interior design company in Leicester

Bring Your Home Alive With Colour

If you like browsing interiors magazines, blogs and websites, but aren’t sure how to bring the ideas you like into your own home, you’ll find that an interior designer Leicestershire will have all the skills and experience necessary to adapt what’s currently trending and making it exactly right for your home.

A current key trend is colour blocking. This can be interpreted in several ways and how you do it and the colours you choose will depend on the size of your room, possibly the amount of natural light, and any pieces of furniture you want included.

You could choose to have all four walls painted in the same shade. A deep blue, plum red or green, for example, would work well paired with leather or velvet upholstery and cushions in a similar shade if you want to create a cosy feel for a study or living room. The effect might be to make a small room appear smaller, but this can be countered with the use of mirrors and well positioned lamps.

For a brighter look, and if your room has good natural light, try using toning colours such as sunshine yellow and blue (which would combine well in a sunny kitchen), shades of the same colour, or use grey, which you’ll have noticed appearing everywhere recently, as a on trend contrast neutral. If you have an open plan area, think about using different colours to define sitting, dining and kitchen areas, for example.

Once you’ve chosen your base colour or colours (go as bold as you like – think fuschia, lime green, electric blue) – you’re ready to start layering. Collect pictures from those magazines, bookmark your favourite interiors blogs, get some fabric samples and create your own actual or digital mood board. If you’re using an interior designer, they’ll be able to create a professional one for you following a site visit.

If you’re confident with colour and find bright colours energizing, try teaming a really bright wall with an equally bright sofa in a different ‘pop out’ colour. Keep a clear space between the sofa and the wall, a neutral floor, perhaps with a rug in the same shade as your walls, and choose your accessories carefully to really make your colours the focus of attention. Try white, silver, glass or retro wood for a living area, while for a luxurious study, some well chosen antique pieces would suit the look perfectly.

When you first see your bright colour on the wall, it may seem a step too far, especially if you’re used to neutrals, but think of it as a backdrop. Look for one large piece of stunning wall art which will be framed perfectly by the wall colour, or fix a collection of monochrome photo frames in a tight arrangement in one area to give an alternative focus.

Whatever you decide on, be bold. Repaint whenever you want a colour change so your look stays fresh and let colour blocking brings your home alive.

Some Recipes for a Great Looking Kitchen

The kitchen is increasingly becoming the most important room in our homes, used not just for cooking but for working and socialising too.

One of the most on-trend looks for kitchens is to use white for cabinets teamed with a mix of white, metallics and natural textures. As white reflects light, if your kitchen faces north or east, you’ll benefit immediately from the effect. If you’re able to extend your kitchen, a glazed roof would also help.

If you like a very tidy look, keep to white gloss cabinets and counters, with minimal appliances on show, perhaps, using a line of Perspex containers as an non-invasive storage option. If you need additional storage, find room for an island unit with white or silver down lighters hung low above it.

This contemporary style looks good matched with a grey floor. (Remember, when choosing your flooring, that natural stone, for example, may be unforgiving if you have young children or very precious china!) You could also have grey marble or natural wood worktops if you feel that too much white would overwhelm the space. A firm of interior designers in East Midlands, or your own area, would have lots of ideas on how to create the look you want in the space available.

Maybe you prefer to have everyday china on show? Then have white floor to ceiling cabinets in a ‘dresser’ arrangement along one or more walls. Adding glass doors, means you’ll be able to find what you need easily.

This option also works well if you want to go for a ‘farmhouse’ feel but, instead of having fitted units, you could use freestanding cabinets in painted wood and use wood for the worktops and flooring too, though these will have to be treated to protect them from potential humidity. Using open baskets as shelf and counter storage fits well with this style of kitchen.

You may have a table and chairs in your kitchen and these would look good all in pale, natural wood or a wooden table paired with metallic or Perspex chairs. If your kitchen opens onto the garden, try and place the table and chairs so you can enjoy the view when eating (even though it might be a distraction if you work from home.) If your kitchen is large enough, why not also create a second seating area using a small sofa and coffee table? You’ll be able to entertain friends as you cook or take a few moments to relax between the stages of cooking a meal.

