Interior designer Leicestershire – Craven and Hargreaves

Top 5 Interior Design Companies in Leicester

cravenandhargreaves — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 18:17:14 +0000

You'll find that our list of the top 5 interior design companies in Leicester looks a bit different now.

The post Top 5 Interior Design Companies in Leicester appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Wood Interior Designs

cravenandhargreaves — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 12:41:50 +0000

The classic interior designs mostly have wood in it. Wood designs are mostly very classic and are also timeless. What to keep in mind when you have wood designs. Walls: Wooden walls look very artistic because the wood patterns are very beautiful. The wood has so beautiful different shades of brown. When making wood walls then one must keep in mind that the most top quality wood must be used. Pine trees are easily available and its wood is available in abundance. Not only this, the wood is also of top quality and is also strong to withstand the extreme weather conditions. Roof The wooden roof is a little tricky because it cannot be made like a cement ceiling and the wooden roof have to be made in a triangle shape. Why this is done is because to make the roof strong and make it strong enough so it can withstand the extreme weather and also can balance out the weight of the wood. Fire Place Your fire place must be the most comfortable place. As it is made up of stone and you can use wood logs for burning and the rest of the place can be made of wood. The wood rocking chair is the classic and it can be placed near the fire place. Stairway The stairways which are made up of wood gives an impression of watching an old classic western movie as the stairway in these movies are mostly made of wood. You can have it in your home and make your stairway a classic. Pine wood must be used in making a stairway as it is the strongest wood and can easily withstand heavy weights. When selecting wood, it is very important to keep in mind the strength of the wood because the wood has a very long life as long as you pick the right kind of wood. Pine wood is the most recommended. The wood is easily available in the market and there are many experts who can help you pick the right kind of wood before you invest in it. The wood is very expensive and the same wood designs which are available in different materialswhich are not wood but have the design that you want.These cheap alternatives are a good choice and can help you control your budget and make you achieve your targeted design.

The post Wood Interior Designs appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

3 Design You Don’t Need to Follow Anymore

cravenandhargreaves — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:32:46 +0000

Rules about interior design are not inherently a bad thing. In fact, most designers are of the opinion these “Rules are placed to guide us”. We may not have that magic eye of interior designers, but we can try to copy their work by turning it into a formula and implementing it in our own space for a similar stylish look. Rules like: painting small rooms white, hanging wall art at eye level, no mixture of large scale patterns on the same space and using decor of varying height have been put forward by designers.With these rules, one could feel intimidated or incompetent about his sense of style. This is so because either consciously or not, we accept them when decorating or putting up furniture in our homes. Somebest interior design practices are no longer fashionable. Here are three “Don’ts” put forward by interior designers. Outdated rule :The use of same metal finish in a room Nowadays, the idea of matching metals in room space seems outdated.This rule is controversial. According to some interior designers, mixing metals feels so fresh and current whereas others opine that many people would rather feel comfortable going against this traditional rule. There are a few tricks to make this design choice attractive. First, one has to make sure that the metals in question are distinct. Eg.shiny silver chrome and brushed nickel look very much alike that it will seem accidental to have them in a single space. In such a situation interior designers suggests that one metal should be the hero colour while the others follow as accents. Outdated rule : Follow the 60-30-10 colour guide Blending colours in a home is not as easy as it seems, as many people do not know what colours to use in specific positions. This explains why interior designers decided to formulate another rule; the 60-30-10 rule.It refers to the use of a 60% focal colour on large furniture in your space such as walls and carpets. It equally involves a 30% use of secondary colour on smaller furniture like windows and pillows and an accent colour of 10% on other smaller objects like lamps and smaller art. Thiscreativity brings out a perfect blend of colours into a space. No specified number of colours is specified to be incorporated in a single space. This leaves one in suspense as to what solution to seek in overcoming the... Read more »

The post 3 Design You Don’t Need to Follow Anymore appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Top 5 interior design trend of 2019 luxury homes Leicestershire

cravenandhargreaves — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 13:55:38 +0000

