Making Life Beautiful

For most of use, storage is a perennial problem, particularly when children start to get older, and in today’s world, when children are staying at home a lot longer. It seems that ’stuff’ and clutter tend to grow all on their own, in every room, taking up a lot of floor space, and squeezed into every nook and cranny.

To create more storage space, look around your rooms and think outside the box. Are there empty walls on which you could install shelves? Creating shelving around door frames, under stairs or above windows can create not only great additional storage, but also add to the decor and style of your space. Using a kids locker to tidy away all the junk and paraphernalia that most children will accumulate is a great to teach them to tidy away all of their toys when they have finished playing with them at the end of the day (and less clearing up for you to do). Wire units are a great addition to any home but fit particularly well in the modern setting. Places where boots and shoes are kicked off are a great place for this style o f unit and will help to keep the place smelling sweeter too.

Functional furniture often helps in creating more storage. For example you could look for Ottomans where you can lift up the lid and use all space inside for storage. Similarly, some sofa lounges have seats that can lift up and provide sensational storage for bulky items such as spare duvets, blankets and towels. Coffee tables can provide storage by having a shelf underneath the top, or additional drawers. Behind the door space is often wasted. Dependent upon your needs, you can buy over the door hooks to store extra things. Using grids or hooks placed on the inside of cabinet doors is space that can be used to store extra things.

Are you utilising the space underneath your bed? You can buy plastic storage boxes or even better get space bags to store your extra bedding in underneath the bed. Bed frames come with platform drawers underneath are another great storage area and bookcase headboards and bedside tables with cupboards and drawers can add extra storage space in the bedroom.



The key to organisation doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars and spends hours upon end working to keep things in order. If you find the right ways to invest a little money and time you will actually find that you don’t have to pick up as much and that means a more comfortable area for you and your family.

I really love the style of Art Deco, so you can imagine the excitement, when visiting a potential client recently, who wanted the rooms to be in Art Deco Style…pictures will follow in the next few weeks.

The Art Deco design movement (1925 – 1939) was an elegant, functional and modern design style which celebrated a time of innovation, decoration and decadence. Art Deco appealed to many, people who liked cocktails, the Charleston, streamlined cars and chromium- plated electric toasters.

Art Deco style first came into prominence at the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925. Art Deco motifs came to be especially favoured for both the exteriors and interiors of distinctively twentieth-century building types such as the cinema and the skyscraper. Art Deco celebrated the aspects of the machine age and used vivid decorative elements. Straight lines, often three in parrallel, were used horizontally, vertically and diagonally in conjunction with geometric curves. Low-relief sculpture was popular, it was heavily stylised and tended to be symbolic of speed, power, industry or progress.

Deco design is characterized by the use of mathematical geometric shapes, symmetry and repetition, with the use of machine technology including materials such as glass, aluminium and stainless steel. Deco influences are found in architecture, interior design, industrial design, graphic art, painting, film and fashion.

In the 1930’s the cinema and the milk bar each drew heavily on the style and did much to make it popular. Eye-catching materials and finishes were preferred, such as chromium- plated steel, plywood faced with exotic veneers, and coloured opaque glass (Vitrolite and Carrara glass).

 Art Deco is a beautiful style, and there are several ways to create that look.  For example, for Art Deco furniture, mirrors and lamps, scour the trading post, ebay and second hand shops and antique shops.   You can readily source replica Art Deco Lamps and lighting fittings as well as Art Deco style cornices and skirting boards.  So, if Art Deco is for you, then happy hunting and have fun creating your 1920’s space.

One of the key items for your interior decoration projects is the use of a rug.  Rugs are great as they can completely change the look and feel of a room.  You can use a rug to add colour, define an area, soften sound, provide insulation, be the focal point or a piece of art on the wall.

One of the first things to consider is where you want to place your rug, as this will determine the size for your rug.  For example, if the rug is to be used as an area rug in the lounge then it is advisable to leave a space of approximately 1 metre between the edge of the rug and wall. 