You’ll find plenty of inspiration in interiors magazines but your kitchen must work for you and your family so take time to choose and make it the heart of your home.

Designing From the Floor Upwards

When thinking about redesigning a room, it’s easy to get excited about colours and fabrics for walls and upholstery, new furniture and accessories, yet the floor covering sometimes gets overlooked, especially if your room is small and not much of the floor shows. But that doesn’t have to be the case and, by choosing carefully, your floor can make a design statement of its own.

While in recent years, interior schemes have tended to neutrals rather than colours, the current trend for all things retro has seen increased interest in bright colours and patterns.

If you’re planning a new scheme for a small room, and you’ve chosen a patterned wall covering, a plain colour for your floors will make sure that the space doesn’t look too cluttered and make the room appear larger. But while you may go for a plain colour, you’ll have a wide choice of finishes: carpet, real wood, stone or porcelain tiles, for example. Choosing real wood or stone will also give you textural interest because of their natural variations.

If your walls are plain, a well chosen patterned floor covering – whether carpet, real wood, tiles or laminate – would be an excellent base for your design ideas.Before you choose your pattern though, think about where your furniture will go: if the pattern is a large one, much of it may be hidden in a small room. Should this be the case, why not use a plain floor covered with brightly patterned rugs in key areas? If you’re interested in upcycling, you’ll find quirky bright rugs made from all kinds of materials including recycled plastic carrier bags! A great way to make an individual style statement.

In a hallway, try continuing your floor covering into adjacent rooms and up the stairs. You don’t necessarily have to cover the entire stair. A look which would work especially well in a period home would have carpet, laminate, or a natural fibre such as jute, in the centre of each step, with the rest of the step painted. To make even more of a statement, simply paint the whole staircase, either in one colour, a different colour for alternate stairs or each step in a different colour.

If you’re redesigning your bedroom, using an interior design company in Leicester will help turn your ideas into reality. When it comes to the flooring, carpet would be a good choice if you’d like to step onto a warm surface on cold mornings. Blue is trending and a bright blue or softer mauve tone in a velvet finish offers luxury and an early morning mood lifter. If your room is large enough, a large geometric pattern would be an on trend statement option, while a wooden floor painted in a pale colour wash and covered in toning rugs would give you the continually popular ‘New England’ style.

Whichever rooms you’re redesigning, don’t forget that your floor isn’t just for walking on; let it make a design statement of its own too.

Why Use a Professional for a Home Renovation Project?

Renovating your home can be time consuming and disruptive but if the project is planned and costed carefully and overseen and carried out by professionals, the finished result will not only give you an attractive living space but potentially increase your home’s value. With the cost of moving increasing all the time, property renovation is a cost effective way of turning your property into the home you’ve always wanted.

A design company experienced in home renovation Leicestershire is the perfect starting point and, working with experienced subcontractors as required, they will make sure you get a professional final result.

Renovation can take many forms including the installation of new bathrooms, bedrooms and kitchens or the upgrading and modernisation of existing facilities to suit the changing needs of a growing family. For example, if you have teenagers, you can never have enough bathroom space! Alternatively you may be thinking about age proofing your home for later years with a walk-in shower or wet room.

If you’re involved in property development as an investment, you may need to carry out major renovation work on an older house or apartment in order to meet modern standards for heating, wiring and plumbing, for example. You’ll need to budget for the services of an architect if you’re going to make structural changes.

When looking for ideas for lower key renovations, collect pictures of interiors which appeal to you and an experienced home renovation company will be able to interpret your ideas and, where necessary, suggest alternatives to match your budget.

While at one time a period property would automatically be decorated in a period style, nowadays anything goes. Adding a modern, glazed extension – either single or double storey – at the rear can flood a dark Victorian or Edwardian villa with natural light while keeping the style intact at the front: especially important if your home is in a terrace.

You may decide that while you love your home, the layout of rooms isn’t ideal for your family’s lifestyle. An interior designer will be able to make practical suggestions, such as swapping the functions of some rooms, streamlining your life and your home.