The beginning of New Year is always a great opportunity for a fresh start. So it is certainly the perfect time to renovate your home and bring about a new energy into your living space. This year looks beyond bare minimal interior spaces, promising much more rich, inviting and luxurious homes. So it is the best time to bring a glimpse of the rich cultural heritage of Leicestershire into your homes. Thus here are top 5 interior design in Leicester trends which bring a contemporary twist upon classic design elements, for an ultimately modern and luxurious haven. A rich colourpalette: Passion for rich and bright colours had already been witnessed last year. Yet in the year 2019, it is likely to become the most happening interior design trend. It remains a perfect opportunity to bring the rich, warm and inviting colours of the Victorian period back into your home. So when thinking of home refurbishment this year be sure to add a rich colour palate ranging from dazzling shades of red, orange and pink to the royal and enchanting tones of purple. Thus when renovating your home this time bid farewell to boring and monotonous grey and brighten up your space with these vibrant colours. Brass accents: This year it is all about warm, inviting and luxurious space, thus the cold feel of stainless steel can certainly not do justice. So it is time to cherish the ultimately rich and sophisticated finish of Brass. The material can instantly bring warmth into your space with a unique touch of luxury. So adorn your space with brass accent when renovating your home this year. It remains a great way to glam featuring endless creative possibilities. Bring the unique finish of brass through home accessories such as mirror and lamps, or simply add a touch of brass to the rod of your curtains and blind. Fine detailing in brass could also serve as a modern twist upon classic cravings and details. So this year is the perfect opportunity to awaken your space to the warmth and opulence of brass. Floral pattern: With an increasing urge to connect with nature, design trends of this year tend to focus upon bringing all the motifs and patterns inspired by nature back into your home. So when renovating your home this year, add a unique style into your home with floral patterns and motifs inspired by the... Read more »

The post Top 5 interior design trend of 2019 luxury homes Leicestershire appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Three Important Elements Of Interior Design

cravenandhargreaves — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 13:40:15 +0000

Creating unity and harmony in a space. When undertaking interior design, you need to look at the building as a whole. Do not consider each room to be separate but to be part of a larger room that is connected via halls, stairs and doors. When thinking this way you should aim to link all of the rooms together in a fluid and continuous style and a fantastic way to achieve this is with the use of colour. Color can be selected in a set of 3 to four tones, and varying shades of those tones can be utilised in each room throughout the building. By doing this you introduce each room to the next and keep a common theme throughout that helps create an identity for the building as a whole. If you prefer to stick to single shades in each room, then try to build a connection by introducing separate tones to the woodwork or window frames, therefore, bringing each room together. Contrast is important. Contrast is found everywhere you look and is also a major player when it comes to design. To utilise contrast you can use 2 opposing colours or shapes to create the effect. Think of traditional contrast colours such as black and white, or red and green. They hold a pleasing aesthetic that is almost comforting to the eye while creating interest. The use of contrast, especially with colour can liven up a space and give it a modern sleek feel. Be careful with how you place contrasting pieces and colours as it can also cause a room to feel busy and disorganised. A great example of how to add some contrast to a space would be cushion covers and curtains in contrasting shades to the main colour scheme. Focal points make or break a space. When it comes to interior design the most well-known objective is the focal point. A focal point is what makes a room have interest and removes boredom from the space. In fact, every well-designed space should have one or more focal points to add interest to it. Depending on the size of the space you are working with, a great example of some focal points would be a brick fireplace, a large flat screen TV or a feature wall. A focal point should aim to draw the eye to it by creating interest, but should not dominate the... Read more »

The post Three Important Elements Of Interior Design appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Things to Put On Your Christmas List This Year

cravenandhargreaves — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 08:21:41 +0000