If the rug is being used under a dining table, then add approximately 1250mm to the dimensions of the table, so when chairs are pulled out for seating, they remain on the rug.

Colour affects the mood, so when it comes to selecting the colour and design of the rug, think about the look and feel you want to achieve.   Are you the vibrant fun-loving type? Or do you want a zen-like room with simple clean lines? Red, orange and black with abstract designs can be a good rug for a party person and for rooms that complement the colours. While black and white are neutral colours that can blend in any set of furniture.

If you are redecorating an active room, choose the vibrant and excited colours. Active rooms are those that have a lot of action like kitchen, living room and dining areas. If you are redesigning a more relaxed room, like the bathroom and bedrooms, choose the more casual, relaxing and serene colours.

If your floor is very light, you might want to put in a darker shade of area rug. On the other hand, if your floor is too dark, adding a cream coloured shag rug or zebra rug will right away turn your room into one with sophistication and elegance.

Should you go for area rugs that are monochromatic or multi-coloured? The answer will depend on your style.  If your room is designed as modern and rich with complementary colours, the modern multi-coloured area rug will tie in all the colours in the room. Be careful though because having too many colours in one room can make it look gaudy.

If you are using rugs to separate different sections of a large room, you can choose different rugs with either same colours or same shapes. Having area rugs with different designs will define the different areas. But since they are sharing the same large rooms, it is important to note that they should have some shapes or colours that tie them up together.

One way to make your room feel richer and whether you prefer it to be warmer or cooler; is by choosing the right texture for your area rugs.

Wool area rugs are a great choice for several reasons, they usually last longer and provide great insulation.  Shag rugs are fancier and provide some hip and yet sexy sophistication to ones room. Shag rug is one alternative that is becoming very popular because while it also provides many options as far as color, shapes and sizes, the texture truly attracts the eyes into it and invites guests to leave the shoes to feel the shag rug. Natural area rugs like sisal rugs, bamboo or jute provide simple, airy, cool feel for the feet and come in different colours.

Contemporary rugs and Modern area rugs are usually either bursting in colours or are in limited colours eg stark white or elegant black. Contemporary area rugs usually have geometric patterns, and are abstract art by themselves.  Traditional rugs include Persian, Oriental, Indian and Tibetan carpets that have fine details that will give your room a classic elegance without being overpowering.

Animal or zebra print rugs can be very versatile. These types of area rugs can go well with modern furnishings such as glass and chrome; and go well with wood and brass. Whether you have a contemporary home or a rustic cabin, zebra rug, leopard rug or a tiger rug can very well fit into your home design.

Whatever your budget is, the mood that you want to experience or the style of your living space that you want to project, an area rug will be one of the most important purchases that you will ever make for your home. Small as it may seem, it will serve a decor that will liven up your room for many, many years, if you know how to choose the right one for your home.

photographs courtesy of www.designerrugs.com.au

Creating a focal point in a room can be achieved in many ways, including furniture.

I came across this industrial furniture, which I think is fantastic.  Depending upon your style and taste, it may not be for you, but I often like to add a sense of interest and quirkiness to a room, not always playing by the ‘interior rules’.  To add interest to a room or a focal point you can incorporate a piece of furniture.  This could be a console table at the end of a hallway, lounge chairs to a bedroom or something that is special to you.  By doing this you are not only created the focal point but also adding your own personality and character to your space.

You are really only limited by your imagination and budget.   So, if you’re looking to change your room around or starting from scratch, do consider, at the beginning, what furniture you would like to include and more to the point why?

Yours ‘industrially’ chief inspiration officer…Sharon

Often the thoughts of using wallpaper bring back dim and distant memories of old fashioned rooms adorned with not so beautiful wallpaper, with the heavy traditional styles to the florals and chintzs. 

