Bring the outside in

  

Whatever the weather where you are right now, summer 2018 is going to go down in the record books as one of the best ever. 

Even the most palest of British skin has been looking sun kissed as all try to make the most of our outdoor space.  In this blog, we will touch on how you can link your indoor and outdoor living areas - even if you don't have a garden.

Outside space, no matter how small can be made to feel an integral part of your living space by complementing the inside colour with the outside.  If you have a garden, a backyard, a courtyard, a patio, a shared garden - large or small - the trick is colour co-ordination.

It's about getting the styling and colours linked so that they eye sees one large seamless space rather than separate ones.  Start with your window dressings - if you are not overlooked - get rid of them.  Having bare windows or patio doors will break down that space barrier.

Around the door area get masses of plants or plant pots on either side - both inside and out - this will also help to create the oneness you are looking for.

On the floor use the same rugs or certainly rugs of the same colour inside and out.  It's summer so go for something really bold in a bright colour.  Our Indian Dhurrie rugs are perfect for the job.  Handmade from wool woven onto cotton, you can use them outside (but obviously bring them inside if the weather is wet or particulary windy).

Make sure you garden furniture is complemented with accessories in the same colour.  In this example, a rich red tablecloth, plant pots and cushions will keep that co-ordination.  You can't beat some outside lighting, fairy lights on your plants for small spaces or bigger festoon lights if  you have the space.
 
It won't be too long now before we have to pack up the garden furniture for another year so make the most of whatever space you have for the next few weeks.

What's your style?

Have you ever wondered what your interior design style is?  Just like our wardrobe, how we dress our home speaks volumes about our personality.

Some people just have the knack of wearing jeans and a white tee shirt and looking like a top model - others can't quite pull it off.  It's the same when it comes to styling your home, you've either got the knack or you haven't.  What's your style?

Industrial

If you like lots of metal, concrete and exposed brick, your style is industrial.  You would probably be most at home in a loft apartment in an urban city. Your soft furnishings would be neutral and pared down like our Morroccan rugs above


Mid-Century Modern

So you like the finer things in life.  Champagne, never Prossecco, sipped from crystal glasses. You love classic items of furniture that never goes out of style and so your rug choice will be something from our Afghan or Persian collections.

Ecclectic

If every room in your house slightly different?  Do you like different textures and lots of colours?  If you like travel and collecting pieces from all over the world your style is ecletctic.  You will love our bright Indian kelims or Dhurrie rugs.

Scandinavian

Your colour schemes are muted neutrals, pale blues or sage greens.  You home is clutter free with everything in its place.  You love natural wooden furniture and clean lines while accessories are kept to a minimum.  Check out our basket weave collection.

Welcome Home

Nothing says welcome home than your hallway.

This is the first impression of your home.  It sets the scene and gives a hint to your style and personality. Regardless of the size of your hall you want to make sure it looks good and you are making an entrance. 

Hide the clutter

Many UK homes have small and often quite dark hallways.  Add to this the clutter we put there - coats, shoes, bags and so on - that small, dark space will look even smaller.  If you can't make strict rules about coats and shoes being taken straight to the bedroom then your next option is look at clever storage.  You can find these even for smallest of spaces.  Rule number 1 - hide that clutter.

Keep it practical

Now a cream carpet or rug is never going to be a good idea in the hall.  It is one of the busiest places in any home - the one that gets plenty of footgall which inlcudes muddy shoes and possibly wet paws.  You need flooring that is practical and hard-wearing.  However, that's not say you shouldn't be able to add warmth and texture with a hall runner.

Here at www.frithrugs.co.uk we have hundreds of hall runners to choose from.  Runners that come in various sizes, patterns, colours and designs.  We even have an exclusive runner that goes around corners.  Take a look at our hall runners for yourself at https://frithrugs.co.uk/products/

You are sure to find something to suit all house styles whether period or modern.  If you have pets and kids, we advise using a patterned runner that will hide any marks and scuffs.

Lighting

In a dark hallway without natural light opt for LED lighting as that mimics daylight.  If you want to create ambiance in a hall, a standard lamp is ideal.  You can turn it on in the evening so that the hallway is always nicely lit.  

One more thing, when you open your front door, chances are your own 'house' smell will be immediately apparent.  What do you want yours to be - last's night supper or something natural and fresh?  Dried lavender stems or a few drops of lavender in a bowl are ideal for that clean house smell.

Welcome home!

Add a touch of drama to your floor

Here at www.frithrugs.co.uk we love adding to our contemporary rug collections.  We are really pleased to introduce our Palette and Dynamic range which are designed to add a touch of drama to the floor.

Sometimes we describe our rugs as paintings for the floor. We use this term when we think the design and quality of the rug is quite simply a work of art.  We think that applies to these colourful designs - what do you think?

 Palette

These heavenly rugs are truly dramatic thanks to their rich saturated colours.  They possess a dramatic beauty, with rich, saturated colours that swirl together in unique and vivid designs. Gold, pink, blue, red and orange are mixed together and evoke a sense of the artist's palette as they strive to find the perfect picture.

Each stunning rug conveys a sense of movement and energy and will work in any room as an amazing focal point. These machine made rugs are available in three sizes and thanks to the bold tones it should be easy to find complementing soft furnishings.

See the full collection at https://frithrugs.co.uk/products/modern-rugs/pallette-collection/

Dynamic

The rugs use dynamic colour and design and work well in a contemporary setting.   This collection of rugs features daring, 3D-like designs, and captivating colour for an overall charismatic effect, Hand tufted from a sumptuous wool blend and woven with gently shimmering silk-like fibres, these radiant  rugs create an amazing sense of depth and texture.  

They are available in five sizes, browse the full collection here https://frithrugs.co.uk/products/modern-rugs/dynamic-collection/

These new collection really are artwork for the floor.  We think you'll love them.

Anyone for tennis?

With all that football going on we shouldn't forget that it's #Wimbledon Fortnight.  Those gorgeous, lush green courts got us thinking about the versatility of green in home decor. 

Calming green

Green is of course, associated with nature - which means it is also associated with feelings of calmness, friendliness and freshness. Colour therapists say green is the colour of balance and harmony and in case you’ve ever wondered – that’s why TV guests wait in the 'green room' before being interviewed!  

In terms of home style, many interior designers say ‘green is the new black’ and that’s because it pretty much goes with anything.  What’s more, because our eyes can see more shades of green than anything else it means that almost everyone will have at least one shade of green they like.

To make sure you get your colour scheme just right – we advise using a colour wheel as it's easy to go wrong with so many shade choices.  

In 2018

This year sage green seems to be the most popular shade.  You can get various tones of sage from the earthy darker shades which are warm and cosy to light and silvery which will set a much cooler tone. This is a colour that work well in most rooms of the house.  In the kitchen it will give a farmhouse feel, in the bathroom it can look really contemporary.  In a living room, it will be sure to calm while in the bedroom it is the ultimate relaxing shade.

Accents

The great thing about green is that is complements so many other colours.  Light and dark shades of green work well together but it also looks wonderful with white and grey.  It can also look great with brown and orange accents but the trick is to check each tone on the colour wheel to make sure you do get a complementing rather than a clashing colour. 

At www.frithrugs.co.uk we have many green rugs in traditional and modern designs and so you are sure to find something that suits your room.