stripes in a unique way that adds interest to the design.

Painting stripes are a simple design that will add depth and interest, but you will need to do a bit of preparation in terms of measuring and taping to get your stripes aligned. For helpful hints and tips try doityourself.com.

Flooring

Put a bounce in your step with soft and luxurious stripy carpet; if you are carpeting all over then you can elongate a room and create a vibrant look. Try the Mississippi or Tiffany collections in 100% wool from Crucial Trading for comfort and durability. Jazz up your stairs with a vertical stripe runner that will draw your eye. Brintons offer many stylish runners that will work brilliantly on hardwood stair floorings, and it will also help draw the eye into your home. Paul Smith has inspired and popularised stripes in interiors; his Stripe rug from The Rug Company combines striking colour and texture to really liven up a room.

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Carnival cotton stripe, £21.50 per metre, Tinsmiths

Furniture

Stripes are best used in moderation so if you choose to make your furniture a feature in your room then avoid stripes on your walls, instead you can use subtle accessorise to repeat the pattern elsewhere. For a stripy feature piece try the Vertical Stripe Chest of Drawers from Bassett which is given a contemporary and chic look with its bold black and fruitwood stripes on cherry veneer. The Hampton velvet stripe chair from Sheer Home has a stripy fabric that comes in a choice of five colourways to suit your colour scheme. Or to add a nautical touch to your child’s bedroom use the Small Blue Striped Chair Wisteria which would be perfect for a sailor theme.

If you want to update your furnishings and bring some Parisian chic into your home, then you can choose from a selection of Striped fabrics from Tinsmiths or check out Ian Mankin’s natural and organic fabrics, which are all ideal for upholstering.

Accessories

Upholstery, cushions and throws can be updated with a simple stripe. The classic pinstripe doesn’t just look great on suits; in fact it can achieve a suave, masculine look and it will bring clean, straight lines to a bedroom. The Woven Linen Stripe Bed Linen has a fresh, nautical feel with its pure whites and deep blue tones. For a more feminine touch, mix in some florals to give a warm and playful style. Or try Frilled Edge Cushions from Graham and Green to add some summer style to your garden or dining chairs or your sofa. The Catrine Stripe tablecloth from Sally Bourne Interiors use multi-coloured stripes which will allow you to introduce lots of colour into your living or dining area.

Bring out the best of the playful and optimistic feel of stripes by using rainbow colours.

Focus On: Selina Rose

rug
Square Oli rug, £450, and Flutterby cushions, £89, Selina Rose

Introducing the hottest designers of the moment.

Designer-maker Selina Rose creates fashion-forward textiles, homewares and bespoke surfaces using renewable and biodegradable wool felt: ‘If I were to sum up my style I would describe it as bold, colourful, tactile, natural, simple yet sophisticated.’ Turning heads in the international design world, Selina’s received a raft of awards and nominations including the Arts Council’s grant for the arts, Homes and Gardens Classic Design awards in 2007 and Craft Central’s Bright Ideas award in 2008. Launching an exclusive collection for Heal’s in 2009, you can find Selina’s felt furnishings at www.selinarose.co.uk.

A fresh approach to a familiar material, Selina’s innovative cutwork designs harness new technology while referencing natural forms and architectural geometries. These highly original, beguiling surfaces are suitable for a multitude of interior applications including rugs, throws and runners, acoustic wall panels, window treatments, room dividers, lighting and upholstery. Manufactured entirely in the UK, Selina’s high-impact designs are coloured using environmentally friendly dyes in her own distinctive colour palette of rich jewel tones and vivid brights, paired with soft pastels, greys and black. Breaking away from traditional woven textiles, these pierced felt surfaces create a visually striking, modern aesthetic celebrating the timeless appeal of plant forms, geometric motifs and meticulous craft. Visual drama in colour and pattern is united with the enticing tactility of cut and folded felt. Rugs, throws and table runners feature poetic botanical patterns, such as the enchanting rose petal and foliate Bloom design. Contemporary felt room dividers and window panels allow light to pass through the intricate cutwork creating a play of shadows and animating interior space.

New for 2010, Selina’s Connect panels feature layers of contrasting coloured felt with circular incisions revealing a geometric grid pattern of colourful dots. A unique interpretation of the colour-blocking trend in interior design, Connect demonstrates Selina’s innovative fashion-conscious approach. Another new addition, the stylised Oli pattern is inspired by the winged propeller-like structure of sycamore seedpods. Combining both botanical and geometric forms in one textile, the Oli design exemplifies Selina’s simple yet sophisticated aesthetic. This new cutwork pattern features on rugs, throws and coordinating coasters in a choice of 14 vibrant colours. The hugely popular Flutterby cushions are also given a 2010 makeover in three additional colourways: lime, hot pink and orange. Partial cuts are made in the top layer of felt, folded to reveal a contrasting coloured felt behind and creating a three-dimensional textured surface. The same origami-inspired Cut + Fold technique is used on Selina’s fabulous Scale stool, a statement piece reminiscent of Christopher Kane’s Spring-Summer 2009 catwalk collection, which secured his rising-star status in the world of fashion. Made to order in your chosen colourway, the semi-circular scales fan out around the stool to reveal the layer of felt beneath.

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Scale stool, made to order and priced on application, Selina Rose

Best known for her botanical cutwork rugs, throws and runners, this exceptional Cut + Fold technique has elevated Selina’s felt surfaces to a new level of design innovation.

‘My ‘Cut + Fold’ range of felt surfaces can be used for acoustic paneling, blinds, screens, room dividers and upholstery. I wanted to create something new and innovative for the contract interiors market. Following on from the success of my cut-out, fretwork style felt designs I was experimenting in the studio with concepts inspired by traditional origami. I wanted to create a 3 dimensional surface using the felt playing on its paper-like qualities, for example the way it cuts without fraying, you can fold, pleat and manipulate it into shape. I developed a technique of making partial cuts into the surface and folding shapes back to create advent calendar style flaps or windows revealing contrasting coloured felts behind. I launched the collection at 100% Design 2009 and it was really well received and designs such as Scale, Faceted and Flutterby now adorn the walls and windows of luxury hotels, offices and residential interiors.’

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Bespoke Scale acoustic wall panels, POA, Selina Rose

The Cut + Fold technique caught the eye of international design and engineering firm Arup, which commissioned Selina to create bespoke acoustic felt panelling and window treatments for its new London Headquarters in Fitzrovia. The architectural qualities of Selina’s Cut + Fold surfaces are a perfect match for this innovative design firm, leading the field in structural engineering since its Modernist projects of the 1930s. Across 200 linear metres, spanning two buildings and 17 rooms, Selina produced 150 bespoke Cut + Fold panels in her geometric Faceted, Arrows and Scale designs, featuring grey on blue and grey on yellow felt layers. Functional, tactile and visually interesting, the acoustic panels absorb and reduce reverberant noise, making them ideal for music rooms, studios and playrooms at home.