Well, over the past few years, there has been a revolution in wallpaper, and there are some fantastic designs and patterns on the market.  Recently at the DesignX show in Syndey, I saw a new range of wallpaper from Eurowalls, which looked like sandstone and slate.  This wallpaper is simply stunning for feature walls and can go around corners and curved edges. 

Using beautiful designs of wallpaper in bedrooms, lounges, studies and hallways is a great option to create a feature wall that comes to life and adds that unique ‘wow’ factor to your space.  You can choose from pastels, geometric patterns, textured or plain papers or strong vibrant colours.   Wallpaper makes a great alternative to paint finishes for a feature wall.  You could always add paneling to half of the wall and wallpaper above it.   Another idea is to cover the back section of an old bookshelf, so when you see the books, behind them is the wallpaper.  For a co-ordinated look, team up the wallpaper design and colours with fabric.  Then use the fabric for cushions, curtains, throws or even have an old favourite chair recovered.  It gives you so many options to mix and match, blend or contrast colours and textures in your room.  Also, you can throw in to the mix a combination of florals with checks or plaids…..you are only limited by your imagination.

Some of the truly gorgeous wallpapers can be on the expensive side, but, if you’re only doing a feature wall or a particular area, then it might not break the budget.  There are oodles of videos on YouTube on how to hang wallpaper, so spend some time and check them out so you get great a great looking result from your efforts.

Also, if you confused on how to put colours together, then sign up for my monthly  newsletter ‘Inside Interiors’ (on the right hand side of this page) and you’ll receive my ebook on Designing with Colour absolutely free.  By the way, the newsletter I put together has hints and tips on interior decorating and includes a selection of things I come across in my world of interior decorating, from funky furniture to classic fabrics and amazing new technology in fixtures and fittings.

good luck in finding that perfect wallpaper for your space.

Sharon

chief inspiration officer……

One of the questions I’m often asked is, how do you find your inspiration ideas for interior decorating?   Well, hopefully this post will give you some ideas on where to start looking so you can create your home and ‘make your life beautiful – one space at a time’.

1. Artwork – generally most of us are drawn to a particular piece or style of artwork for instance it could be colours of the artwork, this is very true for me personally.  Sometimes I can look at a piece of artwork for sale, and although it is not a style I would generally go for, the colours in the artwork sing out to me.  It could be the emotion that the artwork conveys to you, for example you feel energised or soothed by looking at a particular piece.  If you select a piece of artwork as your theme, then this provides the basis for the colour scheme and the look and feel you want to create in your space.  You could use a monochromatic colour scheme or a scheme which ties in and complements the art.

2.  Your clothes, believe it or not, have a look at your wardrobe and analyse the style of clothes you choose to wear, are they ‘out there’ or more conservative.  Do you go for  a more classical look and add dashes of colour with accessories.  You can apply this methodology to your interior.

3.  A favourite piece of furniture can also be the foundation of your inspiration.   It could be that you have an eclectic taste or a retro taste etc.  Look at the fabrics used in the furniture, especially the texture and colours.   These elementscan then be enhanced by other pieces eg accessories, furniture, lighting and the colours  you use in the room.

4.  Accessories such as vases, cushions, throws and sculpture can also be used.  Personally speaking, at home, I decorated my main living areas based on a few pieces of Wedgewood pottery I adore – the Wild Raspberry design – so I have light green (almost pastel) coloured walls, cream ceilings and trims and striking feature walls in raspberry.  I felt like I was ordering dessert at the paint shop because the colours were called, sponge, apple pie and raspberry – but it works for me……….

5.  A particular period of time you love.  You only have to look through some books to see that there are very distinctive periods in history that could set the seed of your inspiration.   For example, we have Modernism, Art Deco, Retro, Victorian, Baroque just to name a few.  I have recently completed a project where the owners are really into Art Deco, so the rooms have wonderful Art Deco detailing eg cornices, tiles and the design of the tiles in the bathroom, light fittings, skirting boards and architraves which add to the soft furnishings and furniture to give that Art Deco look and feel.

