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

Hints and tips on room decor

In this blog we will share our hints and tips to help you get your interior design just right.

Interior designers have a general rule – which is that 60% of the room features a main colour, 30% a second, complementary, colour - and the remaining 10 % is for accents like rugs. 

If you are totally redecorating and are not sure where to start, a good idea is to use a mood board which will show how different colours and textures will work together.  You can find lots of inspiration online.

To ensure your main colours work well together, find a colour wheel online and you can easily see how different shades and tones fit well.  Once you have the main colours decided, choose your accent colour, which is where the accessories come in, like curtains, cushions, throw and rugs.

If you want to inject some colour into your home then go for a really strong colour to complement your neutral or muted accessories.  For example, if you have pastel or pale blue walls try a really strong navy rug – if your walls have a pale pink tone – go for a red rug.  

In this image, the rug has added drama to what is quite a neutral colour palette - and we think it really brings the room to life. 

            

Decorating with green

Green is the colour associated with nature and according to colour psychologists it is a great colour have at home.  In this blog we will look at where and how to use green in the home and suggest which colours to use with green.

Psychological benefits of green

This is one of our favourite home decorating colours thanks to its soothing and rejuvenating qualities.  Green is the colour of Mother Nature herself and of fertility and health with many people believing the colour has powerful energies.  It is calming and it makes us feel secure. It is certainly a restful colour and can be a safe colour to use if you are not sure what to go for in your home.

Which rooms suit green?

Any and all rooms in the home will work with green.  In the hall, green is welcoming but use it sparingly as it can be oppressive.  In the sitting room green works well in both modern and traditional styles and can be used in various degrees.  Kitchens that accessorize with lime green are not only modern but will also lift the mood.  If you have a sun room or conservatory accents of green will blend your outside and inside spaces.

Green is great for the bedroom thanks to its soothing and calming qualities and the same applies for the bathroom.  Sea green is associated with holidays by the beach and so it’s a great alternative to blue.

How to use green with other colours

Most interior designers agree that you should always use different shades and tones of green, rather than just one (just as Mother Nature does). If you are not sure which shade of green to use with other colours then  www.colorcombos.com is a fabulous site for combining complementary shades, tones and colours.  One rule of thumb that won’t fail is to use plenty of white with any green scheme and you really won’t go wrong.  

So go green when you want to get back to nature and to put some harmony and relaxation in your life. 

For details on the rug shown, click here.

Love your luxury home

Interior designers have been telling us about the benefits of pared back neutral home decor for years. However, if this was never your thing, then you will be pleased to know that luxury and opulent home decor is very much back in vogue.

In this blog we will take a look at what you need to ensure your rooms are reveling in luxury.

Walls & Windows

For your blissful background let’s start with the walls.  A backdrop of soft tones are just what is needed to create your grand room.  For inspiration take a look at some of the rooms in our stately homes.  Think pastel shades of blue, grey, mink and pink and choose a paper with a subtle pattern.

Windows have to dressed with curtains as blinds really don’t have the extravagance that you can get from heavy silk or silk look curtains.  If you have a bay window try using a pair of curtains hung in the centre and then a curtain on either side of the bay, very posh.  The opulent curtain should always pool on the floor and feature loose tie backs.

Accessories

Nothing says luxury more than precious metals which is why gold and brass are a good starting point for your accessories.  A gilded mirror and a chandelier should be among your first purchases. Coloured glass items artfully placed will add to the rich tone of the room while satin and silk cushions and velvet throws will create rich textures.

Flooring

Flooring can be expensive and its unlikely most people will have a budgets to replace their flooring and that’s why choosing the right rug will be so important.  When we think luxury then it’s all about the pile which is why a long pile rug will not only look opulent but will feel it too.  A Flokati or Shaggy rug will fit the bill.