Incorporating items like a butlers sink or dresser into a redesigned kitchen, along with contemporary units in neutral colours and a natural stone, or wooden floor gives a fresh update, incorporating the convenience of modern living with the unique character of an older property. Neutrals, paired with metallics would also particularly suit a 30’s style home adding light, colour and a feeling of luxury.

But whatever style of home you have, you’ll find that shopping for furniture and the all important ‘finishing touch’ accessories for the project will be both easy and enjoyable, with a huge range of sources, whether you go for antique pieces or modern reproductions.

A renovation project isn’t to be undertaken lightly: you may even have to move out temporarily but working with professionals is a cost effective way to the home of your dreams.

Advantages of Using an Interior Designer

If you’re planning to upgrade one or more rooms in your home, you’ll probably have a good idea of what you’d like the final effect to be. However, you may feel you just don’t have the space or the budget for everything you’d like included. That’s where an interior designer Leicestershire can help.

The designer will look at the space you have available, what you want to use the room or rooms for and then help you achieve the maximum possible within your budget.

It’s useful to have some idea of any ‘theme’ or colours you want to use before meeting your interior designer – maybe you’ll have collected a few paint, wallpaper or fabric samples – but your designer is uniquely placed to be both up to date on the latest trends and able to interpret elements of them in the most cost effective way for your home.

While you may buy the occasional ‘interiors’ magazine, a professional interior designer will constantly be researching current ideas in interiors through magazines, the internet and trade exhibitions and will also have a portfolio of work with previous clients for you to browse. They will help you tailor your vision to what is feasible and most appropriate for the style of your home. If you’re prepared to have an open mind and trust your designer, you may find that you achieve a stunning new look for your home in a totally different way to how you’d imagined. Your designer will also be able to bring a range of pattern books and samples which you can look at in a variety of lighting conditions and alongside any furniture or furnishings you’re keeping, before making a decision.

If any structural work needs to be done, your designer will probably be able to recommend highly qualified professionals they’ve worked with before and will manage their input so that all the elements of the scheme are completed in the correct order and with minimal disruption to your home and normal routine.

As well as advising on the key elements such as colours, finishes, furniture and lighting, an experienced interior designer will also be able to help you choose those all important accessories such as lamps, wall art and storage solutions which will give your new space an individual look, whether you’re looking for the glamorous or simply the practical.

With autumn now here, fresh new colour schemes using pastels with accent bright colours, metallics and monochrome shades are featuring heavily in interiors and, if you decide you’d like to incorporate some of these trends into your new rooms, your designer will offer plenty of suggestions on picking the ideas which will the most suitable, whether for a modern or a period property.

Redesigning part of your home is exciting but it’s worth taking time to do your research and planning first, so that the investment you make will satisfy you for years to come.

Treat Your Staircase to an Upgrade

At one time a staircase was simply a means of getting from one level of your home to another; not any more though. Now a staircase can make a design statement too. Whether you want to update your staircase as part of a refurbishment or renovation project or are having a new staircase installed in an extension, East Midlands interior design companies will offer advice on a range of treatments and help you find the best look for your interior and your budget.

If you’re renovating a period property, professionals will be able to replace either just damaged and worn sections, or all non structural sections of the staircase – such as the steps or banister spindles – in wood, coloured and turned to match the original, or wrought iron.

In a home with a contemporary style, you’ll find lots of design options including the use of glass with light coloured woods to bring a welcoming sense of light and space to your hallway, stairs and landing. You may decide to keep the leave the treads uncarpeted to show off the natural beauty of the wood. If you would rather use carpet to minimise noise, consider just laying it over the centre of each tread with the natural wood showing at the margins. Using a plain carpet will give a better appearance than a large design, which can appear disjointed.

Another option for updating to an on trend look is to combine materials such as glass and metal, which fit well with a ‘loft’ living/industrial vibe. You could replace the risers with glass, which gives the impression that the staircase is floating and makes the hall area lighter too. If you’re having a new staircase built, you might be able to have one which is cantilevered from a supporting wall and, though you will need a balustrade to comply with building regulations, this could be glass and therefore wouldn’t spoil the effect.

