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.

With the busy lives we lead, our bedroom is not only where we sleep, but our sanctuary.  It is here, that you can close the door to the world and feel relaxed and peaceful. 

There are oodles of decorating styles for bedrooms, from the natural look with minimalist accessories to the sumptuous and glamorous.  Whatever style you choose, here are some things to consider.

You still need to be able to walk round your room, so before purchasing or changing your furniture, have a good look at your space and, if necessary, map out where the furniture will go.  You can often get carried away with purchasing a new bedroom setting, only to find that you haven’t got quite enough space for all the component parts eg the dresser, lowboy etc.

Personally I favour using a bedhead, it anchors the wall on which the head of the bed is positioned.  If you bed doesn’t have a bedhead, you can easily purchase one or make one to suit your space.   Again, the options are only limited by your imagination and budget.  You can use padded bedheads in leather or beautiful fabric, bamboo or textured natural finishes or a sleek contemporary look using some of the great laminates.

If your room is large enough, then do consider putting a small side table and an armchair in the room.  Personally I think this adds a touch of elegance and relaxation to the ambience of the room.  If you have an old chair, then consider having it reupholstered in a beautiful fabric, and tie this in with your linen and curtains. 

Whilst a lot of people use blinds on the window, I also like to soften the room by using drapery, which can be used in conjunction with blinds.  The style of the drapery reinforces the style of your room eg swags and tails for a formal/traditional look or tab tops or grommet tops for a more contemporary look.  In addition the fabric selected also impacts on the style of the room, for example using sheers or soft hanging material as opposed to heavier and bulkier fabric.

Lighting is often forgotton about in the bedroom.  You need to assess your room for the amount of natural light it receives (as this will impact on the colour you choose) as well as the artifical light required for ambience lighting and task lighting.   Don’t forget that if your are using the dresser in the evening, then you’ll be needing light, often dressers are placed by windows for natural light, however come night time you need artifical light.  If you have downlights in the room, then using dimmer switches is a great way to change the lighting effect.  Lights either side of the bed for reading could be lamps or pendant lights.  (Obviously if your installing pendant lights, then you can’t change the position of the bed.) 

The dressing of the bed with the linen, throws and cushions is where you can really create an impact.  Mix and match sizes of cushions, fabric designs and textures.  This will add depth to the room and will reinforce the style and feeling you want your room to be.

Layering of flooring is popular and adds warmth to the bedroom.  For example if you have carpet as the floor covering, then layer rugs over the top of this.

The final thing is please keep your bedroom clutter free, if this is your space where you can relax and feel at peace then having a clutter free room is only going to add to the end result.  So make a conscious effort to remove old magazines, beverage cups, or whatever else is lying around causing clutter…

Yours, dreamily, chief inspiration officer – Sharon

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

Many home owners are now looking to see what they can do incorporate environmentally friendly ideas and  ’green up’ their space.  This could include making small changes such as changing a few purchasing habits to incorporating green initiatives when building a new home or office.  What you get is mostly a healthier lifestyle and loads of economical savings, what the surroundings get is sustainability and respect, so it’s a win-win situation.

If you’re not building a property at the moment, what you do have management over is the interior design and style of your living space.  You may feel overwhelmed by the large amount of info readily available on green interior design, so here is a list of 7 uncomplicated points you are able to do to make your home greener.

1.  Start by making use of certified non-toxic glues, paints, finishes, cleaners and polishers.  Besides being eco friendly they aid in keeping your place less toxic.

2.  When looking to replace your carpet or linoleum floor, look at wood or bamboo.  Bamboo is an excellent material due to that fact it is cost effective and it is a tremendously fast growing plant.    Materials that are sourced from specifically grown plantations to meet these needs are a great option.

3.  Make sure you update your electric devices with newer, energy efficient and stylish equipment.  You can also replace your old light bulbs with compact fluoros or LED and reduce your carbon footprint.  We’ve just been through this at home, by replacing the old fridges with newer ones (hate to say it but one fridge was 26yrs old and still going strong).

4.  Make sure your rooms have controllable ventilation so the air gets renewed constantly.  Ceiling fans are a great, and a great alternative to switching on the airconditioner on those days when you ask yourself, do I really need the aircon on?

5.  Check if your windows and doors are insulated.   There are a myriad of options from using window treatments such as curtains to putting on the insultation strips around the edges of the doors etc.

6.  When looking at new furniture, don’t go passed recycled furniture.  Materials like metal and glass, unlike paper, retain their high quality even when recycled, so they’re a great option.

7.  If you are purchasing wood furniture, try to make sure that it was created from wood that was cut locally as this will save significant amounts of energy, which would be spent in transferring it from a remote location.

What you have to keep in mind is that most of the gains from green interiors are long term.  However, as they say, every journey starts with a step.

Your ‘environmentally friendly’ 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 spaces in a house that I find has often been ‘missed out’ when owners are discussing and considering decorating projects is the hallway.  When you think about it, the hallway or entrance to your home really sets the scene when friends, family and visitors arrive at your place.   In addition the hallway can throw up some interesting decorating challenges as it is often a ‘dumping ground’ for family members when they arrive home, and, depending upon the layout of the house, the physical space you have to work with can in itself present challenges. 

Below are a few pointers for your hallway decoration and I’ve included a few pictures I found on http://www.livingetc.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=174&g2_page=2  which hopefully will give you inspiration to decorate your hallway and set the scene for your place – Making Life Beautiful, one space at a time.