It’s inevitable at Christmas that you’re more than likely to go over your usual shopping budget and give your credit cards a good workout, so why try and fight it? After all you can’t put a price on happiness and Christmas is the happiest time of the year! When it comes to Christmas decorations this year, spoil your tree and your home to some of the finest wares that will make for a special addition to your home each year! Extra special decorations Known as Mr Christmas, Johann Wanner is a Swiss Christmas specialist who has decorated the White House, 10 Downing Street and even done decorations for the late Princess Diana. He began importing antique glass decorations from Russia and to this day he has a whole, stunning shop in Basel dedicated to Christmas all year round. You can get some original, glass and antique Christmas Decorations via his online shop here. Show Stopping Wreaths Want to impress even the postman this Christmas. You can’t go wrong with a luxury Christmas wreath. We love these handmade wreaths by Floom in London, using the best natural materials including pine cones, dried seed pods and flowers. With their team of talented florists you can have a Christmas wreath to put your neighbours to shame. The most important meal of the year We all know how much energy goes into making Christmas dinner, so make sure your delicious banquet is complemented by your table decorations. From opulent and festive napkin rings, to platters, candle holders and more. Check out these Christmas dining accessories by John Lewis to make your table extra special this year. Luxury Stocking Fillers Of course Christmas isn’t just about buying Christmas decorations, it’s also about presents! This year, why not upgrade everyone’s Christmas stockings from bog standard to super luxurious. Harrods have some fantastic ideas for luxury stocking fillers so why not treat your family this year with something extra special!

The post Things to Put On Your Christmas List This Year appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

How to Balance Festive and Stylish This Christmas

cravenandhargreaves — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 10:05:11 +0000

Just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean you have to plaster your halls and walls with tinsel in every colour – and nor is it an excuse to litter the outside of your home with flashing multi-coloured lights and various inflatable Christmas paraphernalia. Christmas presents the perfect opportunity for sumptuous style, decadence and luxury – after all it is the season for indulgence. This year, treat your home to a stylish Christmas with considered decor. Although some decorations can hold sentimental value your home can soon start looking like a charity shop in January, so stop, think and design before you break out the step ladder. The centre piece of most homes during this festive time of year is the Christmas tree. So a great way to ensure your tree is stylish as opposed to garish is to colour coordinate your decorations. For example you can mix gold decorations with warm white lights, or mix blues and silvers with bright white lights. Of course your colour scheme can be a little more inventive, however the importance of balancing colours is looking at them as either cool or warm, so for reds, oranges opt for complementary warm lights, and when using blues, think about neighbouring shades of purple or green. Of course, decor doesn’t just stop at the tree. You can add some festive style to your front door. When it comes to a Christmas wreath, traditional is always best, so you could head to a florist and get one custom made with some intricately hidden, battery powered fairy lights, or get creative with holly and ivy yourself – after all a plastic wreath will never look as good as a real one and is far more stylish and elegant than a fake one. If you’re entertaining this Christmas you can also inject some festive style into your drinking and dining wear with some elegant wineglass charms so your guests don’t mix up their drinks, and some festive gold platters to serve nibbles on. Remember, Christmas is a time to spoil yourself, family and friends so the more opulent and stylish… the better!

The post How to Balance Festive and Stylish This Christmas appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Interior design ideas for your teenage daughter

cravenandhargreaves — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 07:34:56 +0000

It’s difficult to design something for the ‘average’ teenage girl, as each one has their own style, for example goth, feminine, sophisticated, rocker or chic. Here are some of the best ways to try to work their unique style and personality into an interior décor scheme they will truly feel at home in. Use their favourite colour Most people have a colour that they prefer over all others, such as red, black, sunny yellow, blue, or purple. Using their favourite shade will help them to show off their personality, the instant that anyone steps foot in the room. You can also add colourful accessories if their favourite colour is something dark, which they can change as often as they like. Work in storage You can suggest storage options, that will tie into their interior décor ideas. It might help with keeping their possessions out of the way, if you pick things that they’re pleased by. It can be difficult for parents to make sure that their teenagers are keeping their bedrooms clean. Colourful bedroom Another way of making sure that the room suits your teenager’s style, is to allow them to mix and match florals, block colours, stripes and other patterns. Most girls change their personal preferences and style quite often, depending on which influences are strongest at the time of decorating. Bare-brick wall alcove Your teenager might have been influenced by American television programmes set in New York like Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, and Friends. If so they might want to have a bare brick wall, in a bid to create a understated replica of some of the interiors in those and similar shows. Patterned wallpaper For those who have daughters influenced by the sixties and seventies, why not let them choose an vibrant patterned wallpaper? They could choose furniture and home accessories in similar tones, but use block colours in order to make the room less fussy. Ditsy floral fabrics Some girls have classic, and girly tastes for delicate florals, and they might prefer to have a wrought iron bed frame. The metal bed frame can be off set by lots of floral cushions, and if they’re influenced by post world war two décor, then second hand trunks are a possibility for extra storage. Organised girls Those teenage girls that are ultra-organised may prefer to have clever storage solutions, in order to make sure that all... Read more »