Many of the latest staircase treatments open up the whole area and, if you live in an older property with an under stairs cupboard, removing the cupboard wall and replacing a wooden balustrade with glass, would really update the hallway. If you need the storage space, you’ll find units available to fit under stairs or you could commission a bespoke system from an experienced interior design company. If the area is large enough, you could have it fitted as a home office.

When deciding on what changes to make to your staircase, consider the safety aspects carefully. Older people become less confident at using stairs and may dislike glass risers or banisters and, together with young children, may feel particularly unsafe on a spiral staircase.

Having a staircase renovated – or a new one built – is not a project to undertake lightly but by taking expert advice, you can make an investment that will be an eye catching addition to your home for years to come.

Bringing the Highlands Home

The Commonwealth Games, held recently in Glasgow, seem to have sparked interest in all things Scottish. While learning to speak Gaelic or dance a Scottish Reel might be too much of an ask, you can easily introduce Scottish patterns into your home for a cozy, traditional look.

Start with tartan, probably the most recognizable element of Scottish culture. If you know anything about your family history, you might be able to link to a specific tartan but if not, it comes in such a huge variety of colourways, that finding one to kick start your interior scheme shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll find warm, rich reds and purples, cool blues and greens, even neutral oatmeal shades.

In a large room, you could start from the floor upwards, adding layers to the scheme with upholstery and curtains, but a tartan carpet could overwhelm so, if that’s not for you, think tartan upholstered chairs and curtains against a carpet in a plain colour chosen from the background of the tartan.

If you live in a period property with large rooms, you could have framed tartan wall panels on a large plain wall or use tartan wallpaper above or below a dado rail, used with a contrast colour. These options will stop the pattern becoming too overwhelming. In a smaller space, one or two walls in your chosen plaid should be enough.

If you’re updating, rather than redesigning a room, you can still introduce the Highland look through upholstery on chairs, footstools or curtains. If you’ve got a plain colour scheme, take the base colour, pick a tartan which has that colour and use it for cushions or throws piled onto your seats. Go for as many as you can to create a luxurious space for relaxing in. Try and look at your fabric or wallpaper samples in both natural and artificial light. What gives a warm, cosy feeling in winter may be too dark for a bright summer’s day.

If your styling is eclectic, interior designers in East Midlands will have plenty of design ideas and might suggest you could choose a number of different tartans and mix them up. Vintage, up cycling and crafts are all trending now, so look out for an old footstool to recover, make a drought excluder or curtain tiebacks from tartan remnants, add tartan frames to pictures or mirrors, make a display of tartan china or kitsch souvenirs from Scotland; the only limit is your imagination.

But if you’re not a fan of tartan? Then just base your scheme on the lovely muted tones of the Scottish countryside: greens, soft browns, heather’s, greys. Pair plain and lightly checked fabrics, contrast with cream or oatmeal, and you’ll have a look that’s as refreshing as the Highland air.

Whether you decide to go for all out tartan or just a few Scottish touches, you can have a lot of fun creating a highland look that’s perfect for your home.

Create a Custom Designed Welcoming Hallway to Attract the Visitors

When people visit your home, what first impression do they get: warm, bright and welcoming, or cold, dull and crowded? Use your hall to create an inviting space, drawing visitors in, while not forgetting the family’s needs in this high traffic area.

If you live in a period home, you might have original features like checkerboard floor tiles or even a fireplace but, if painted in period colours, the hall may be quite dark. To introduce more light, painting the walls in a neutral colour or pastel shade and adding a statement mirror, will immediately make the space seem brighter. Try placing a large vase of flowers on the hearth or mantel to reduce the dominance of a dark fireplace.

For a contemporary home, you’ll find plenty of flooring choices: natural stone, ceramic tiles, laminates vinyls or carpets. Bear in mind the maintenance needed on natural floors and look for non-slip ceramics and easy cleaning if you have children or animals. A single colour will draw the eye, visually increasing the size of the hall. But including the occasional ‘bright’ tile (fuschia or purple for example), in a neutral run, will give your hall the “wow” factor. Continue the flooring into living areas opening off the hall for a natural transition.

