Interior tips for a small room

Thanks to the Internet it's never been easier to find inspiration for your home. However, sometimes the fabulous homes we see online could make you feel green with envy - does everybody else live in a better home than you? No, so let's get real when it comes to home decor.

We Brits live in some of the smallest homes in the Western world and so chances are you you don't have a vaulted ceiling, floor to ceiling windows or room for a grand piano.  But even if you do live in a modest sized home there are tricks that you can use to make the most of the space you have available. 

FrithRugs blogs like to keep you up to date on the latest trends, but that doesn't mean you have to follow then.  Some may not be relevant for your space.  You can introduce the latest trend with some carefully chosen accessories such as a rug - and so country cottage could just mean a floral rug not floral wallpaper.

In a small space you need to be careful about colour.  Red walls will not work - keep the walls and flooring as light as you can, but if you must have red, have a red rug and a few cushions. 

Lighting is crucial in small spaces, let in as much natural light as you can and invest it some good lamps that should be strategically placed.  Large mirrors are also great for reflecting light and making a room feel bigger

You should also think about which furniture to buy and where to place it.  Don't buy a huge sofa that will overwhelm the room, it will only make the space look smaller. The more floor space you can see the bigger you room will look and so if you can move things off the floor then do it.  So ditch the  book shelf for floating shelves and put your TV on the wall rather than on a stand. 

As a general rule when placing your rug in a small room, try to get around 8 inches of floor between the edge of the rug and the wall. And finally, don't forget your space may suit a rug that is circular or even a half moon.

Forget Hygge, we're all Lagomers now

So just as we have all got used to the Danish concept of Hygge, we are now being introduced to the concept of Lagom.  The loose translation of Lagom is 'not too much, not too  little' which neatly explains how you could introduce the idea into your own interior design style.

It's definitely an idea whose time has come as Lagom is all about creating a better, happier, and more balanced everyday life. It's about sustainable living, saving energy and water and creating less waste by recycling more.  And as 22nd April is Mother Earth Day we thought now was a great time to talk about becoming a Lagomer. 

At home instead of throwing out your old things be they clothes or furniture, think if they can be re-used, given away or up-cycled.  When you do buy new products try to find sustainable goods such as bamboo furniture or hemp rugs. 

Our hemp rugs are really popular and feature both hemp and jute which 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.

Both hemp and jute are durable and versatile which makes them a great rug choice.  This collection is particularly suitable for high traffic areas, both indoors and outdoors and is perfect for summer.

The hypoallergenic, natural anti-bacterial and non-irritating quality of these rugs also makes them a popular choice for people suffering from asthma and other allergies.

Spring/summer interior trends 2018

What's hot for your spring/summer interiors in 2018?

Well we say what's hot - perhaps we should be saying what's cool - ice cream cool as Gelato colours are going to be a huge trend this year.  So what's your favourite ice cream, vanilla, mint, pistachio, strawberry?  Now you can surround yourself with the flavours you love.  

Gelato

The ice cream palette doesn't have to be a single colour either, who doesn't love layers of delicious ice cream like a Neapolitan - you 

have it as a feature wall or just combine the colours using some well chosen accessories.

You can find vanilla, mint and strawberry in our plain carved range of rugs - and these plain rugs are perfect for pulling your interior design scheme together.

Gold

In 2017 the metallic trend was all the rage and it's still here but this time the metal of choice of gold.  Gold is softer than silver which makes it easier to use in your home decor.  It's also very 

decadent and so the trick is to use sparingly.  This fabulous gold rug doesn't need too much as it could be overwhelming, perhaps a new gold trimmed mirror, a couple of gold framed windows and a gold lamp base.  

Totally tropical

If you fancy going tropical then the trick is to layer different colours.  So use different coloured throws and cushions, think bright pink, yellow and blue.  Then choose a couple of tropical prints and pair with this fabulous tropical rug.   There really is                    no better way to say goodbye winter and hello summer then creating your own tropical paradise indoors.