The post Interior design ideas for your teenage daughter appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

How Interior design began

cravenandhargreaves — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 13:55:21 +0000

It’s a very recent profession, considering how long we as humans have been decorating our homes. The earliest known use of the words ‘Interior Decorator’ was in America, during the early 1900’s. It wasn’t a prerequisite for those earning a living as designers to have academic qualifications but those at the top of the profession did have good taste, common sense and were able to see scale and proportion. The first interior designer that received an official commission, was Elsie de Wolfe, who went onto publish the first known interior design book called ‘The House in good taste’. It wasn’t until 1923 however that the first commercial design firm was set up by Dorothy Draper. She earned the distinction of being the first commercially successful interior designer. However even with the accomplishments of these two women, they weren’t called ‘interior designers’ at the time. It wasn’t until the 1930’s and the creation of a magazine called, ‘Interior Design and Decoration’ that it came into common usage. A competing magazine known as ‘Interiors’ insisted that people not call those decorating homes for a living, ‘decorator’ but ‘interior designer’. AID, which was the biggest professional organisation in design was founded in 1931, after several people convened at a furniture show. They wanted to create something national, which all designers could belong to. AID added Interior to their name in 1936, after being the American Institute of Decorators for five years. Another step in developing the role of interior designers was when design schools began to recognise the work of designers, architects and engineers. ‘Interiors’ published contract work more often than residential work, and soon after resuming publication the ‘Interior Design and Decoration’ magazine took the option of dropping ‘and decoration’ from it’s title. It was in the 1970’s when two organisations were formed to maintain standards so that all interior designers were held to the same level of education and professionalism. They were the Foundation for Interior Design Educational Research (FIDER) and National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Interior design is still evolving, as the world becomes more and more global. It’s become such an established profession that fictional characters such as ‘Grace’ from ‘Will and Grace’ are given the occupation, and there have been programmes such as ‘Changing Rooms’ in the UK which revolved around home renovation, and helping people decorate their homes in the most professional way possible. Anyone... Read more »

The post How Interior design began appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Drawing inspiration from art

cravenandhargreaves — Sat, 02 Jul 2016 13:33:07 +0000

When setting forth on a project of home renovation, it’s surprising how many different things can influence you. It’s long since been a common practice to be inspired by art, even with those of us who are amateurs at home refurbishment. People like William Morris, who is considered by some to have been the first British man to make a profession out of creating home furnishings such as curtains and wallpaper. He was influenced by his friendships with well-known artists such as Edward Burne- Jones and Rossetti, and got their help while spending two years designing the interior of his home in London. The friends that helped Morris the most, went into business with him in 1861, calling themselves Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. They created home accessories such as tableware and furniture, stained glass and tiles, as well as the wallpaper that has become Morris’s trademark. Wallpaper was only added to the list of items they sold because Morris had been so disappointed with those already on the market, when he had been designing his home interiors. Art became a far more wide spread influence by the twentieth century, when Art Deco truly took hold. That art movement changed a lot of different strands of creative endeavour, not only interior design, but architecture, and others. The clean lines and geometric shapes that characterised the style, were unlike anything that people had seen before. The materials that tended to be used in creating home accessories, and furnishings were chrome, glass, lacquer and inlaid wood. If you are looking to recreate the paint schemes typical of the Art Deco movement then silver, gold, charcoal and metallic blue were those favoured by interior design at the time. Serge Chermayeff, a Russian-born British designer made extensive use of cool metallic colors and luxurious surfaces in his room schemes, throughout this period. It was also common for people to use a lot of black and white, in their home decoration, when doing their floors in particular as they used black and white checkerboard tiles. Syrie Maugham was particularly fond of using white throughout the 1920’s, inspired by the impulse to reject the dark and repressive rooms she was brought up in, during her Victorian childhood. When the style developed, and boomed in popularity going into the 1930’s, people started using more vibrant colours as well as the black and white. Modern Art became the... Read more »