6.  Magazines and catalogues, these can provide much needed direction for your inspiration.  With the myriad of publications on the market, on the internet and available resources in libraries.  What I find helpful from magazines is not only do they show you ideas on what you like, but they can help to clarify your mind as to  what you don’t like.

7.  and finally – Colour.  Colour is a passion of mine and I could ramble on for ever on this subject.  Quite often we are instinctively drawn to certain colours.  If you’re not confident at putting colours together, then look to nature for inspiraton.  The shades of green, the colours in the flowers and foliage, the blues of the skies and the autumnal colourings of the trees.

One of the great joys of the work I do, is creating spaces that people truly enjoy.  I’m just about to start on a project which entails remodelling the main living areas of the home.  This includes a new floor throughout the majority of the house,  a new kitchen, colour scheme, furniture and window treatments.

I do spend a lot of time talking to the client at the outset to really understand the feel, look and style they are wanting to create.   Admitedly, not every one has an idea at the beginning, and look to me for inspiration, which is fine.  Anyway, back to this project, the client was thinking of remodelling as the colour scheme is a little dated as is the kitchen.  The project has now come to the forefront on the envitable ‘list of things to do’ because their current floor tiles have started to lift.   When I visited the home last week I was amazed to see how the tiles had risen up over a large area.  It was almost as though you had pushed the walls in, which resulted in the tiles being squeezed and raised in a ridge approximately 3 -5 cms above the ground. 

I found some beautiful new floor tiles from the local tile shop, as soon as I saw the tile I knew that would be the basis on which to build the client’s new decor.   Also, amazingly, the price of the tiles easily fit within the client’s budget and I know they will look magical in their home.  When I showed the client, his face lit up and the comment was WOW….  The floor tile has sat proudly on the kitchen bench top for the past week, with every member of the house getting excited about the new look and feel the home will have.

So, next week I’m meeting the kitchen cabinet maker and tiler on site to start the quoting and budgeting process.  From there its off to the fabric shop to hunt down beautiful fabric for window treatments and getting to work on creating the whole new design.   Just seeing the client’s face and hearing the comments when they saw the tile was awesome, that truly gives me satisfaction in the work I do, creating spaces that people love, and fulfulling my passion of making life beautiful – one space at a time.

When looking to redecorate or remodel your space, one of the key aspects to consider is the interior lighting design.  Great interior lighting design can provide a huge impact to the look and feel of your room, complementing the furnishings and accessories and pulling all the other elements together.

I recommend a layered lighting approach to add interest and to bring in different dimension.  To build your layered lighting design, firstly note the activities that occur in various parts of the room, then build the layered lighting plan using task lighting, accent and ambient lighting.  So what do we mean by task, accent and ambient lighting?

Task lighting  is used for activities such as reading, cooking and sewing.  It allows you to complete a task without straining your eyes or getting blinded by harsh light.  For example, reading requires task lighting that comes from behind the reader’s shoulder or reflects off the ceiling or wall.    The kitchen is particularly good place to incorporate task lighting in your interior design and with some great kitchen light fixtures available, you’ll be spoiled for choice.   You may also consider task lighting for bathroom to allow good interior lighting for applying make-up or for shaving.   Task lighting sources should be unobtrusive and sheilded to prevent glare.  When you combine task lighting with accent lighting, some beautiful effects can be achieved.

The accent lighting layer of your interior lighting design provides interest to a room.   Accent lighting highlights certain features or areas such as artwork, display niches and sculpture.  Spotlights, track lighting fixtures and opaquely shaded table lamps all provide accent lighting.  Whatever the feature you wish to highlight, with the use of accent lighting, the feature then creates a point of interest in the room.

This leads us to ambient lighting.  Ambient light is general ighting that provides overall illumination to the areas in use, and complements both task and accent lighting.  This lighting layer can be a hidden from view and provide a soft wash over the room.  Generally, with ambient lighting few shadows are cast and the room takes on a more flattened appearance.  Dimmer switches are often used to create the effect of ambient light.

