Beige doesn't have to be bland and colour doesn't have to be OTT.
You can have striking interiors in both palettes and they can be one-of-a-kind, beautiful and successful. Here's how to do it:
NEUTRAL
Neutral spaces don't have to be white and plain. Rather, you can add character through texture, size, shapes, nature and light - from layered knits and linens to sheer blinds and contemporary lamps. These elements, instead of colour, can bring interest to your space and can be very successful.
People often think colour is of the utmost importance, but really it's just one element of design.
POPS OF COLOUR
If you do want to have some colour, putting splashes of colour into your space is a perfect option. This look is what many people would perceive as everyday styling, which requires the key items like sofas and tables to be neutral and the accessories, like cushions and art, to be colourful.
Many of us are taught to style in design school this way; using primary and secondary colours for the key pieces and tertiary colours like fuchsia and tangerine for show stopping decor.
COLOUR
While it sounds a bit over the top, it is certainly possible to have tasteful interior chock full of colour. However, what you need to understand is how different colours interact with one another and how they affect people's moods. Really colourful spaces can work, but they're not simple to pull off.
UK stylist Abigail Ahern is particularly noted for her use of colour. She uses similar colours in similar saturations - like purple, fuchsia, yellow and turquoise - but treats them with different levels of importance. So even if you're using lots of colour still have a hierarchy: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
All types of spaces can work successfully, from neutral to colourful. Just remember to follow the tips above and you'll be sure to create an interior that is exactly what you desire.
Reproduced with permission from Century 21 Life @ Home
http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/TAGS
Abigail Ahern, design school, interior design, neutral spaces
Being on a budget doesn't need to impact on style, these 8 decorating tips will have your bathroom looking luxe.
With a few simple tips and tricks your bathroom will be looking a million dollars in a flash.
ROLL UP
Instead of folding towels try rolling them and placing them on a large tray or in a box for a holiday feel.
LIGHT THE WAY
Group simple candles together, either in a row or clustered together depending on your space.
FLOWERS
There's no need to buy huge bouquets of flowers to make an impact. A single stem of your favourite bloom or even a branch with beautiful leaves placed in a jar will look understated and elegant.
FRAGRANCE
Scented oils will keep the bathroom smelling divine and inviting. Choose calming or reinvigorating oils to suit your mood.
STORAGE
A stylish laundry basket will keep towels off the floor and keep things looking neat and tidy.
POTIONS AND LOTIONS
While it's best to hide away unattractive bottles of half used products, empty perfume bottles and gorgeous jars grouped together look elegant and add visual interest.
REFILLS
Hand wash comes in some stunning packaging these days, look for refills to keep your favourite bottle topped up rather than buying new jars each time.
ART
While putting your favourite, most valuable artwork in the bathroom may not be for you, hanging a simple framed print (even of a postcard) adds a luxe touch.
Reproduced with permission from Century 21 Life @ Homehttp://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
Want a new look for your home that's no fuss, easy to clean and will create real appeal?
Cement render is a quick, easy and affordable way to renovate an old home and a great way to save money if you're building a new one.
You can achieve a sleek and contemporary look relatively quickly and increase the market value of your home at the same time.
Cement rendering is the application of a premixed layer of sand and cement to an external wall. It's generally sed on exterior walls however it can be used internally as well.
Once the render is complete, you then paint over the top with a special external concrete paint. We recommend painting the render rather than adding coloured oxides as they're not UV resistant and can fade quickly and also keep in mind that if you're rendering with large quantities it can be challenging to achieve the exact colour you need.
Render can be applied to brick columns in fencing, brick retaining walls and garden edges to give your home and outdoor areas a unified look and feel.
Acrylic render is another option that is incredibly popular at the moment. It's stronger and more flexible than cement render which means it's less likely to crack. If you experience cracks or natural building expansion the
acrylic render will expand as well so you're not left with unsightly cracks.
Drying time is fast and the colour is already in the render so you won't need to worry about painting over the ender afterwards.
You can achieve incredible results with acrylic render.
