Why? Pink For Girls And Blue For Boys!

Choosing the right colour scheme for babies and toddler's rooms continue to use the colours associated with each gender, namely blue for boys and pink for girls! But where did this stereotype originate from?

After searching and delving the history associated with these colours I have found it fascinating! In a nutshell:

Prior to WW1 it was common to dress boys in pink and girls in blue! After WW1 the colours reversed as many military uniforms were blue, this became the predominant colour for boys as it showed masculinity and strength, whilst advertising campaigns encouraged women to show their femininity and wear pink!

As we strive to reduce stereotypical assumptions, many nurseries are using pale green or sunshine yellow, however it remains 'habit' for splashes of either pink or blue to be added according to the gender of the baby!

Green tab top curtains coordinate beautifully with pink, as such these colour combinations are being found in many rooms of people's homes, not just nurseries and children's bedrooms. Whilst boys bedrooms are rarely pink, interior designers are using bold colours such as post office red, orange and even black to create inspirational kid's rooms which break the boundaries of use of colour without treading on the toes of those who remain steadfast in their stereotypical assumptions!

Image: Belle Maison

The 4 C's ! Create Colour Coordinated Chic!

You have probably heard of the three R's in the UK, but have you ever heard of the 4 C's?
* Create
* Colour
* Coordinated
* Chic

Interior design styles which are easy to achieve and inexpensive can easily be put together if you think of the 4 C's!

Create: How you create your interior design style reflects your personality and shows people more than you may expect about yourself and your preferred lifestyle! Therefore think wisely about your choices, don't merely opt for the latest fashion fad in interior design, create styles which you enjoy and love being in!

Colour: The colours you choose says a lot about you! And whilst you may not be one for old wives tales and past folklore, colour therapists will beg to differ as the colour used in your home has hidden meanings whether you are aware of them or not!

Coordinated: Coordinating does not necessarily mean everything has to match. What it does mean it that to create a coordinated look to your home you should choose colours which compliment each other, along with a strong accent colour. The term 'strong' does not have to be taken literally, meaning you have to have at least one controlling shade or tone! Soft pastels such as soft candy pink or duck egg blue can be excellent accent colours for white or ivory rooms. Use accent colours for blinds, curtains, cushions and rugs and you will pull the room together to give a sense of balance and cohesion.

Chic: This term may be open to debate and misinterpretation as one person's perception of chic may be miles apart from someone else's! The basic principle here is to keep rooms purposeful and meaning full. You can mix colours and designs to create a chic interiors which ooze stunning style, as long as they work well for you and you are comfortable living with them!

Images: Habitually Chic

Choosing Colours For Your Interiors!

One of the greatest things about interior design is that you can opt for any style you like, it's your home and you should feel comfortable in it! You do not have to keep up with the very latest design trends to have an interior which is stunning.

If you can't decide on which colour you like best or simply have to have them all then simple aspects such as painting your cupboard doors all a different colour can look striking and very stylish! In order that the look is not overwhelmed opt for plain white blinds which enable you to control how much light and privacy you want or need.

Using Venetian styled blinds in a kitchen is ideal, particularly if they are made from metal which has been coated to help reduce dust build up as well as being very easy to keep clean, as they allow plenty of natural light to flood into the room creating a homely, bright and airy space when stacked at the top of the window or when the louvres are tilted open. If you have small windows you can further maximise the use of natural light up slightly tilting the louvres upwards which enables the light to bounce off a white ceiling.

Keep things natural in the kitchen by having easy to clean flooring around the working areas. If you have a table in your kitchen you can opt for a rug made from natural materials to keep the theme coordinated and bring a sense of homeliness as well as cohesion to the room.

Image: Avant-garde Design

Can't Decide Which Eyelet Curtains To Use?

If you can't decide which colour or pattern of curtains to use why not take inspiration from interior designers who are using the fashionable mix of bold colours and patterns to create striking interiors which have non-matching curtains!

The idea may seem rather bizarre, however with careful planning and incorporation of the same fabrics for cushions and using a mismatch of textures and patterns stunning trendy designs can look very effective in many styles of homes.

