Mirrors
Feb 19
This week I’ve been thinking about mirrors, I was wandering around the house as I had something in my eye but could I find one! It was quite a painful experience but I eventually located one on the bathroom. This got me thinking that maybe I should invest in some more mirrors for the house.
Taking a wander around Ikea I was quite surprised to find out just how many different mirrors you can actually get. Not only can you get the traditional square or rectangle mirrors that look great in the living room or hall way you can also have circular ones that look great in hall ways. There are a great variety of mirrors that are available for the bathroom, for something a bit different why not look at mirror tiles to create a mirrored wall.
The bedroom is a great place for mirrors, not only can you have a full length mirror or mirrored wardrobes. You can also get some amazing shapes of mirrors such as tear drops and flowers.
The frames you can get for mirrors are as fantastic as the mirrors themselves. Everything from extravagant bejewelled mirrors to simplistic under rated silver frames, there are some intricately carved wooden frames that are available.
The humble mirror is more than just a talking point in a room, correctly placed it can bring extra light in to any room making it feel more spacious and airy than it actually is. They do this by reflecting the natural light that comes through windows and bouncing it back creating the illusion of a spacious and light room. Mirrors are best placed in small room that maybe don’t get as much light as they need in order to make them habitable. Plus they have the advantage of letting you see if you have anything in your eye!
Wicker Baskets
Jan 22It’s almost that time, spring cleaning is practically upon us. This can be quite a stressful time if you aren’t prepared for it. It may seem like an antiquated notion to have a yearly clear out but it can be quite a therapeutic event, out with the old and in with all the new stuff. I often find it is best to do this slightly early to help clear up after the Christmas period. We all seem to collect a lot of stuff over this period and it is good to have a clear out once this is over, giving you a fresh start for the new year in a clear and tidy house.
When it comes to spring cleaning it is best to do it in a systematic fashion, attack one room at time armed with a whole army of cleaning products and new storage boxes. Spring cleaning is no time to be sentimental, you need to be ruthless otherwise you’ll hold on to a load of items you won’t look at for a year that take up space you need for items you actually need.
This year I’ve chosen wicker baskets as my storage system of choice, I find it is best to buy these in advance so you have an idea of where everything can go once you’ve tidied. I’ve picked wicker this year as it will be suitable to be used throughout the house and not just as storage boxes, you can buy wicker furniture to help co-ordinate a room, a wicker chair for example is a great addition to a room and despite expectations is actually quite comfy. Wicker boxes come in all different sizes, you can get small ones to fit in corners and larger chest sized ones for storing clothes or bedding. You can even get wicker laundry baskets to fit in with the theme.
Spruce up your sofa!
Oct 23Our sofa has been looking a little bit dated for a while now. I love it but it has started to fade and its rich red colour is more of a burnt out red rather than the vibrant colour that it once was.
While i’ d love to be able to buy a new sofa, at the moment it just isn’t possible – my credit card balance certainly wouldn’t agree and it ‘s not covered by our insurance.
So, this got me thinking – how could I spruce up our sofa, without getting rid of it entirely? The answer that I came up with is: throws. Throws are a great way to cover up fading furniture and to stop even more wear and tear. They aren’t a permanat solution by any means, but for a few months, it will make my living room feel cosy rather than threadbare, so i’ve been scouring the web to find the best throws out there!
Here are some of my favourites! Matching the deep red of my sofa is this lush basket weave throw from online retailer very.co.uk. Plus, I bought 2 of them and managed to save some pennies!
For texture and colour, i’m also a little bit in love with this Ofelia throw from Ikea – it looks really nice and snuggly.
I’m also a massive fan of this loose knit throw from M&S – it’s not red, but I think that it would complement the room well, especially if I add in a nice mix of cushions!
Homemade goods for a cosy home
Oct 12I think I’ve turned a corner in my life towards adulthood; I’ve got a hobby! I’ve decided to take up crocheting, this and knitting are something I’ve always fancied taking up and give me something interesting to say when I meet people and they ask that dreaded question – what do you do in your spare time? But you know, now I’ve started I cannot put it down! I’ve only had one lesson and can only do the very simple things, cushion covers and random squares, but I really am hooked on it.
I’ve borrowed a few books of patterns from the lady who is teaching me and it really is amazing what you can make. Of course you have the cushion covers and throws you would expect, but what I didn’t realise is just how beautiful and intricate they can be. Looking at some of them I can really see why people take this up, not only is crocheting therapeutic but at the end of it you can have an item to brighten up your room. If you really get into it, crocheted blankets and throws can make excellent gifts for those first time buyers who are moving into their first home or you can whip up some really soft, cute baby blankets for friends who are expecting.
You can also make some amazing looking clothes, not those strange clearly home made items you see sometimes, but things I would actually go out and buy. Of course dreams of being self sustaining spring to mind at this moment in time, but on this I think I need to be grounded and stick to my cushion cover in order to get the double stitch right before I move on to anything else! If you’re looking to brighten up your home, I’d highly recommend finding your nearest craft shop and investigating further.
I’ve included a video to show you how simple it is to learn! Learn to Crochet Video
Hot Patterns for Your Home
Sep 15While decorating the home there are many things that you should consider. One of the most important things that should be considered is the space and the design – and how you are going to create a focal point within this space. One of the best ways to create a focal point within the designs of the home is to make use of patterns for various items in the home.
Patterns can be used in fabrics for accent pieces or chairs in the living space, or even through pieces of art that are hung on the wall. They can also be used through throw pillows, rugs or even a tapestry that is hung on the wall. You can choose to use bright and bold patterns or serious and modern patterns within the space and ensure that you are able to create a focal point from these designs.
What should you consider while choosing a fabric to create this pattern in your home? First, you may want to consider some of the hot patterns or trends that can be seen. This can ensure that you are going to create a look that is up to date when it comes to your design. Hot patterns of the season are being created through toile and silhouettes of chandeliers and lamps. These patterns are being used to create a sense of high sophistication within the home and are being chosen for curtains and window coverings, as well as wallpaper used within the home.
Have you thought about what a little pattern can do to your home?
Firefarm Lighting Co.
Aug 04Fire farm lighting is a custom design company that specialises in providing complete creative and fabrication services to interior designers, architecture firms and end user consumers.
It was started in 1990 by Adam Pollock and Benjamin Goldstone, who had developed a love of lighting from early experimentation with photography and theatre. Production is currently situated in Iowa where Pollock and Goldstone explore new ways to light up your room and house and no two of their designs are the same – unless that’s what you want.
Whether you’re after a wall mounted light, a table lamp or a standard lamp that is anything but standard, Fire Farm will have something that will appeal to you – after all, they will work with your designs. If you’re not certain exactly what that is, the team of designers will be able to bring over twenty years of experience to cater to your needs. Have a look at the website (www.firefarm.com) to see exactly what is on offer and for some ideas if you’re stuck. The pre-designed products can be tailored to you, and the breakdown of the custom process will answer any questions you may have. You can even request a quote if you see something you love.
A sampling of the kinds of custom material that fire farm use is also available on the website and the designs are like nothing you have ever seen. The designers welcome suggestions from consumers regarding new resources, ideas for new looks and will be able to talk you through the whole design process with just a sketch on a napkin! They are always willing to experiment with something new and open minded could have been invented to describe this company.296 So what is special about Fire Farm Lighting? Everything.