Including the Scale stool and Cut + Fold felts, Selina’s new collection will be on show at 100% Design in Earls Court Arena, 23rd-26th September 2010, stand H12. Visit www.selinarose.co.uk for more information on bespoke services and to buy online.

Trend Watch: Tribal

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Tribal catwalk looks in Paul Smith’s Spring/Summer 2010 Collection. Image via Elleuk.com.

Out of Africa and into our homes, the tribal look is a hot trend for summer 2010.

Interior designers are using Arabic, Asian and African inspired pieces to add depth and interest to interior schemes. The exotic trappings of nomadic tradition are used to create evocative interiors, celebrating the material culture of distant lands. Think Raj tents swathed in exotic rugs and wall hangings, dark wood and leather; the high-energy prints and jewel-bright colours of tribal dress; and striking animal skins seen on the African plains.

The key to making the tribal look work in your home is to use these pieces as contrasting accents: an animal print cushion on a plain sofa; an embroidered wall hanging in a whitewashed room; or a Persian rug on a simple wood floor. Clashing prints, as seen on the fashion catwalks, can really work in a predominantly white room, but take care with colour and pattern if your interior scheme is already defined by a particular colourway. Tribal pieces and especially animal prints are best used to create bold focal points, lifting a scheme with highlights rather than veering towards a pastiche.

With so many vibrant cultures inspiring the tribal look in interior design, there are many ways to interpret the trend according to your personal style. Known for its Asian inspired pieces, OKA is channelling the nomadic vibe with fabulous rugs, http://furnish.co.uk/items/51151-petra-runner-92-x-275cm">runners and wall hangings featuring exotic patterns, beautifully woven in vivid hues. Trunks with carrying handles, folding occasional tables, and Isphahan plates hand-painted with Persian designs, continue the opulent nomadic theme. The intricate carved wood room screens at Lombok and the low Oriental coffee table with ball feet at Puji create a similar nomadic feel.

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Zebra print cowhide rug, £449, Graham & Green

For jewel-bright tribal colours, check out Margo Selby’s hand-knotted banana fibre rug and geometric hand-woven cushion covers. The multi-coloured Summer Estella rug at Heal’s evokes sunrise over the Serengeti, while Rockett St George’s jute storage baskets in sunshine yellow, deep blue and hot pink have fair trade credentials. Moroccan leather footstools are perfect accent pieces for laidback living spaces, available in a range of vibrant hues from Graham & Green and Rockett St George. A fantastic statement piece, the Waldorf Hex sofa from Lockwood design is upholstered in silk fabric with a vivid multi-coloured print.

pendant light
Filigrain Sky Drop pendant lamp by Zenza, £185, Liberty

For a safari feel, try the Bone Inlay furniture collection and Zebra Print cowhide rug from Graham & Green. The intricate detailing on the black resin and camel bone furniture brings an air of luxury to the bedroom, while the striking zebra print rug makes a stunning statement against a stripped wood floor. For a demure approach to animal print, try the dark brown textured Zebra cushion at Occa Home, or go for glamour with the Aura Sequin cushion range at Heal’s. In a pared down colour palette - grey and silver zebra print or gold and silver leopard print - the Aura cushions add some sparkle without being over-the-top. For a natural look, go for the real thing with Rockett St George’s fair trade cowhide cushions.

Tom Dixon’s Beat Vessel vases and Beat Shade pendant lamps in brass are the perfect finishing touches for a tribal-inspired interior. And Zenza’s pierced brass pendant shades diffuse light beautifully for a sultry nomadic feel.

Spice up your interior this summer with a vibrant tribal-inspired look.

How to….create a stunning hallway

baskets and container
Six basket console unit, £345, The Holding Company.

Give your guests a welcoming feel as soon as they step into your home with our guide on how to create a stunning hallway.

First impressions are just as important and influential in your home as when you meet new people. Whilst your hallway is not a place that you will spend a lot of our time in, it should not be overlooked when decorating. Make the first glimpse your guests get of your home something to remember with a glamorous chandelier or a luxurious rug to give your hallway a touch of style.

Flooring

From the first step into your hallway to the last step out, your hallway flooring will make a big impression and it will need to withstand more traffic than any other room as it is a throughway. For hardwearing carpet, heuga.com offer unique carpets in various textures and colours for comfort and practical wear. However, bear in mind that carpet is high-maintenance and will not be forgiving of dirt and dust. Hard wood flooring such as oak, if laid well, will give a warm and welcoming impression; it is easy to maintain and clean and available from The Natural Wood Floor Company. For a little warmth and a softer touch underfoot, try the Designers Guild Amalienborg Natural Rouge Rug from Heal’s. Also, don’t forget a door mat; the Black Baroque Door Mat from The Orchard will prevent any unwanted stones and dirt being trodden in to your home.

Lighting

From top to toe, your stunning hallway would not be complete without the right lighting which has practical uses but can also be stylish too. You can create an inviting ambience with wall or ceiling lights because of the lack of floor space in a hallway. In a large hallway and a high ceiling, a decorative and glamorous chandelier such as the Crystal Pendant by Sweet Pea and Willow or the Clearly Now Chandelier by The French Bedroom Company is a striking feature to catch the eye. For eye level lighting, try the Ball brass lamp base from Lombok, which is ideal for giving a welcoming glow. Wall sconces are popular because they provide indirect lighting; for a large selection of energy efficient light fixtures try eco-lights.com.

chandelier
Crystal Pendant chandelier, £276, Sweetpea & Willow.

Furniture

Key furniture pieces for your hallway will make those last minute dashes out the door a lot less stress. Hallways are commonly small and narrow with little floor space so furniture should be kept to a minimum but it should provide you with necessary storage space. Try the Clarissa Silver Console Table and Mirror by Sweet Pea and Willow for a stunning feature piece or the Marie Antoinette Console Table by The French Bedroom Company for a modest but stylish look. If you are fortunate to have a lavishly large hallway with a high ceiling, then you could add some interest with the Narrow Bromo teak bookcase from Lombok. Bring a contemporary, fresh style to your hall with the six basket console unit from The Holding Company which provides plenty of storage that will help you maintain a tidy hall area.

Storage

Keeping your hallway clear and clutter-free with some simple storage solutions will enhance the space and make your home feel more organised in a stylish way. For those cold or rainy days, have your coats and scarves close to the front door on the Cherry Blossom Coat Hooks or the Seletti Desdomona Hanging Coat Hooks, both by Rockett St George. Or if you have more floor space, the beech Tree coat stand from The Holding Company has warm wooden tones that will suit any interior. The Wall Mounted Shoe Rack from Utility will keep your shoes off the floor and help keep your floor space free.

vases and bowl
Nyla vase, small £18, large £38, ALSO Home.

