What’s New in Window Treatments!
March 10, 2007 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
When it comes to window treatment, less is more this year. Out are the Chintz drapes and in are the window treatments with a more contemporary look. Fabric suppliers are becoming more and more adventurous, using different materials for both window treatments as well as upholstery. Gone are the days where you layered your windows with fussy drapes, swags and tails. Going through the wonderful assortment in the shops right now, one is tempted to use some of these beautiful fabrics for a stylish gown for that all important Christmas or new year party.
There are a lot of different trends about at the moment. Earthy tones, rich tones, fabric novelties, everything is there to suit you and your homes personality. Texture is really important, and a nice mix of texture adds interest to the room with or without a blast of colour. Wallpaper is also back in fashion. Three dimensional images with glass beads, hand painted, wood veneers, even leather! It´s an customers paradise.
When combining colour, earthy tones are very popular at the moment. Add some drama to a feature wall by painting it a deep red (which is very rich and in high fashion for this autumn season) and you really set the mood. Chocolate brown with powder blues, moss greens with rich golds, these are just some of my suggestions to wet your appetite.
H is for headings:
From simple gathers to triple pleats to tab tops and eyelets, there are so many styles you can choose.
1. For plain fabrics, goblets pleats are the perfect finish.
2. Simple prints look quite good with double or triple pleats
3. Patterned fabrics look great with eyelets for a striking finish
4. Don´t forget the traditional pencil pleat, it creates a luxurious fuller finish.
5. Simple gathers or go for tab tops for a nice modern finish
Popularity: 6% [?]
The International Furniture Fair
February 5, 2007 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
It is one of the largest furniture shows in the world. Furniture Manufacturers and buyers converged in Cologne to show and tell their latest designs. A total of 1,400 exhibitors, of which 65 percent were from outside Germany. More than 50 nations were represented.
From a total of 11 exhibition halls, I viewed an endless display of modern to classic, ornate baroque to simply functional, colourful creations to trendy black and white, the message was clear, anything goes.
Furniture items are functional and a lot of designers are playing around with a “ Sixties Feelingâ€. Furniture in round shapes, organic designs, floral and abstract patterns, an inspiration taken from wallpapers from that period.
Future homelife was characterized by a longing for romantic elements. A little touch of nostalgia was evident in the home furnishings environment.
Favourite Woods
Dark woods were very popular at the fair. Walnut is said to extend its position in the design world. Some of the most important woods were beech, red-core beech, ash, alder, & birch. The colour spectrum of these woods extended from bright shades, beige and red tones up to a moderate brown shade.
Domestic fruit woods are said to increase in the coming year, in particular, cherry with its delicate reddish patterns as well as apple wood, pear and plum wood.
Cupboard, Shelf, Table and Chair
For years solid wood furniture has been consolidating its position, and in some cases due to its ecological qualities and unique surface, it has been able to further extend its share of the high-quality sector. Veneers also play an important role. In the flat-pack area, top-quality furniture in wood, combined with glass, metal and high-quality synthetics resulting in exquisite combinations and compositions.
In addition to oils, waxes, stains and glazes, lacquers were also very popular in surface design. High-gloss, here once again represents top-quality and elegance. As far as colours are concerned, there was a clear trend towards more colourful shades to be seen.
refugium-interiors@t-online.de
Upholstered Furniture
In addition to the round forms of the 1960s, the style and design of upholstered furniture was very modern. Living-room furniture included refined, sophisticated features such as stools, guest beds or clever concealed compartments for remote-control handsets and books.
The cover fabrics were in wool, wool felt, linen, cotton and flax, silver and gold. Large-surface patterns using exquisite hair such as Alpaka, Angora, Kashmir and camel hair,which are extremely warm to the touch, were used. Leather clearly will continue its defined status.
Colours and Patterns
As far as cover fabrics are concerned, in the coming furniture season, we can expect bold, loud colours. Aubergine or lilac are the season’s trend colours. But blue is also asserting itself in all variations. Floral patterns, stripes, checks and the entire spectrum of the natural shades will be on display. The classic "black-white" will once again play a role in 2007.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Lilly’s Interiors
September 15, 2006 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
Enjoy a summer feeling all year round with a conservatory!
Can you imagine the joy of spending late autumn afternoons warmly lounging in the middle of your garden, enjoying the beautiful vision of flowering plants, tropical fruits and the warm glow of nice sunny colour. This is not a dream or some faraway desert island, this is the sheer bliss of having your very own conservatory.
A conservatory allows you to enjoy a garden all year-round and also expands the living areas of your home. These days conservatories are available ´off-the-peg´ and come in many shapes, sizes and prices. Of course you can have your own built to your specifications. The important thing is that it is big enough to suit your needs. Keep in mind that this room is an extension of your home, a link. Your furnishings should reflect this.
You may want to consider a few other things:
- How much do you want to spend? A completely finished conservatory may cost more than you think if you consider heating, lighting, floor finishes etc. So shop around and prepare a budget.