Don't forget, if you're contracting a professional renderer, make sure they're fully qualified and licensed. You want to have the reassurance that their work is guaranteed. Don't forget to also ask to see examples of their
work.
So if you're planning to renovate or build a home, give rendering a thought.
Reproduced with permission Century 21 Life@home http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
Using everyday objects, collections and beautiful items, you can blur the boundary between a workspace and living zone.
BEFORE
Located in a guest bedroom, this lacklustre home office was not an inviting place to work. We rearranged the furniture and added storage to create a stimulating work environment.
HOME OFFICE TIPS
Creating a work environment at home should be done with the same intent as if you were decorating another living space. These tips will get you started:
ORGANISATION:
Everything should have its own place. Keep writing tools, address books, journals, stamps and other paraphernalia in a well-ordered fashion. Remember that when you're not working in the space you'll be living and relaxing in it, so it needs to look good all the time.
STORAGE: Have storage underneath your desk so it's easier to get at while sitting down. A well-kept filing system will negate tireless rows of shelves for clutter and mess. Keep storage simple with shelves and boxes, and use stickers to label the contents.
DUAL-PURPOSE: Using a room that already has a purpose, such as a spare bedroom, for a home office, requires thought about colour and texture. Use art and small objects to bring together the two different spaces.
Colour tones are important, as are the personal effects that add softness to your room.
LIGHTING: Working near a source of natural light is good for your health, while a window view can help to relieve boredom. Forget overhead lighting, as it tends to make areas flat and lifeless. Instead, use a lamp fitted with a halogen bulb, to create functional mood lighting.
Reproduced with permission Century 21 Life@home http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
Designing a garden can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain. But before you start mapping out specifics we suggest some basic design principles that can take your garden from Mt Doom to Shangri-La.
Before you launch into where to place paths or garden beds, consider these basic design principles that will guide and inspire you.
COLOUR
You may be after a garden that is bold and colourful or leafy and green. Your choice of plants, trees, paving and other elements will add to the overall look and feel.
Warm colours such as red, orange, yellow, are bolder than cool colours such as green, blue, and purple.
They will stand out and give an instant impact. To increase the visual splendor of warm colours try adding a contrasting element such as a light paver or pot nearby.
And when using warm colours, try placing them in a smooth and gradual sequence, for example, red to orange to yellow.
FORM
Form is the shape or visual appearance of your plants. A way to create interest in your garden is by grouping plants of varying forms together.
Another option is to create form is using climbing vines on designed lattice or clipping your hedge into interesting shapes.
Your eyes are drawn unconsciously both vertically and horizontally by the way plants are grouped. This is handy to remember because it can draw the eye towards pleasant areas of your garden and away from unattractive areas.
The use of line can also give your garden a certain character for example, curving and graceful lines are soft and pleasing. While straight lines and shapes are bold and official. And using irregular straight lines can give your garden an energetic feel.
FOCAL POINT
Some gardens have a particularly prominent feature that attracts the viewer.
Things like water features, sculptures, or large trees and plants should be arranged to stand out, perhaps with a line of plants or a path to lead the eye to them and isolate them from the rest of the garden.
SCALE
Scale is simply the size of one object compared to another. If your garden is not in proportion it generally won't look right.
However this can used to your advantage, placing a seriers of large to small pot plants in a line can add an intresting design element to your overall arrangement. Try experimenting with scale to create your preferred look.
TEXTURE
Similar to Form, texture is the tactile surface of your plant's leaves and trunk.
Using texture can be subtle, for example placing a Paper Bark next to a Silver
Birch tree, or it can be overt grouping a fuzzy Kangaroo Paw with a shiny Lilly Pilly.
Consider the texture of the leaves and trunks of your plants to add to the overall appeal of your garden.
GROUPING
The grouping of your plants and trees is important. Individual plantings should be grouped in odd numbers and irregularly spaced - don't use equilateral triangles. If you're planting a mass grouping, pay attention to the texture, colours and height of the plants you're using, and arrange them in a sequence to lead the eye.