Accessories

Accessorising your hallway will give it a personal touch; placing family photos around your home is one way to make it more inviting, and you can frame your happy memories in your hallway in style with the Mati design photo frame from Lombok. Or choose the Muir carved wooden trinket box, also from Lombok, to put on a console table or shelf by your front door either as a private place to keep your keys or simply for decorative purposes.

Mirrors are perfect for hallways because they reflect light and create a feeling of depth in smaller, narrower hallway. Go for a contemporary style with the Rectangular Venetian mirror from Sweetpea & Willow which has eye-catching intricate detailing.

Vases are a great way to add colour and fresh flowers will bring an inviting, natural scent. The Gold dust vase or the Nyla vase from ALSO Home are unique feature pieces that will add to the beautiful, harmonious and minimal decor of your hallway.

Paint and Wallpaper

As hallways don’t often have windows they are darker than other rooms, so use a light or neutral shade to decorate with. The exception is if you have a large, traditional hallway, in which case red and greens will work well with dark wood furnishings to create a stunning entrance. For those with smaller halls, use earthy or pastel hues such as Mushroom paint from The Little Greene Collection or try dulux.co.uk to choose anything from gentle lavender to pale citrus to bring a warm and natural feel. Avoid using white for your walls because it will show up unwanted dirty fingerprints and marks; washable paints are an excellent choice because you can wash your walls without taking the paint off.

Furnish lists a great selection of patterned wallpaper which will work well in long, narrow hallways as it creates width by drawing the eye away from the length. The sophisticated Berry white wallpaper from 95% Danish will give the illusion of a higher ceiling because of its vertical design. Or for a dramatic and glamorous entrance, try the Wilderness White/Gold Wallpaper from 95% Danish with its delicious gold tones that will reflect the light and ignite life into your hall.

Buyers Guide: Window Treatments

curtain
Vintage Coloured Lace Curtains, £130, Rockett St George

Give your windows a fresh new look and make the most of the summer sun

Windows are natural focal points, inevitably drawing the eye as the source of natural light in our homes. Window treatments are key to setting the mood of your room in terms of style certainly, but also because your choice will determine how far you can manipulate the effects of natural light. With the capacity to completely transform a room, choosing window treatments can be a daunting process. So we’ve put together a buyers guide to help you choose with confidence.

Curtains

Curtains are available in all manner of fabrics and styles. Heavy silks, velvets, cottons and linens are all great choices. A patterned fabric will make a feature of your window, but if you don’t want your curtains to fight for attention with another focal point, go for a plainer fabric. The higher the thread count of the fabric, the better your curtains will hang. Lined curtains keep the heat in better than unlined curtains and will block out more light when closed. Lighter, breezy fabrics are great diffusers of light, making them attractive for the summer. Pleated headings give an elegant, classic look, while eyelets and tab-tops are more casual, making them great for kids’ rooms and relaxed living spaces.

When choosing the length of your curtains you have three options: finishing at the windowsill, allowing the curtains to just about graze the sill; finishing below the windowsill and above the radiator (if you have one), adding between 8cm and 15cm; or dropping to the floor, adding between 1.5cm and 2cm. There’s a fashion for allowing your curtains to fall in pools of fabric on the floor because it looks more ‘expensive’. I have to say I think this not only looks ridiculous, but it collects dust and makes cleaning your floor more difficult. Whichever drop you go for, use a metal measuring tape and make sure that the curtain pole or track is in place, taking headings into account to avoid miscalculations. Try Designers Guild for fabulous curtain fabrics.

Pros: good insulation against heat loss; great choice of fabrics and styles

Cons: when drawn back, curtains allow less light in than blinds; thick fabrics, such as velvet, can be a bit oppressive in the summer months.

blind
'Bottles' roller blind, £65, BODIE and FOU

Blinds

Roman blinds fold back on themselves when raised, creating a feeling of quality and elegance, which makes them a great choice for period homes. Suitable for any room in the house, they’re particularly good for living rooms and bedrooms, creating softness at the window. Roman blinds are available in a range of fabrics, which can be blackout lined, and in woven bands of wood, bamboo and jute, which gently diffuse light.

Pros: great choice of patterns and materials; elegant appearance

Cons: more expensive than roller blinds; less sleek than Venetians

Venetian slatted blinds give you sharp, clean finish making them especially good for modern homes. Being easy to clean, they’re also a great option for bathrooms and kitchens. Enabling you to filter light or cut out it out completely, Venetian blinds are a versatile choice. And if you’re concerned about privacy, they’ll allow light in while obscuring the view from the street. They’re great for awkward windows such as skylights, and they can be fitted to tilt and turn. Venetians come in a range of slat widths and are available in wood or powder-coated aluminium.

Pros: more versatile than Roman or roller; sharp modern look

Cons: metal slats may not suit period homes; less choice in terms of material and pattern

Roller blinds are a popular choice, offering simplicity and practicality. Like Roman blinds they’re available in a huge choice of fabrics as well as bamboo, wood and other natural fibres. Rollers are easy to use, making them great for kids’ rooms, while Teflon coated rollers are perfect for bathrooms and kitchens. Rollers can also be fitted for skylights. Sheer rollers that allow light through are a stylish alternative to net curtains in street level rooms.

Pros: simple, smooth appearance; a cheaper alternative to Romans

Cons: rollers stand further from the window than other styles; they don’t lend the same softness to the room as Romans

Try Tuiss for great quality made-to-measure Venetian, Roman and roller blinds.

Sliding Panels

Sliding fabric panels are a stylish and contemporary way to dress floor-to-ceiling windows, perfect for modern homes with large expanses of glass. In feather-light fabrics, use them against glass walls and sliding patio doors to maximise on light while retaining privacy. Double-sided and weighted at the bottom to allow them to hang cleanly, sliding panels are also great to use as room dividers. Each panel moves on a separate channel of track, stacking neatly at either side of the window when open. Each panel picks up the next, and when fully closed the panels overlap to provide a screen against sunlight and nosy neighbours. The separate channels allow you to create a layered look by combining different colours, patterns and fabrics. Sliding panels are available in woven woods, and fabrics ranging from sheer voile to opaque canvas. Easy to remove and replace, the panels can be changed for winter and summer. Try Blindtrack Services for a good quality selection.

