How to decorate using the colour wheel

An example of a tonal room

Now that the sun is here your home is looking a bit dull and drab and so you have decided to redecorate your room.   If you just get one thing wrong, it can have an impact on the whole room - so where to start?

The colour wheel is a must in any interior designers tool box and offers a complete guide to the colour spectrum.  Using the colour wheel correctly will help you create a peaceful bedroom, a relaxing bathroom and a vibrant living room.

A colour wheel uses primary colours and then all other shades which come off them and by using this clever wheel you can create your own contrasting, tonal or harmonious colour schemes.

Contrast

A contrasting room means taking colours from the opposite site of the colour wheel such as yellow and purple.  Not colours that most people would put together but the idea is that using these opposite colours each will appear more intense and vivid. You've heard of opposites attract - this is it. 

Tonal

A tonal room is probably the most easiest to achieve and is the best option for those people who are not as brave with colour.  Essentially this means just taking the the varying hues from the same segment of the colour wheel - from pale blue to light blue for example. Beware of red - this will always look dramatic and so it is not recommended for a tonal scheme.

Harmonising

Choose colours that sit next to each other on the wheel, such as blue and green or green and yellow - but use the lighter shades.  These colours have been proven to complement and harmonise with each other and may surprise you.  These colours will be elegant and balanced.

Saturate

Finally, if you want real drama you can saturate your room.  As the name suggests, this means taking one colour from the wheel and using it everywhere in the room - with little discernible difference in the tone.  Avoid using in a small room as it will make it look even smaller.

A hemp rug could help with allergies

If you suffer from allergies during the summer months, you can help alleviate symptoms at home with a few simple changes.  

Allergies to house dust mites are common and often caused by protein in dust mite dropping.  Mites are found in bedding, soft furnishings and carpets which is why thorough vacuuming is recommended.  Hard floors rather than wall to wall carpets are also advised for people who suffer badly. 

If you do struggle with allergies, you can also look for alternative fabrics and textiles to have at home.  For example, both hemp and jute are natural plant fibres. Hemp is particularly eco-friendly as it is a plant that grows quickly with little or no chemical fertilisers.  Jute, a relative of hemp, is one of the most natural fibres around and together these two plant extracts have been used in textiles for many thousands of years.

Check out our collection of hemp rugs which are available in various sizes and are perfect for the summer.

The hypoallergenic, natural anti-bacterial and non-irritating quality of     these rugs means they are a good choice for allergy sufferers and both hemp and jute are durable and versatile which makes them suitable for     high traffic areas, both indoors and even outdoors.

    http://frithrugs.co.uk/cat/Contemporary-Hemp-Rugs/443

Let's have a picnic

This week is National Picnic Week and it got us thinking about how we use our outdoor and indoor space during the summer months.

A typical picnic will include lots of your favourite food and drink, perhaps some games, music and of course, something to sit on. Traditionally, people use a blanket but there is no reason why you can't use a rug, especially if you are having your picnic close to home, in your garden.

Whatever style of home you live in, it's always good to throw open the back door on warm days  and there is no doubt that we Brits are           becoming quite adept at blending the outside and inside living space when we can. 

Rugs such our Indian Kelims which feature wool woven onto cotton, offer flexible indoor and outdoor options - although, they can't get left in the rain and you should only use them outside on dry surfaces.  But if you do fancy eating alfresco this week, then these colourful designs make a great alternative to a boring old blanket.

Better still, the Kelim should be the focal point for your indoor/outdoor room too.  In the conservatory for example, with a Kelim on  the floor, some fairy lights, Mediterannan style planters and deckchairs, you can 
feel the summer vibe even when it's a British summer and a bit chilly!

Enjoy your picnic everyone!

We'd like to introduce to our newest collection of rugs - the Ziegler Palace.

This new range has been developed in response to demand from our customers.  They are made from polypropylene and machine woven in Modova and will suit both a contemporary and period interior design scheme.

The FrithRugs collection offers five rug designs in popular colours such as cream, red and blue and their intricate pattern is typical of the Zeigler rug which mean they work well in most colour schemes.

So what is a Zeigler rug?

Although they are inspired by traditional Persian rugs, unlike most other traditional rugs they are not named after an area or a tribe and in fact are named after a design inspired by a Swiss businessman. Zeigler & Co. was established in Manchester in the 1880s in order to meet demand for this rug type across the best dressed homes in Europe.  

Mr Zieglar was clearly onto something as over 100 years later and the Zeigler design remains a best seller thanks to the soft colour palettes and that timeless design.

Why Polypropylene?

The benefits of polypropylene are numerous.  It is a man made fibre and so is much more stain resistant than wool which makes it the ideal choice if you have young children and pets.  It is quite easy to clean and it highly durable which means it is also really good value for money.  

Pop into a store for yourself and see and feel the quality for yourself. These rugs are available in a range of sizes.

Get your home ready for summer!

It's time to get your home ready for the new season with some new home accessories.

Whatever your style be that contemporary chic, country cottage or Victorian grandeur, you'll find something for every style in the season's new interior design trends.

Of course, summer time is holiday time whether that's two weeks in the Med, a Caribbean getaway or a week at a British seaside resort - and there is no doubt that at this time of year, it's great to have a hint of our favourite holiday destination at home.

Earthy tones and natural textures are a firm favourite to accompany those longer days and warmer nights.  Blue is also the colour of choice when it comes to injecting coastal hints at home and it's no surprise that Denim Drift is Dulux's colour of the year.  They also suggest indigo and grey for those who want to be bang on trend when it comes to interiors.

In this blog, we've taken our inspiration from around the globe to highlight some of our summer favourites.

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside - from Margate to Majorca,  
you just can't beat dipping your toes into the blue sea.  This rug from our Vibrance collection is handmade in India from 100% wool.  It is available in a range of sizes  http://frithrugs.co.uk/product-531/-/-/12188







Jungle fever.  Add a taste of the tropics to your home with this botanical inspired design from our Ella Claire exclusive collection.
Made in India from 100% wool this is the perfect home accessory for those who want to remember far flung exotic destinations.

A taste of India. This Indian Kelim rug is made from wool woven onto cotton and works well in the sitting room, the bedroom and the conservatory.  With its bright, vivid colours it's the perfect home accessory for taking your back to those hot summer nights. frithrugs.co.uk/cat/Kelims/558