- How will the conservatory look from the outside? Does it blend in with the architecture of your home?
- Which direction should it face? North, South, East or West? North-facing for example will receive very little sunshine, so you may need to spend a bit on extra heating. You should take this into consideration along with what space you have before committing yourself.
- What is the purpose of your conservatory? An in-door garden, relaxing, dining, play area? - Will your conservatory become an important part of your home creating a larger space on to an existing room? Consider construction work which may be required.
As we said earlier, your conservatory is a link to your home and your furnishings are important. There is a huge selection of furniture to choose from. Rattan is always good, softened with scatter cushions in assorted sizes and prints or you can always choose wicker or cane. The floor can be presented in terracotta tile form, sisal or flagstones and with the appropriate lighting, variegated greens and flowering plants all help to also link the inside to the outside.
So, don´t despair when the summer comes to an end. You can continue your summer feeling in a waterproof paradise long into the autumn months. All you need is space and of course………..not forgetting me as your interior designer to guide you.
For all your interior & colour consultation needs, please call: Lilly Lauterborn R.I. Dipl Tel: 0049 221 68009028 Email: refugium-interiors@t-online.de www.refugium-interiors.com
Refugium Interiors
Popularity: 5% [?]
Turning your garden into an outdoor room…
May 23, 2006 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
Turning your garden into an outdoor room…
Have you ever wished you had more space in your home?
Now that the evenings are getting longer, you can make that wish come true by turning your garden into that extra room you have always wanted. Expand your living area into the garden, sit back and relax and enjoy the summer sunshine.
Outdoor living needs all the comforts that you would find indoors. Practical furniture, comfortable outdoor cushions, colourful accessories with a relaxing atmosphere. Obviously alot depends on how much outdoor space you have. For those of you lucky enough to be blessed with a reasonable amount of it, here are just some ideas for you to consider:
Creating a dining area:
From breakfast to lunch, to afternoon tea or that perfect summer barbeque. When buying garden furniture, we are spoilt for choice at the moment. There are some wonderful settings in the shops right now in assorted shapes, sizes and finishes. However, if your budget does not stretch to new furniture this season, you can put together a beautiful setting with an old table, layered with colourful coordinated tableclothes in different prints, with some nice scatter cushions for the chairs to complete the look. You can use some clip-on weights to hold down the tablecloth on those evenings where you have a summer breeze and a good tip to keep the flies away from your food I have been told, is to tie a bunch of rosemary and mint to the back of your chair with a colourful ribbon for added decorative effect. This is said to repel those busy fies on those hot summer evenings.
Outdoor lighting:
Don´t let a drop in temperature spoil your evening. A patio heater or cast-iron fire basket is not only practical but its very romantic.
If your garden is small, try some space saving furniture. Perhaps some fold-up directors chairs or open wirework designed tables and chairs as they give a small space and open bigger feeling.
Match your interior:
Link indoor with outdoor rooms by using the main colour as a base then you can expand on the look using other matching tones, patterns and prints. Why not use trellis on sheds or less attractive wall areas in a contrasting colour for an attention-grabbing feature with some nice climbing roses or clematis perhaps for added effect.
Finally for those hopefully occasional summer showers ( I am Irish, what can I say?…..), gazebos or an awning not only provides protection from the sun but also from those summer showers and not forgetting the most important feature………………………………………………..add plenty of additional colour in the form of beautiful flowers.
Popularity: 4% [?]
A new look in Neutral!
April 5, 2006 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
In my last article last January, I told you all about the new trends for this year. Lots of colour, lots of pattern, big, bright and bold. Since then, I received a phone call from a client who wished to re-vamp her living room. However, big, bright and bold was just not suited to her taste. And that´s ok! If you are not adventurous with colour, you can still keep up-to-date using the same design principles but simply tone it down. Using neutrals can be just as effective and you can introduce a splash of colour through your choice of accessories.
As you can see from the mood board I prepared, colour has been introduced with scatter cushions in golds and browns and given an extra lift with a rich plum. Ceramics in assorted shapes & sizes, patterns & co-ordinating colours adds to the overall look.
Following a consultation which determined the likes, dislikes and desires from my client, I selected a 3:2:1 combination soft leather sofa in brown with matching footstool. Paint colours in soft creams and browns offer a wonderful choice, my preference here in this example being Natural Straw from Dulux with a contrasting Natural Cameo for the fireplace wall. This is a new colour from Dulux this year and works very well with a neutral look.
As for the curtains, here I suggested a patterned but plain fabric. This will allow you to change the look in the future without going to the added extra expense of changing curtains. You can simply change the colour of your accessories from plum to ……………………………………………………………Enjoy!
If you have any questions or design problems, please feel free to write to me. You can contact me through BEN or visit my website : www.refugium-interiors.de
Until next time …………….Lilly
PS: Watch out for my next article! Decorating that extra room that the Spring/Summer season brings………………………………………………The Garden!!!!
Popularity: 5% [?]