Pros: elegant, contemporary look; great for large windows, patio doors and as room dividers

Cons: panels won’t give the cosy feeling of curtains; while curtains can be flung open, and blinds can be raised with a quick pull, panels can be annoying for the impatient

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Tier on tier shutters, installed from £250 per sqm, Shutterly Fabulous [www.shutterlyfabulous.com]

Window Film

Window film is available with a range of properties for a variety of applications. Heat control films are great for conservatories, while glare reduction films take the edge off blinding sunlight. Films with UV protection prevent fading of carpets, wood floors, curtains and artwork. Frosted and reflective films provide privacy, while anti-shatter varieties enhance safety and security. The Window Film Company offers products to meet each of these requirements as well as a professional installation service. Professional installation is recommended, especially if you have a large expanse to cover, because applying the film can be fiddly and it’s easy to get irritating bubbles in the surface. The relatively small investment involved in fitting a film with UV protection is really worthwhile for the fade resistance it offers for expensive wood floors and cherished art. Frosted films are available in a range of tasteful designs and look much sleeker than traditional frosted glass. If you have boisterous kids or you’re worried about break-ins, anti-shatter films are a great way to enhance security and safety without forking out for new windows.

Pros: get a range of effects without changing the windows; maximise light while retaining privacy

Cons: professional installation recommended; films can be difficult to remove

Shutters

Shutters are an elegant and classic way to dress your windows, making them particularly appropriate in period homes. Used alone, they give the window a clean, neat finish, and they can be combined with curtains to add softness. Shutters offer fantastic flexibility in terms of light filtration and privacy; slats can be tilted to the desired position, and shutters can be made either full length, in independent upper and lower sections, or café-style, covering just the bottom half of the window. When closed, shutters completely block out light, making them a practical choice for nurseries and kids’ rooms. They’ll make an elegant statement in the living room, and they’re great for bathrooms and kitchens. Made bespoke they can be designed to fit awkward windows. Shutters are an expensive option, but a worthwhile investment because they'll last for years. Shutterly Fabulous offers a complete design and installation service, with shutters in stained or painted wood as well as a range designed by Kelly Hoppen. Shutter World also has a great range, including both slatted and solid shutters.

Pros: long-lasting and versatile; classic, elegant and airy feel

Cons: an expensive option; not the sort of window treatment you can change on a whim

Whether you want to maximise light or thwart a nosy neighbour, there’s a stylish window treatment to suit your needs.

How to…revamp furniture

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Chair painted with Oval Room Blue® No.85, from £17 for 750ml, Farrow & Ball [farrow-ball.com]

If your furniture needs a face-lift then have some fun and get creative. Our guide to revamping shows you how.

So you’ve got an old wooden table that’s more shabby than chic, a sad looking chair with lumpy stuffing, or a flea market find that needs a bit of love. Don’t despair. There are lots of fun things you can do to breathe new life into tired furniture. Get creative with our guide to revamping.

Paint

A splash of paint is probably the most obvious way to transform wooden furniture and it can work wonders to revive an old piece. As with any paint job, surface preparation is boring but necessary. If the piece already has an old coat of paint, sand off any flaking areas, going with the grain to get a smooth finish. Bare wood is porous so will need to be primed, and if the piece has never been painted seal any knots with a knotting solution. Once the surface is dry, apply a water-based acrylic paint such as Farrow & Ball’s Eco Full Gloss, Estate Eggshell or Modern Emulsion. Water-based paints are environmentally friendly and far less messy than oil-based paints. For the lazy among us, me included, Plasti-Kote has everything you need to paint furniture in simple-to-use spray can form. Blackboard paint is another fantastic invention and can instantly transform kitchen cupboards, toy boxes, drawers and wardrobe doors. Magnetic blackboard paint is great for cupboards and doors, allowing you to add photos, postcards and interesting bits and pieces to your message board.

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Bobble fringes: code 12457 £9.15 per metre and code 12458 £7.10 per metre, available in a wide choice of colours from VV Rouleaux [vvrouleaux.com]

Fabric and Reupholstering

There are few things that I wouldn’t suggest having a bash at, but reupholstering a button-backed chair is one of them. If you’re an uninitiated upholsterer and you’ve got a chair or sofa with awkward curves or a button-back it’s probably best to take it to a professional. However, drop-in seats on dining chairs, headboards and ottomans are pretty straightforward and great to practice on first to get a feel for the materials. If you want to go on to something more fancy after that, Nicole Fulton’s book, New Upholstery, is easy to follow and will get you to the button-back stage and beyond.

For drop in seats, headboards and ottomans you’ll need foam, polyester wadding, calico, spray adhesive, a staple gun and your chosen fabric. The foam goes on first, held in place with spray adhesive. The malleable polyester wadding goes on top of the foam, tugged and kneaded into the desired shape. The padding is then covered with calico to retain the shape: allow an extra 8cm and neatly fold ‘hospital corners’ like the bottom sheets on a bed, stapling the underside of the drop-in seat, the back of the headboard or at the sides of the ottoman. Repeat the process with your chosen fabric. If you’re doing an ottoman you’ll need to cover the stapled edges with a braided trim: glue it into place and fix with decorative nails. You can find advice and all the materials you may need at The Upholstery Shop.

Removable sofa and seat cushions can be re-covered simply by unpicking the original covers and following the pattern with your new fabric, sewing with the fabric inside out. To insert a zip in one side, place the two edges of the fabric right sides together and tack along the seam; stitch the ends of the seam to secure it, leaving just the tacking stitches where the zip is to be inserted; place the zip wrong side up over the tacked section of the seam; pin and stitch the ends and sides of the zip close to the teeth; remove the tacking stitches.

Trimmings

If you’re daunted by the prospect of reupholstering or you happen to like the fabric on an old piece you can get really creative with trimmings. Feathers, ribbons, tassels and decorative braids can all be used to customize your furniture. Braids with little hanging pom-poms or glass beads look fabulous around the bottom of an upholstered chair. Ribbons and decorative braids can also be used to give the upholstered body of the chair a new look; choose a colour that complements the upholstery fabric for your ribbon or braid, gluing and neatly stitching it into place. If you’re a bit ham-fisted with a needle, rather than attempting to hide the stitching, make a feature of it by using thicker thread and bigger needle. For inspiration with feathers, have a look at the feather-backed Fin Chair from BODIE and FOU on Furnish. You could create a similar effect with ribbons and bows. VV Rouleaux is a treasure trove of trimmings and lovely stuffs to stir your imagination.

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Reupholstering a drop-in seat: before and after. Image via Design*Sponge

Wallpaper

My grandma used to line chests of drawers with wallpaper off-cuts and it’s one of the things I still do. It’s a great way to use a retro roll found at a flea market or to put wallpaper samples to good use. And it’s lovely to open the drawer and have a bit of pattern in there. But you can also use wallpaper on the outside of drawers. Take the handles or knobs off the drawer fronts to paper them and either replace with prettier ones or paint the originals in a complementary colour. Seal the papered drawer fronts with a coat of PVA glue to prevent pealing, and pick out one of the colours in the wallpaper to paint the rest of the chest. You can do the same for wardrobes, lining the insides with wallpaper in a different pattern or colourway to add depth and interest.