The post Drawing inspiration from art appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

A Brief History ofInterior Design

cravenandhargreaves — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 05:44:07 +0000

There have been examples of interior design, or people adapting their surroundings to their own personal taste since at least the eleventh century. These days it’s hard to pin down one particular trend which will come to define how we in the 2010’s decorated our houses. It has been easier to spot features and touches that typify the houses of the past, and this is a brief guide to what you might need to purchase or master in order to design your house in the same way. The Tudors In order to get your home interiors to incorporate Tudor style influences, then you will need to find rich fabrics such as velvet, brocade and damask. The drapes, and curtains should really have thistle, Tudor rose and fleur de lys stencilled on them. The Tudors tended to use quite distinctive colours, such as gold, red and green in their interior decorating. There was also a lot of ornate carving to their wooden furniture, such as the four poster beds. The Georgians The wealthiest Georgian people, were fascinated and influenced by classical Roman architecture, and used a variety of Corinthian, Ionic and Doric columns in the exterior of their homes. The interest in Roman mythology extended into the interior decoration, as they would use the gods and goddesses’ images on various items typically vases and urns. There were a lot of swags, and ribbons used in the act of decoration, as well as a tendency to use quite neutral and light colours like pea-green, mauve and pink. The Victorians The Victorian period was so long that it encompasses a variety of different styles, but Gothic Revival was a particularly strong influence. There tended to be a lot of decorative ironwork, and they were heavily influenced by medieval heraldry. If you want your home to be decorated in the Victorian style, then the best thing is to use dark rich colours like forest green, damask wallpaper and obtain heavily carved, or plump, over-stuffed furniture, such as button-back armchairs, sofas and ottomans. Their fireplaces were normally ornate, and came in marble, slate or cast iron, depending on the wealth of the individuals. If you cannot afford to get such a thing, or do not want to have a fireplace, then perhaps use the patterned tiles or etched glass that was another staple of Victorian homes. If you have been inspired by this post, then... Read more »

The post A Brief History ofInterior Design appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.

Let There Be Light! Innovative Home Lighting Solutions

cravenandhargreaves — Wed, 06 May 2015 12:34:57 +0000

Lighting is so important when it comes to creating distinct areas with different functions and atmospheres within the home. The interior designer Leicestershire understands the best ways to use lighting to your advantage whatever your goal. With the right planning and expert advice you can transform almost any space in your home at the flick of a switch. Drawer Lights Is your chest of drawers in a dark corner of the bedroom? Do you have to get up regularly while it’s still dark and fumble around for the right top while your partner sleeps, not wanting to turn on the light? If any of these questions ring true then low-cost LED drawer lights can be your friends and solve your problems, while adding a touch of style to your pants drawer! Task Lighting So-called task lighting is essential for all hobbyists and budding sewers and knitters as well as those of us who like to curl up on our favourite chairs with a good book. Let the world of lamps light your way to a well lit area in which to indulge in your craft. Do you only have space for small bedside tables? Don’t worry – with some well positioned wall lights you can save on vital table space leaving room for your obligatory glass of water and a place to leave your book and glasses. Update fixtures when redecorating If you’re planning on jazzing up a particular room, giving it a special theme or striving for a certain atmosphere, be sure not to ignore those old light fittings. Going for an olive green feature wall? Perhaps think of a botanically themed fixture or woodland shade. Opting for a calming blue? Perhaps you could really conjure that maritime vibe with some nautical pendant fittings. Or maybe you’re catching the industrial bug and going down the concrete or mock concrete route. In this case there are some amazing steampunk machine age lamps that can add to the industrial feel and serve as a real talking point. Add a variety of lighting types We already mentioned task lighting, but ensure that each room has lighting to perform different functions. This can include mood lighting, accent lighting to highlight works of art or architectural features. Fallen in love with some shades, but don’t want more lamps? Hang some down lighters over the kitchen table and embrace the shade love!

The post Let There Be Light! Innovative Home Lighting Solutions appeared first on Craven and Hargreaves.