It would be remiss not to mention the greatest light source, natural light.   When designing your room layout you can take advantage of the natural light that comes into the room.  What you do have to keep in mind though, is this light source is not static, and will change according to the weather and the time of year.  However, natural lighting can produce an effect unequalled by any artificial light source when used properly.

When purchasing kitchen lighting fixtures, track lighting fixtures or modern light fixtures, take time to select the ones that not only will be functionally suitable to your needs, but also reflect the style, look and feel to your home.  Maybe you opt for a more classic design as opposed to one that is hip and trendy, that way, if you change the interior style the lighting fixtures may not have to be changed.

Interior lighting design is a key element to the overall look and feel of our space, irrespective of the types of shades and fixtures you select.  Using a layered approach at once in a room allows you to turn any of them off, changing the look and feel instantly.  This can be effective for creating different moods at different times of the day, for example night time.

For most homeowners, there does come a time when the decision is made to renovate………..

Changing lifestyles, for example growing families, starting a business from home or just realising that it is time to update your space can be the catalyst to renovate or restyle your home.  Renovating your home can add a great deal of value, and if you’re renovating to suit your needs, you can make your life more beautiful as your space will transform into one that you truly enjoy being in.

Simple changes, such as taking down a wall to open the kitchen into the dining area, or putting a beautiful bi-fold door through to the deck area can easily be tackled.  Conversely, larger projects such as adding a new room, raising a house or building a new level on top of your home will be a bigger drain on time and budget.  Whether your are renovating to make your home more useful, more attractive, or more suited to your growing family, you will find that renovating your space will be a worthwhile investment.

When considering the ‘renovation’ project, in the first instance, take your time to decide exactly what your needs are.  Start by writing down a list of your needs and then think about various ways you can achieve the outcome you want.  Once you have a clear objective, you can start breaking down the elements of the renovation    Will you need an architect to draw up plans for council?  Labour costs – will you need a plumber, tiler or an electrician?   Materials – what type of finishes do you want and how much will you need?  From this starting point you can then start to put together an very basic budget.  What you don’t want to end up with is a house that is half finished because you ran out of time, energy, money or all three.  Also, be realistic in the time you set yourselves to complete the project.  I know that by setting unrealistic time frames for renovations can cause many frustrations along the way.

The most popular subjects for renovating are the kitchen and bathroom; these are the rooms that tend to date the most easily, and renovating them adds the most value to the home.  Spotting an aged kitchen or a tired bathroom is usually easy by the type of flooring, the colours and the appliances.  However, these rooms usually require a reasonable budget, depending upon your selection of cabinetry, bench tops, appliances and tapware etc.  If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future, these two rooms are what potential buyers look most closely at in making their decision.

If you are handy around the home and prepared to ‘have a go’ yourself, or have friends or relatives who are, you may be able to do a great deal of the renovating yourself.  The labour involved in renovating is usually the biggest cost and materials the least cost factor, especially if  you shop around for bargains and sales.  Even though you may need to use a plumber and an electrician, you can probably paint a room and take away the debris, saving dollars on certain parts of the renovation.

Taking on a renovation project can be daunting and overwhelming, however with the right attitude it can also be fun, and the satisfaction at the end of the project will be worth it.   Just think about how much nicer it will look and how much easier it will be to live in if your upgrade and make the needed changes.

I thought I would share with you a short video I’ve put together showing the end result of a recent project.  The brief was to create a space that had clean lines, a contemporary look and feel which flowed through from the lounge to the dining and kitchen area.  A restricted colour pallette was used, predominantly black and white with accents of Aqua and Silver.   The wall behind the TV unit was painted in silver, using a special roller, to give the effect of wallpaper.  In the dining room, the focal point is the arch light, giving a beautiful pattern on the ceiling at night.  The kitchen optimises the space, with the breakfast bar also housing the microwave.  Waterfall ends on the breakfast bar turns this functional item into a piece of furntiure.