Mouldings and Beading

Available from DIY stores such as B&Q, decorative wooden mouldings are another way to transform wardrobe doors and chests of drawers. With lengths of moulding you can create a framed panel effect on wardrobe doors. Use wood glue and tacks to fix your frame into place. Once dry you can simply paint the whole door one colour, choose a different colour for the inside and outside of the frame, or use patterned wallpaper within the frame and complementary paint outside. If you’ve got a plain chest of drawers you can liven it up with mouldings framing outside edges of the top of the chest and thinner beading to frame the drawer fronts. Replacing handles and knobs will complete the transformation and give your furniture a finished look.

Top 5 Revamping Tips

1. Leave yourself at least a day, ideally a weekend, to do the job

2. Plan out your design and each step of the process

3. Make sure you have all the materials you need before you start

4. Prepare the surface and you’ll get a better finish

5. Take your time and tidy up as you go along!

Trend watch: Tropical

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Emilio Pucci, Spring 09 collection, New York Fashion week.

Create your own tropical paradise with our tips on how to find natural and exotic furnishings for your home.

Transforming your home into a tropical paradise is all about combining natural textures with bold patterns and prints to bring a sultry look together. With tribal themes dominating the catwalks this season, interior design has pounced on luxurious animal prints and has been influenced by African style in order to bring cultural interest to your interior. Combine the tropical hues of sea blues and greens with tribal and earthy tones to create a blissful and harmonious mood for your home.

Wallpaper

Tropical scenery evokes vibrant and exotic colours and if you want to experiment with this look in your home then have a look at aymefitzgerald.co.uk for wild but beautiful and contemporary exotic designs that can be applied to wallpapers, fabrics and cushions. Or try the garden inspired Hothouse wallpaper by Suzy Hoodless from Osborne & Little. Bold patterns such as lush foliage or bright flowers work really well on a feature wall to make a strong statement without the room feeling too busy. Alternatively, Urbane Living bamboo natural wallpapers and wall coverings bring textural drama to your walls. Bamboo papers from Farrow & Ball display an exotic pattern adapted from an iconic nineteenth century Japanese print for an ideal backdrop.

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Bamboo Love seat, £425, Puji

Flooring

When it comes to choosing flooring go for simplicity and a minimalistic look; avoid carpet as this will detract from the natural, al fresco feel. Wood flooring such as Urbane Living’s bamboo flooring or Ipe tropical wood from ecora.co.uk is durable and stylish, and it has a modern, fresh feel. Also, use a lightweight rug made from natural materials to soften the dark tones in the flooring and bring texture and interest to your floor. Jute and sisal rugs from The Rug Lounge are perfect for giving your living room a natural, effortless look.

Furniture

To enhance the exotic and modern feel of your room, choose simple, dark wood furniture such as teak, mahogany or walnut. Dark teak, with its rich and warming tones, has an alluring appeal that makes it a statement piece in any room. The handmade ladder bookcase from Lombok is a unique statement piece. Or the irresistibly inviting handmade bamboo love seat from Puji will provide you with a place to relax in style. Conservatory style furniture that is made from bamboo, wicker or rattan, like the Port Royal Chaise Lounge in the Port Royal collection from bluebarnacles.com, is versatile to use inside or out. The Birdcage coffee table from OKA has a finely woven rattan border that also perfectly fits the tropical look.

cushion
Oscar round cushion, £25, The London Cushion Company

Accessories

Accessories will pull the tropical theme of your room together, but in this case it is all about quality not quantity so don’t go overboard otherwise you might get lost in your very own jungle. With turquoise evoking tropical oceans, the decorative glazed ceramic Fish Vase from belongingstc.com or the striking Earthenware pot from Lombok can provide tropical detail to your home with bright blooms or lush green foliage. Cushions and fabric with animal prints, palm trees or sea shells will add a touch of playful detail. Try the Oscar Round cushion from The London Cushion Company or the Shells Porch Pillow from mainecottage.com. Also, try Tropical fabrics from The Seam Shoppe to add vibrant and exciting patterns to your interior design.

Letting natural light in to your room through your windows will enhance your décor, so avoid large curtains and thick, dark fabric. Feature lighting like the Walis Table Lamp from belongingstc.com, made from natural rattan, will create a relaxing and natural ambience.

Treat yourself to some luxurious furniture pieces and enjoy the long summer days in your own tropical paradise.

Trend Watch: Monochrome Furnishings

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PPQ Spring-Summer 2010 collection. Image via elleuk.com

Interior designers go back to black for a sophisticated monochrome aesthetic that oozes style

Monochrome is a perennial favourite on the catwalks, epitomising pared down chic, and it’s long been a key element of the interior designer’s repertoire. A sleek and stylish combination for clothing, monochrome in the home is often used to highlight architectural qualities as well as the contrasts of light and shade. Graphic monochrome patterns, including animal print and geometric designs, add visual drama to a room without being loud. And colour experts will tell you that adding monochrome touches to a fusion of vibrant colours in a room not only moderates the look, but also creates a foil against which individual colours become more expressive. Try adding white and black to a pile of colourful scarves or swatches and you’ll instantly see what they mean.

A common misconception about monochrome is that it’s a boring, cop-out combination, associated with work clothes and office drones. But this couldn’t be further from the truth in terms of interior design (or fashion for that matter). Think about the Art Deco period, in which sharp angular shapes and a graphic monochrome palette created a sophisticated and high-energy aesthetic, expressive of modernity. Monochrome style is more than just black and white. Think about marble and mirrored furniture, silvery grey hues and the combination of glass, steel and chrome. Create a spectacle of surface with tactile animal skins, luminous glass and metallic finishes. Dressed up or down - a crystal chandelier with mirrored furniture, or a simple cowhide rug on a stripped wood floor - monochrome works to enhance feelings of light and space, with graphic prints creating a sense of movement and energy.

console table
Roman Console, £1811, Benchmark

There’s a huge choice of products on Furnish to dress your home in the monochrome mode. The Roman Console from Benchmark is a beautiful example of elegant simplicity, with it’s black lacquered oak frame, zinc wrapped plinth and limestone top. Florence Knoll’s iconic coffee and dining tables feature black and white or grey and white veined marble tops with polished chrome bases for a pared down yet luxurious modern aesthetic. Graham & Green has a fabulous range of mirrored furniture including the bevelled Art Deco Console with gracefully tapered back legs, and the Manhattan Console with an angular multi-faceted facia, which dramatises the contrasts of light and shade. The Carlton furniture range at The White Company is clad in beautifully glossy milk white glass, perfect paired with a monochrome cowhide rug. Try London Cows and The French Bedroom Company. The latter’s Glitz and Glamour cowhides have mottled silver and gold metallic finishes for a truly opulent look.

chair
White studded Loft armchair, £367, Sweetpea & Willow

Sweetpea & Willow has a Corbusier-Perriand inspired black and white Hide Armchair, while the Anton cherry wood chair demonstrates just how well monochrome complements wood tones, with its calico upholstered seat and black lacquered backrest. Also at Sweetpea & Willow, the studded Loft armchair upholstered in black or white velvet offers perfect comfort and supreme style. The indulgent high-backed Vista sofa from Lover’s Lounge takes glamour one step further: upholstered in sumptuous black velvet it’s adored with crystal buttons. Occa Home’s De Le Cuona cashmere cushion with silver embroidery is similarly striking, while the black Rockerfeller cushion is highly textured to engage the senses. In lighting go for Peter Bowles’ classic Circle Line drop pendant, table lamp, and wall light in monochrome stripes, or for an opulent Art Deco look, try the Globe and Round Crystal chandeliers at Sweetpea & Willow. Complete your monochrome scheme with the humbug-like Omaggio Brush Strokes vase from 95% Danish.

