Getting The Shabby Chic Look

The furniture that you will bring into your home will be very important but let's not forget that existing furniture can be played around with to get the desired look. More often than not, wood is the primary material used in furniture but it gets a makeover with several layers of paint - not forgetting the aged look of chips and a little wear and tear. You can create this look yourself by sanding or distressing the top layer of paint to show the wood or other paint layers underneath.

Furniture should be comfortable as it is no good just choosing pieces for the purpose of looking great if they are going to make you feel stiff and rigid when sitting. Shabby chic is very cosy and should invite you to curl up on the sofa with a good book or cup of tea with friends. You can make things even more cosy with lots of plumped up pillows.

Wicker also works well in the shabby chic décor - give wicker items a white coating or if you have more than one piece you can leave one or two in its original condition for contrast. A couple of patchwork throws wouldn't go a miss and a good focal point could be a table with a display of random white ornaments and odd table lamps uk style to create an ambient, diffused lighting effect in the evenings.

Image: Small Place Style

It's All In Black And White!

Monotone bedroom can create the illusion of both space and grandeur. This fabulous bedroom combines all things black and white with great effect.

I love the chunky bed with the contrasting luxury of the white chaise lounge and the alternative stance of using black for the flooring and door frames to create such an elegant look to this room. The whole concept blends effortlessly together with the paisley black and white rectangular patterned rug placed strategically between the two resting areas.

This look could easily be replicated on a budget. White emulsion paint for the walls and ceiling and paint the floor with black paint which is scratch and mark resistant. If you have an outdated headboard and bed frame this could be either painted black or use imagination and create a fabric headboard which compliments cheap large rugs which can be found online or in fabric warehouses.

The whole room should be kept simple without the addition of fussy ornaments. Opt for scatter cushions to make as the accent pieces for the bed. If you can’t afford a chaise lounge, a large comfortable chair would look equally effective. Use a cheap white throw with a cushion of a different shape but in the same fabric as the one used on the bed.

This room shows no curtains or blinds for the door onto the terrace, however full length sheer curtains in white voile would compliment the room beautifully.

As with all interior design be inspired by what other have successfully created. The dimensions of your room may not be as generous but with a little imagination stunning bedrooms can be easily achieved which don’t cost a fortune!

For image source and further black and white inspirational ideas visit Freshome

Be Inspired To Add Colour To Your Home

Plain white can sometimes be rather bland and boring. While it offers a crisp clean look which can give the illusion of more space injections of colour as seen in this floral headboard and contrasting throw are perfect!

Additional accessories which blend beautifully are used with great effect. This is the type of stylish bedroom which can be emulated on a low budget, which is great news for many during the credit crunch!

Transform a bedroom in a weekend by painting walls and ceiling brilliant white, add a cheap blinds in white and but some reasonably priced white bedding. The choice of colours you use to inject your colour is down to a matter of personal taste.

I love the bright greens, turquoises and pinks which provide a vibrancy and fresh look which designer Mi Casa Revista have used. The concept of the design was to offer inspiration to others to pep up their homes in a stylish and affordable way. I think they have hit the nail on the head, metaphorically, with this great bedroom design.

More Mi Casa Revista inspirational designs can be found at freshome where there are design ideas for every room in a home. Adding injections of colour can lift the spirit and the mood- which is something we could all do with from time to time.

The whole idea behind the world of Interior Design is to share thoughts and design concepts with others and in my opinion Mi Casa Revista have done just that!

Patchwork Beanbag Sofa

The new ‘going out’ is staying in-a bit of a contradiction of words I admit-but with the continuing downturn in the country’s economy experts are suggesting that more and more people will be making themselves comfy in their living rooms rather than spending money going out.

Snuggle up on this great Beanbag sofa designed by Bertjan Pot. It reminds me of knitted patchwork squares made by the WI and other institutions which are turned into blankets!

The great thing about patchwork-knitted or fabric-is that you can basically use any colour combinations and textures and still arrive at an unusual design. These types of random patchwork squares mean you don’t have to adept at coordinating colours or creating symmetrical patterns. You can simply make squares and join them together to make all manner of soft furnishings. Cushions and throws would be smaller and easier beginner projects and once you have mastered the art larger projects can be taken on.

Why not make patchwork curtains? There would be no need for complicated headings as that would spoil the ‘home-made’ effect. You could use a curtain pole to either make a simple overlapped topping and slide your new curtains onto the pole. Alternatively using wooden curtain rings would give a real in trend ‘shabby chic’ appearance very effectively.

The world is your oyster so to speak! Make use of your new at home time, be inspired with bright colours which remind you of nice comforting things. An excellent way to recycle old curtains, clothes-anything you can get your hands on really. Experiment, have fun and enjoy spending time at home.

For further information and image source visit: notempire