Trends for 2006
March 29, 2006 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
Colours, patterns and lots of interesting shapes are just some of the latest new hot looks for Spring 2006. If you were a fan of the ´Flower Power´ era in the 60´s and 70´s, then this is your lucky season. Furniture takes a new direction. Black is back! combined with bright bold colours, pinks, reds and oranges set as some of the central colours. Classic cubic shapes, thick piled carpets and accessories under the heading ´More is More´. These are some of the interesting new looks I saw at the recent International Furniture Fair at Köln Messe.
Mix and match patterns, flowers, spots and stripes all tastefully worked together on a blank canvas makes for an interesting decorative look. However, I would advise you to keep the patterns reasonably small and use perhaps up to 3 key colours that work well together. Keep the rest of your room simple. If you choose busy fabrics then contrasting plain simple pieces of furniture and accessories work better.
If you’re on a budget, and you wish to re-vamp and re-style your room in a more up-to-date trendy way, then I would suggest changing your soft furnishings and adding some new interesting accessories. You do not have to spend too much. Decide on a theme using your favourite new not colours, add some cushions and some nice interesting pieces of ceramics and you can achieve great results, transforming a tired room into a room full of life.
Of course, it´s important also to have fun while doing it! If you would like any further information or assistance, feel free to contact me.
refugium-interiors@t-online.de
Popularity: 5% [?]
Space – Where to begin?
July 6, 2005 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
When you buy a new home, there is little chance that your lifestyle or household is the same as that of the previous owners. Space and how you use it, or the lack of can be a problem. It is always a good idea to live in the property for several weeks first before making any structural changes. During this time you can experience it´s short-comings such as a lack of natural light for example or a lack of storage space, then you can judge exactly what you need. In many cases it´s not about having the space, it´s using the space…… to its best advantage.
There are several reasons why you may want to change the structure of your home. Perhaps a new arrival is on the way, or you may want to convert an existing bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe. Whatever your reason, take a long hard look and consider the rooms qualitites before making any structural changes and then seek professional advice.
IF YOU LIVE IN A SMALL SPACE:
Use light, cool, receding colours. Soft shades reflect light making the room seem more spacious
Try using less furniture in the room
When selecting furniture, choose pieces that have storage facilities and that blend in with the background colours of the room
Incorporate mirrors wherever appropriate. A mirror will increase the feeling of space in the room
MAYBE YOU LIVE IN A BIG SPACE
Select large-scale furniture
Arrange the furniture & lighting in such a way that it divides the room into seperate areas for conversational groupings, dining, relaxing etc
Use dark, warm advancing colours on the walls and/or ceiling
|
For all your interior & colour consultation needs please call: Refugium Interiors, Lilly Lauterborn R I Dipl. Tel: 00 49 221 68009028 Fax: 0049 221 68009029 Email: refugium-interiors@t-online.de / www.refugium-interiors.de
|
Popularity: 4% [?]
Put a little colour in your Life!
April 24, 2005 by admin
Filed under Home and Garden
Put a little colour in your life. Colour is a powerful tool. It creates ambience, mood and most of all, impact. Using colour in interior decoration allows us to play with light and dark. It allows us to adjust the amount of light available in the room and in our day. Using colour we can create a calm, soothing place in which to sleep or a vibrant colour to talk and play. Colour in the home is a very important aspect of interior design. It affects our behaviour, our thoughts and our feelings. In today´s busy world a room is more than a place to sleep, watch television or have a meal. We are creating a place where we can relax and wind down after a busy day, a quite corner to read or a place where you can receive guests. Colour is a powerful force that can instantly change the shape and size of any room.
So whether you like neutrals, pastels, mid-tones, bright colours or deep rich tones, it is easy to produce the look that you want. Here are just some indications of the effects of colour:
Red for danger! Used in the right places can have a rich powerful effect. It is said to increase your heart rate and add a touch of passion. A dramatic colour, ideal for playrooms and rooms used for parties.
Orange, a vibrant colour which is good for health and vitality. A great colour for north-facing rooms. Ideal for hallways or rooms where conversation need stimulation.
Yellow representing the sun. It is a stimulating colour to lift the mood. A marvellous colour for family & dining rooms. It is also ideal for north facing rooms. Be careful, it is not suitable for bedrooms as you want to relax and settle here, it can be quite an intensive colour.
Pink, a calming colour. Great for bedrooms. Pink is said to have sedative effects. A marvellous colour for any room where you want to capture serenity.
Blue representing water. It is also associated with tranquility and serenity. Great for bedrooms too!. Used with warm colours in bed linen and accessories can reduce its chilling effect. It can also be very funtional in offices or meeting rooms.
Green is a colour we associate with nature. It is a soothing colour. It is very adabtable and can be used almost anywhere. Combined with rich reds and dynamic oranges in fabrics and accessories, you can have great results.
For all your interior & colour consultation needs, please call:
Refugium Interiors
Lilly Lauterborn R.I. Dipl
Tel: 0049 221 68009028
Fax: 0049 221 68009029
Email: refugium-interiors@t-online.de
Popularity: 4% [?]