Whether you choose striking monochrome accent pieces to set off your room or go for a coordinated monochrome scheme, this is a classically stylish trend that never loses its edge.

Trend Watch: Naturals

sofa
Vintage Leather Chesterfield, £795, Rose & Grey

Create a harmonious home with naturals.

With growing enthusiasm, since Modernist tropes of ‘bringing the outside in’ and ‘truth to materials’ formed a watershed in thinking about humane design, architects and interior decorators have introduced natural materials to bring warmth, harmony and sensuality into the home. Couple that with current environmental concerns and you have the makings of a major trend.

Central to the vogue for naturals in interior design is a desire to celebrate and elevate the inherent qualities of organic materials. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. The natural trend is as much about an appreciation of craftsmanship and the beauty of good design, as it is with getting back in touch with nature. It’s through the intervention of design that the inherent beauty of organic materials is expressed and enhanced: a faceted glass bowl that refracts natural light, a sisal carpet with a textured weave, or a wooden table polished to bring out the grain.

The key to creating a harmonious environment is engaging the senses; the effects of natural light, the aroma, texture and aesthetics of natural materials all come into play. And while part of this engagement might be to embrace the rawness of organic materials, it’s also about enhancing the sensual appeal of those materials through design. The principle of simplicity unites these two approaches, and underpins the greatest attractions of natural materials: quality, practicality and longevity. Enhanced by the patina of age, natural materials not only wear well, but they have timeless human appeal. So although we’re talking about a hot trend for 2010, it’s sustainable in the long term.

Natural light is your essential tool when creating an organic interior scheme. Window dressings should enable light to filter through, such as linen curtains, bamboo matchstick roller blinds, or wooden slatted Venetian blinds. Accessories should work to enhance and manipulate available light; mirrors and glass will refract light and bounce it around, while anything highly textured dramatises the contrasts of light and shade. The form, tone and texture of natural wall-coverings, flooring, furniture and fabrics, should all play a part in enhancing feelings of light and space. But none of this means that you can’t introduce colour into your scheme. Just take a look outside. Nor does it mean that you can’t combine naturals with contemporary design and innovative materials. After all, Modernism was as much about the machine made - chrome, steel and concrete - as about the benefits of light and airy homes or the promotion of inherent beauty over applied decoration.

stool
Solid Walnut Stools by Charles and Ray Eames for Vitra, £681-802, Utility

Looking around Furnish, there are plenty of different ways to interpret the naturals trend and suit your individual style. The Teak Chinese Stool and Modular bookcase from Puji recall the lightness and openness of Chinese architecture, whereby paper screens and open-framed wood allowed sunlight to filter through the home. OKA, Lombok and Orchid are also renowned for classic, Asian-inspired, natural furnishings.

Reissued by Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames’ solid Walnut Stools are beautifully turned and polished to bring out the rich grain. Another hero of 20th century design, Eero Saarinen’s Tulip dining table features an opulent marble top and aluminium base, while the similarly shaped Maiden table from Benchmark is turned from a single piece of solid oak. Drying out as it ages, the Maiden table develops splits and fissures, giving it a unique character. If you’re after that beaten-up, weathered look, Rose & Grey has a number of vintage leather sofas and vintage chairs. And the Arthur Chair at Graham & Green features a weathered oak frame with natural linen upholstery.

pendant light
Bright Pendant, bone china extruded clay, £85-90, Ulrika Jarl

At the Lollipop Shoppe, Tom Rossau’s sculptural wood-veneer pendant shades and floor lamps come in a range of curvaceous organic forms and diffuse light beautifully. Orchid’s elegant Ripple glass lamp base has a hint of sea-blue and comes with a Hessian textured shade. And for dramatic atmosphere, try the cocoon-shaped Filigrain Sky Drop pendant by Zenza, in lustrous silver-plated brass. Engage the senses further with a striking hide rug from London Cows or Puji’s super-shaggy Everest rug, in hand-knotted wool.

There’s a naturals style to suit your natural style. So go with your instincts to create a harmonious home.

Trend Watch: Turquoise

sideboards and display cabinet
Doux Billet De Clement cabinet, £925, Sweetpea & Willow

A colour suggestive of the sea and the sky, luminous turquoise is lighting up the world of interiors

A colour suggestive of the sea and the sky, luminous turquoise is lighting up the world of interior design. Pantone, the authority on colour standardisation for the design industry, has declared turquoise (15-5519 TCX to be exact) its colour of the year for 2010:

‘Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.’

Although I can’t help thinking Pantone’s choice is as much to do with the financial climate as the tropical climate, turquoise has long held a special position in many cultures as a colour of healing and protection, associated with faith and truth, and inspired by water and sky; a colour with restorative powers, representing both security and escape. Created as a gift for his newborn nephew, named Vincent, and painted in the last year of his life, Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom, with its vivid yet calming turquoise background, epitomises the therapeutic associations of turquoise with renewal and hope.

It’s these colour associations along with the versatile combination of both warm and cool undertones that make turquoise such a fabulous colour in the home. It can be used to create zingy accents in a colour scheme of neutrals and browns; it complements reds and pinks; livens up greens and dark blues; makes a striking statement paired with yellows, and a luxurious atmosphere with gold. Both soothing and invigorating, turquoise is a beautiful choice for spa-inspired bathrooms and inviting bedrooms. It makes a stylish accent colour in the kitchen used for appliances or worktops, and will stimulate the senses for an uplifting living room.

coffee table
Daphne Coffee table by Johnny Egg, £595, Heal’s

A quick spin round Furnish reveals the extraordinary versatility of turquoise in terms of colour combinations, styling and room function. Starting in the heart of the home, Alessi’s Bird Kettle and Parrot corkscrew, and The Contemporary Home’s Carved Jug, Wine Glasses and Tumblers, will brighten up your kitchen, whatever your favourite tipple. And if you’re after a perfect colour match, Pantone’s Mugs and Espresso Cups are available in subtle Duck Egg and vivid Turquoise. The Orvetto Egg Recycling Bin from BODIE and FOU, in a striking yellow, brown, and blue colourway will make this (rubbish) task a pleasure. And to finish off the kitchen, a Kartell Fly pendant light in Petrol Blue would look fabulous over a breakfast bar or dinner table.