REPETITION
This technique creates harmony by referencing visual elements of the garden over and again.
You can also take design cues from the house itself. However, be sure to find a balance. While too many contrasting elements can make the garden busy and cluttered, too much repetition is boring.
SPACE
Space can have a huge impact on the feel of your garden. Small enclosed spaces can seem claustrophobic, while large sweeping areas will seem bare.
Luckily, there's a magic number to help you strike the right
balance. Make sure the ratio of your home's height to your garden's width is 1:4 or less to give your green space the correct sense of proportion.
To add space to a small area consider using smooth edges and perimeters, creating a slight downhill slope adds length, and fine textures for depth.
If the task ahead sounds massive a landscape designer will be able to draw up a plan to suit your needs and budget. If you come to them with as much information as possible about your needs and wants, they will be
able to incorporate practicality and aesthetic appeal with the design principles.
Reproduced with permission Century 21 Life@home http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
Looking to renovate or update your floor and wall coverings? Then tiles are the answer. As a builder, I really enjoy working with tiles because they're practical and durable. And they bring style, depth and beauty to any setting.
Tiles have been used in design and building for thousands of years. They are literally timeless in terms of wear and aesthetic endurance. I've worked with glass, ceramic, porcelain and natural stone tiles. Each have specific benefits depending on your needs.
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You can't go past ceramic tiles for durable floor or wall coverings that are easy to maintain. They're a hardy long-term investment, able to stand up to heavy traffic and abrasion - so kids, pets and lots of visitors are no problem.
Ceramic tiles are superior to wood products because there is no shrinking or expanding, which keeps the chemical structure of the ceramic intact over time. They're easy to keep fresh and clean because they tend to be stain resistant, don't absorb odours, and can be easily mopped up or wiped over with a mild cleansing solution - time saving and environmentally friendly!
Porcelain floor tiles can be more expensive than their ceramic counterparts, but they are even more durable than ceramic tiles, and more resistant to chipping because they're fired at higher temperatures and have a greater density. This makes porcelain tiles a particularly great option for both outdoor and indoor flooring.
Both ceramic and porcelain tiles come in an almost limitless range of colours and decorative patterns. You can take inspiration from decorative tiles around the world or go with simple, clean lines.
But for an elegance that rarely dates, my preference is always natural stone.
Each piece is a geological artifact. Every line, colour and fossil fused into the stone was once alive, making each tile truly unique. Over time, the colour will mellow and the surface will wear to a smooth patina. Natural stone is available in pavers and tiles, and comes in various sizes and finishes. It is perhaps more prone to wear and tear, but in my experience this only enhances the unique character of your space.
Which ever you choose, tiles are beautiful and practical, and you are sure to find just the right style to enhance your building or renovation design.
Reproduced with permission Century 21 Life@home http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
The mid-20th century marked a design revolution strongly influenced by the Modernist movement. Particularly influential across Scandinavia, America, parts of Europe and Australia, it still inspires and endures today.
To get a handle on Mid-Century Modernist furniture and design, it helps to understand what led the movement and who the leading designers were.
After the Second World War, from about 1945 to 1975, interior and architectural design was strongly influenced by the availability of new materials and mass production techniques. The world was rapidly changing, and the concept of modernism looked at exactly that - the modernisation of society and the impact of technological advancement.
Key concepts included form follows function' and truth to materials'. The result was an emphasis on function over decoration and using materials such as plywood and steel in a recognisable state. Design became streamlined, pared back and less ornate. Organic sculptural shapes were embraced over decoration.
Interior and architectural design go hand in hand, and many of the leading architects at the time -such as Le Corbusier, Arne Jacobsen and Eero Saarinen -were also furniture designers. The International style was the overarching architectural movement of the mid-20th century. These buildings feature flat roofs, bold rectilinear shapes and horizontal lines, and are often raised on stilts with carports underneath. Internally multi-level open-plan living was introduced. Local proponents included Harry Seidler and Robin Boyd.
Reproduced with permission Century 21 Life@home http://www.century21.com.au/life-at-home/