If you opt for wallpaper, you’ll be spoilt for choice with bold prints, retro chic and botanical just some of the current trends. Remember, a large pattern can overwhelm a small space and that an expensive designer paper might be ideal for a single person’s home, but be less practical for the busy hallway of a young family.

Plan in furniture without cluttering the space. A seat, possibly incorporating storage, is a useful option. Think period armchair or reclaimed church pew in an older style hall, pale wood or rustic painted settle piled with vintage fabric cushions for a country style, or a unique designer piece to complement a minimalist, contemporary hall.

Console tables are great space savers. Choose a metal, glass or a polished or painted wood finish, with drawers to keep your daily clutter out of sight. Then, with just a vase of flowers, a few well chosen photos or a lamp, and placed, if possible, beneath a mirror, your table will add to the feeling of welcome you want to achieve.

In most homes, the stairs lead up from the hall, so they need thinking about too. If the staircase is narrow but the stairs are in good condition, paint them white and carpet the center only, to make them look wider. In a contemporary home, consider clear glazing panels to replace conventional banisters. Also, think about the space below the stairs. Could you open it up and install a custom designed storage system, maybe even a home office?

Whether you’re scouring reclamation yards in London, using an interior design company in Leicester or contemplating tartan wallpaper in Edinburgh, create a welcoming hallway and you’ll never be short of visitors. You can also browse The Spinney for a New Venue Leicester

Modern Wallpapers Giving a Glimpse of the Past

Just as fashions in the colours and fabrics used for clothes change, so do trends in the world of wallpaper design.

In the 1960s, Modern Wallpapers Giving a Glimpse of the Past, like fashion, embraced both monochrome Op art and the joyful colours of Flower Power. In comparison, in the 1970s, the milkmaid look popularized by Laura Ashley sent sprigs of tiny blooms spreading across our walls. The 1980s saw densely patterned floral papers with accompanying borders start to make way, in the 1990s, for a minimalist look with wallpaper often being ditched in favour of plain painted walls. As the decade went on, a partial revolt against minimalism saw the introduction of techniques such as sponging to add texture to the walls.

Since the dawn of the new millennium, and in today’s tighter financial conditions, many firms, including an interior design company in Leicester, are reporting a rise in nostalgia and growing interest in all things vintage and handmade, as people look for ways to stamp their individuality on their homes.

So, retro prints copied from original 1960s or 70s pattern books are big news. The bold geometric designs, often in greens, oranges or browns, are best kept to one wall in a small room, with a complementary or contrast colour paper on the other walls. Carry the theme through with cushions or ceramics in key colours from the wallpaper.

Botanic is another current trend, but, unlike the tiny floral prints of the 1980s, the 2014 wallpapers often feature much larger blooms, combining well with bold modern furniture or adding a striking backdrop to a deliberately mismatched, retro-chic scheme. You’ll find flowers featuring heavily on ‘oriental’ inspired papers, too, and if you choose one with a dark background, these can work well in a contemporary, minimalist home.

If you prefer plain to patterned walls, introducing texture is a great way to individualize your room. And it has the further advantage of helping to disguise any imperfections on a less-than-perfect wall surface! Go for a 30s throwback anaglypta paper which can be painted or left plain, or look for a paper with a metallic finish that will reflect light and make the room seem bigger.

Children’s rooms have been transformed too. The latest trends see an end to the TV tie-ins and, instead, a wealth of beautiful vintage-inspired designs, featuring stylized animals, cars, brightly coloured Paisley patterns and bold geometric stripes that suit both boys and girls and which won’t date as the child grows.

Wallpaper has been part of our homes and our lives for generations, and, as with so many things, wallpaper design trends seem to be coming full circle. But experiments with the latest 3D printer technology have already seen wallpaper being produced. We may be on the threshold of a completely new era that could one day see us all able to produce our designs for our homes within our homes.