In the living room, add a splash of colour with Heal’s Tuareg Rug and Tullgarn Drum lampshade in turquoise and gold. The spectacular Fin Chair at BODIE and FOU, upholstered in turquoise velvet, is luxuriously large and with it’s dramatic feathered back, makes a stunning high-style statement. The iconic Eames RAR rocking armchair, DSW side chair and DAW armchair are all available in a beautiful Ocean Blue. And Johnny Egg’s Daphne Coffee Table and Lamp Table in Teal Blue from Heal’s have fabulously fun flocked legs and contemporary glass tops. But it’s in soft furnishings that the variety of colour combinations to be had with turquoise become apparent. Margo Selby’s Algarve and Bailey cushions in sumptuous silk feature turquoise teamed with oranges, browns and yellows, and with blues, greens and silvery greys.

chests of drawer
Sea Shore Chest, £345, The French Bedroom Company

For bedrooms and bathrooms, the Sea Shore Chest in aqua blue from the French Bedroom Company has capacious drawers to store towels or clothes. And the delicate Minima Jar with matching tumblers from 95% Danish is perfect for the bedside table. The Doux Billets De Clement cabinet from Sweetpea & Willow provides elegant storage for toiletries and trinkets, while the Aqua Marine furniture range includes console tables, chests and chairs. Accessorise with a contemporary turquoise City Vase or a traditional Crackle Bowl from Oliver Bonas.

This really is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to turquoise furnishings. There’s an ocean of choice to dip into, full of turquoise treasures to enliven your home and sooth your spirits.

Trend Watch: Pastel Colours

furnish
Luella Spring/Summer 10, elleuk.com

Soft pastel hues are on trend this summer to bring a pretty palette of colour to your home.

Sorbet shades will melt your heart this season with delectable pastel hues returning to the catwalks. With fashion influences filtering into interior design you have the opportunity to bring a soft and serene look into your home, with everything from fabrics and furniture, to wallpaper and lighting. Pastel shades are timeless because they are diverse and can be easily combined with bold patterns, colours or textures to bring an updated look to your home.

Duck egg blue in particular has become one of the most popular pastel tones used in interior design because of the innocent and delicate mood it creates. Bloom wallpaper from Graham and Brown combines pretty pink flowers with duck egg for a look which is inspired by beautiful vintage illustrations, absolutely perfect for a romantic bedroom. Pastel colours are an excellent choice for small bedrooms or bathrooms, or even narrow hallways, because their pale palette creates the illusion of space and will make a room feel airy and light. The tsuga wallcoverings collection from Designers Guild offers a wide choice of pastel colours such as patina blossom and patina aqua. These will create a tranquil atmosphere in any living or dining area. Alternatively, use paint in pastel shades to blend a theme together; you will find a variety of options from soft coral to spring blush at dulux.co.uk.

wallpaper
Bloom wallpaper, £23 per roll, Graham and Brown

Avoid making your interior look too outdated by using a mismatch of pastel hues with floral patterns to bring a fresh and modern twist. Fabric is great for this effect; try the English rose oil tablecloth from The Contemporary Home to liven up your kitchen or dining room. The Everyday blue linen duvet cover from Feather and Black made from Egyptian cotton will give a fresh and clean look to any bedroom. Pastels work well in bedrooms to create a relaxing and calming mood, and this is why they are popular choice for decorating children’s rooms in too. The Rosalina cushion from Laura Ashley also comes in a beautiful duck egg blue and the rose petal effect enhances this natural look and feel. The Victoria pastel cushion covers from Kaleidoscope are a perfect illustration of how mellow yellow can brighten up any white-washed room. Also, for those lovely summer evenings, try pastel coloured curtains let the sun shine into your room to give glowing warmth.

chests of drawer
Champétre Chest 3 drawer, £3950, Flemington Design

You can bring a nostalgic feel reminiscent of the Rococo period by combining powdered lilac and rose hues. The Champétre Chest 3 drawer from Flemington Design brings a ‘pretty in pink’ sense of feminine glamour to your bedroom with its powder pink lustre finish. Pastel colours bring a spacious feel to any room when used on walls and floors, but if you want to use pastels elsewhere try the Silk lampshades from Graham and Green. These will bring a sensual soft pastel glow to any bedroom or living area, and they come in three silky shades to compliment any decor. The white cherry blossom design enhances their natural finish and gives a modern touch to the style of your home. I love the Candy Flower rug from the Rug Company because its feminine florals and the beauty of its gorgeous pastel shades are perfect to bring summery warmth to your living area.

So sit back and relax; pour yourself a refreshing drink or devour a home-made ice cream in one of these popsicle pink Ice cream sundae bowls from Oliver Bonas. Amongst furnishings and accessories of the most calming and serene shades you will be all set for summer.

Trend Watch: Vintage Florals

furnish
Patchwork tiles from the Vintage Collection, from £4 per tile, Welbeck Tiles

Interior decor is flourishing with florals this spring, with vintage-inspired patterns in full bloom.

Vintage-inspired florals have been blossoming over the catwalks and clothes shops for a while now, and it’s no surprise that the seeds have been sown in the world of interiors too. Interior decor is flourishing with florals this spring, with vintage-inspired patterns in full bloom.

In interior design, as in dress, different floral prints are layered together, or teamed with anything from paisley swirls, to spots, stripes and geometric patterns. There’s plenty of scope to garland your home in the floral fashion. Embrace the nostalgic mood with muted colours and cottage-garden blooms, or give faded florals a contemporary twist by adding graphic pattern and vibrant hues.

Cath Kidston’s been sowing the seeds of this trend since the early ’90s, with furnishing fabrics and a whole array of home accessories in distinctive floral prints. Cabbages & Roses has quite literally made its name in this patch, with everything from bed linen to kitchenware in glorious garden blooms. And having been founded by Laura Ashley’s husband, it’s only natural that Elanbach should have a full crop of flowers this season. Try the Seaside and Vintage Floral collections for fabrics and wallpapers.

cushion
Constance Multi square cushion, £40, Cabbages & Roses

Another perennial source for prints, Liberty has a new range of cushions made up in its famous floral fabrics. And if you’re going for a combination of vintage florals and contemporary geometric patterns, check out the Pavilion and Darly collections at Designers Guild. But pick of the bunch has to be Welbeck Tiles’ fabulous Vintage Collection. Freshen up your bathroom or kitchen with the vintage Roses or floral Patchwork tiles. Tiles within each range are designed to mixed and matched, to create an eclectic and individual vintage look. I’m going to be picking my favourites to use as coasters.