Using white as the wall colour and natural wood flooring gives you the opportunity to mix and match the colours of your soft furnishings. To make this style look effective opt for colours which compliment each other and are within the same colour hue range, otherwise it may simply look odd and unbalanced.

Use the same two colours as accent pieces is also a great way to bring the room a sense of cohesion and trendy chic elegance. Choose colours which inject vibrancy for maximum effect, along with a variation in furniture from different style trends.

The wide variety of colours and patterns of ready made eyelet curtains enables anyone to try this funky style within their home, not forgetting that if the curtains come in pairs you automatically have a replacement replica pair to use whilst the others are being laundered! Alternatively you can use the image image if you have a room with windows at opposite ends of the room.

I admire designers and people who dare to be different simply by using a new way to make their living space stand out from the crowd!

Image: Belle Maison

Natural Colour Variations Are Mesmerising!

There is something mesmerising about this room, I'm not sure whether the aspects of symmetry or the juxtaposition of the way the objects have been arranged.

In a way this rooms creates both harmony and cohesion with the identical mirrored windows with the sheer voiles placed three quarters of the way up to the height of the tab top curtains, the positioning of the mirrors which in turn extends the length and symmetry of the room or the chairs which almost appear to be standing guard over the room, daring you to step beyond into the more personal space in front of the fire place.

It some ways it is confusing to look at, whilst in another it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. What I do love are the natural colours used along with the subtle injections of green, another very natural colour.

A clever room design which one would feel somehow 'not quite at home with'!

Inspiring? Yes, definitely.

Suitable for all homes and people, definitely not!

It would be the ideal and in some ways quintessential country manor style home, which although many people may aspire to living in, as it depicts such a peaceful, tranquil setting, it reality it is not the 'average' person's home interior design style.

It has the personal touches in the choice of objects placed on the mantle piece and a tempting bowl of apples, which I would be 'scared' to take and eat and for the apples are not for eating, purely to add to the natural green into the room!

So why did I select this room?...because it fascinates me in a strange and wonderful way, which is the whole point of good interior designs, it makes you want to keep looking!

Image: Desire To Inspire

Appealing Summer Design Styles

There is something about this room design which I love, not my usual type of style, however the more I look at this room the more aspects of it I like!

In a nutshell that is what good design style is all about, liking the look, loving the colours and feeling comfortable with the style. This is a room which would suit many homes and could so easily be copied, even if you were to follow the design principles if you are not keen on the colours a striking style could be achieved very cost effectively.

If you are not adept at painting features and focal points on your walls there are lots of places where you can obtain transfers which are quick and easy to apply.

Of course the room has lots of white, well I doubt I’d like it so much if it didn’t! along with some beautiful striking summer colours in the cushions, mural and the ready made curtains. The white coffee table has all the hallmarks of a sixties style which only has the all important three objects placed on it.

Always display objects in uneven numbers as this is far more pleasing to the eye. The other thing I love about this room s there is no clutter, which I admit is one of my greatest dislikes!

The flooring makes a pleasant change in mustard yellow, however I’m not a lover of wall to wall carpets and would change this for a large rug on stripped floor boards or ceramic tiles in a neutral shade.

Image: Decorology

Using White In Your Home

White and so chic this is the ideal hallway for me! Simplicity really is a matter of less is more in many styles of interior design and this is one of those designs where nothing more is needed, its striking simplicity speaks volumes!

Injections of colour are all in-vogue within the world of interiors, however white continues to be the most favoured of colours. purely because it look stylish on its own and even more stunning when a natural wood table on which a few objects, including plain table lamps, nothing fancy or flashy, are placed. Natural coloured flooring is used as a purely functional necessity and to make this design feel homely.

The great advantage of using white is that it looks good however old or new your home, unless you are trying to replicate a particular period of time, such as the Victorian era or before, then white is an excellent option. (you shouldn’t include brilliant white paint if you want authentic looks in Victorian homes for the simple reason it hadn’t been invented!)

Any room of your home can be predominately white, of course total white is also acceptable but needs to be used carefully and skilfully otherwise it can look very cold…think of snow and ice and you will realise what I mean!

Injections of any colour, pale pastel to vibrant neon will lift the coldness and turn your room into a chic and very stylish place to be!

For great interior design inspiration and image visit Decorology