Vintage florals are thriving on Furnish, with an abundance of designers cultivating the trend. The Contemporary Home has come over all nostalgic with a floral enamelware jug, pressed glass cake stands, and serving dishes featuring wild strawberries and roses. Available at Liberty, John Derian’s Geranium and Lily plates are divine, the faded floral centrepieces encircled by a silvered spider’s web, with the spider herself perched on the rim.

cushion
Constance Mono Pink, Cerise Stripe, and Paris Rose square cushions, £40 each, Cabbages & Roses

Also at Liberty, Burleigh’s blue and white earthenware celebrates English country-house style. But if you don’t feel that grown up yet, check out the playful Vintage Tea Party crockery at The Orchard. And you can forget breakages with Ella Doran’s melamine Vintage Plates tray. Retire to your boudoir with Graham & Green’s fabulous brown and blush pink Fifties Floral Print cushions, in sumptuous velvet. But if you thought the vintage floral trend was all about chintzy fabrics and girly colours, think again, with Selina Rose’s Bloom rug at BODIE and FOU. Striking cut outs of roses and foliage garland the edges of the black felt rug.

Spruce up your home and bring it into bloom with vintage florals. There’s room play around with patterns and colourways to get a look that suits your style.

Trend Watch: Block colour

furnish
Richard Nicoll, Spring/Summer 09, vogue.co.uk

From the catwalk to your home, try decorating in block colour to bring a fresh and vibrant look.

With block colour making a statement on the catwalk this season, designers have taken inspiration and brought a mix of bold and daring colours to the forefront of interior style. Not only can you now dress and feel confident, but you can bring a strong, sophisticated look to your home without the fuss of busy patterns or prints.

When it comes to blocking, normal colour rules don’t apply so there’s no need to be cautious with clashing colours. This season the colours on trend include oranges, red and hot pinks, bringing a lively and warm feel to your home.

Add confident colour blocks to inspire different moods or themes in the room you are decorating. The bright, tangerine orange Moroccan leather pouffe is one of a range of vibrant colours available from Rockett St George, and its leather exterior will add texture and comfort to your living area. The bold orange and red coloured Bute Tiree wool fabric offset the curvaceous shape of the 2010 Flow Sofa by Kay and Stemmer from Heal’s, making it feel like a warm and welcoming place to snuggle up on. Modular furniture like the Patchwork sofa collection by Pascal Mourgue for Ligne Roset helps build up layers of colour in your living room with its aubergine and raspberry tones.

sofa
Patchwork sofa by Pascal Mourgue for Ligne Roset, from £3,073

There are a variety of ways in which you can use colour blocking on your walls, for example choose from stripes, squares, rectangles, or circles to highlight a feature wall or to simply dress an empty wall. Graham and Brown’s rich plain Evita wallpaper will liven up and dramatise a bedroom, and can be effectively contrasted with the fabric on your cushions and blinds, or rugs and throws. Experiment with pinks and purples against a vibrant lime green like this Vermont Roman blind from Tuiss for an exotic warmth of colour. Break up colour blocks with cream, black or grey, for example use a couple of Black Montague Silk Cushions from Heal’s to give a mysterious look and contrast to your colour scheme.

ottoman
Moroccan Leather Pouffe, £100, Rockett St George

Rothko famously experimented with block colour on canvas to give the viewer an intense experience of colour and emotion. For a colour blocking effect that can be easily removed use wall art, canvases or prints like this orange and yellow Rothko print from art.co.uk. Also, the calming and serene tones in this Striped blanket from Designers Guild, can be matched with the Cietti aqua cushion to bring unity and a contemporary feel.

Whether you want to update your style or introduce a new theme use colour with style and confidence to get the best from your interior.

Trend Watch: Oversized interior design

floor lamp
Giant Anglepoise, £2200, Heal’s

We all know about oversized handbags that make you look thinner, but what about oversized interior design?

The trend for large-scale furniture and accessories is huge for 2010. From headboards to mirrors, and lamps to chairs, interior designers are thinking big and playing with proportion. Home furnishings are entering the surreal, with designers taking an Alice in Wonderland approach to scale.

Anglepoise created an enormous floor-standing version of its iconic desk lamp for the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre (remember the Big Friendly Giant?). A second one sold at a charity auction to film director and all-round oddball, Tim Burton, and the Giant Anglepoise has now been put into full-scale production. Serralunga has commissioned some of the world’s leading designers to create a range of outsized vases and pots, for interior and exterior use. Standing at two metres tall, the supersized Holly All Vase by Philippe Starck is a sculptural statement as well as seat.

wall clock
Diamantini & Domeniconi Wall Clock, £380, Rockett St George

The enchanting appeal of these oversize objects, of escaping the real for the realms of fantasy, is as much to do with the world of hotels as the landscape of fairy-tales. Indulgent oversized furnishings are an established feature of luxurious hotel rooms, spaces synonymous with escapism. But supersized style is coming home, and there are big benefits to going upscale.

With the popularity of open-plan living, an outsized statement piece is a great way to add visual impact if your space lacks a natural focal point. Equally, an oversized mirror in a small room will instantly add depth and maximise on light, creating the illusion of extra space. An expansive armchair creates a welcoming retreat, and an extra-large lamp adds a sense of drama to a room. But the best thing about going large is the playful absurdity of bizarre proportions, introducing a quirky sense of fun to your interior scheme. With big pieces that’ll draw the eye it’s important to go for a good quality finish. And be selective; avoid a themed ‘house of fun’ look by choosing accent pieces and a complementary colour scheme.

Brands and boutiques on Furnish are playing with proportion in big way. Follow the White Rabbit into Wonderland with Heal’s giant fob watch alarm clock by Newgate Empire. You’ll never be late again. Or net two trends at once with an enormous knitted Wall Clock by Diamantini & Domeniconi Gomitolo at Rockett St George. Designed as a room within a room, escape from the everyday into Vitra’s Alcove Sofa by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec at Utility. Get into a spin on the Waltzer Loveseat at Heal’s or sink into the Nest Loveseat at the Lollipop Shoppe.

mirror
Princesse Mirror, £340, Brissi

Taking their cue from Anglepoise, you can find outsize floor-standing desk lamps at Graham & Green (the brilliantly named Hercules), Rockett St George and Oliver Bonas. Or go for another supersized classic with the Mega Tolomeo floor lamp at Utility. For overhead lighting check out the industrial Titan pendant from Original BTC and Sofie Refer’s Mega Bulb at 95% Danish. Step into a fairy-tale with Brissi’s Princesse Mirror or the supersize Soho. Not strictly oversize, a life size Horse Floor Lamp by Moooi from Utility is bound to make a big impression.

Scale up your style and make a supersize statement.