1.  Look at the space layout you have to work with, sounds basic I know, but hallways come in numerous shapes and sizes, then select a theme for your decoration, that is how you want the space to look and feel.   This could be elegant, monochrome colour scheme, funky or country look and feel.  Long narrow hallways will dictate the selection of the accessories and furniture, where as larger areas will allow greater scope for larger pieces.

2.  Look at the light, both natural light and artificial light in the hallway.  You can add interest by using a stunning pendant light or chandelier as a focal point, this type of lighting works wonderfully well if you have a lobby type entrance or a stairs leading off the hall.  Wall sconces or downlights are great to provide lighting in a long narrow hallway.  If you have artwork on the walls then consider accent lighting to make this a focal point. 

3. Consider the functionality of the hallway, if you have lots of family coming and going, often it becomes a dumping ground for bags, shoes, coats, hats, keys etc etc.  By selecting furniture and accessories that allow storage of these items, for example consoles with tables, or a place for shoes, then hopefully you won’t be continually nagging family members to ‘put things away’.  By look ing at the space available, you may have the ability to incorporate functional features such as as a fitted bookcase underneath the stairwell, giving you additional storage space to your home.

4.  For smaller hallways, you can’t go past using a light colour scheme, this creates the perception of space and pushes the walls out.  Light colours have a higher light reflectance value which means that a greater percentage of light that enters the space (natural and artifical) is reflected off the walls which obviously adds to the brightness of the hallway.

5.  Also, look at using a mirror in the hallway.  Decorative mirrors are fantastic accessories as they will reflect and disperse light throughout the space.  When looking for a mirror, do take into consideration scale.  A small mirror, on its own, on a large wall is not going to look particuarly good when compared to a large mirror.  However, you could combine a small mirror with wall hangings, for example photos, metal wall hangings etc.  A large mirrors is usually a good choice, especially if it is the only decoration on a particular wall.

6.  The use of accent colours really ties the space together, and adds a splash of colour to the hallway.  Accessories in your chosen accent colour could include picture frames, glass vases or bowls and furniture such as a chair or hat stand.

7.  If you have the space then create a focal point through the use or artwork, lighting, furniture or a quirky item.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be large item but an item of interest.

Here are a few pictures www.LivingEtc.com  which hopefully will add inspiration to your hallway decoration project.

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.

As a small business owner, you know I’m passionate in the belief that, whether working in an office space or from home,  you present your personal branding and corporate image in a way that reflects your business image and the values that you stand for.  So how do you achieve this on a budget that isn’t going to break the bank?  Well, here are 7 tips you can use to get a result straight away.

1.  Look at your reception furniture with fresh eyes, and be critical.  Is it looking in good condition or a bit worn or tatty around the edges? 

2.  Is the surrounding comfortable?  by comfortable I don’t mean chairs and lounges that you sink into, but does the ambience of the reception area reflect your brand and business.  In relation to reception chairs , they shouldn’t be uncomfortable to sit on, but by the same token, you want to make it easy for visitors to be able to stand up.

3.  Is the colour scheme in the reception area reinforcing your corporate colours that you use in your stationery, business cards and signage? or portraying the type of business you are in? 

4.  Assess the lighting in the reception area.  Can you add interest and a focal point by installing accent lighting on a piece of wall art or over your corporate logo signage?  Are all the light fittings workings and in good condition i.e not dusty, or globes not working?

5.  If you have industry magazines, newspapers and sales brochures in the reception area, are they current and in a presentable condition (no pages falling out, out of date sales brochures, dog earred)?

6.  The reception desk or station, could you improve on the presentation by including fresh flowers, decluttering unnecessary paperwork and tidying up the desk top?

7.  Have you utilised wall space to incorporate industry certificates, awards won, framed press releases or certificates of appreciation from local organisations that you have supported? 

All of the items mentioned here tell a story about you and your business to the visitors, suppliers, partners and potential employees that walk through your front door into your reception area.  The question you have to ask yourself is, is this the story that you want to tell those entering your world?

One area of a businesses physical presence, that is often not the best it could be, is the reception area.  Hard to imagine that this doesn’t get the focus and attention to detail as it deserves, as it is your window to the world.  This is the first area that your customers, visitors, partners, prospects and employees see when visiting your premises – and you don’t want to ruin the first opportunity you get to impress and portray a professional image that reflects the ethos of your business.

In this post, I’m covering 4 key elements to the overall design of the space, as opposed to the interior decoration of that space - that will follow.  Whilst reception areas within offices differ dramatically, there are some principles for the reception office design that are consistent for most schemes.

1.  It is important that security and reception staff have visual sight of the space, even when a travel route for staff doesn’t take them to the main Reception area.  Also, don’t forget that this visual control should also extend to visitors whilst they are waiting.  Ideally, the Receptionist and visitor can both maintain contact in the event of a prolonged waiting time.

2. Once a visitor is in the waiting area, then don’t forget the directional control i.e. how the visitor or new staff member is directed once through Reception.  For example, many buildings do not have the lifts in plain view, or internal lobbies may not direct people, assuming that once they’re in the building, then they’ll know where to go.

3.  Most businesses use the Reception area to display their name, brand or logo.  They also reflect the standards within the business such as the style of furniture, layout out and the colour schemes used.  In addition, corporate publications, newspapers and TV news is generally used to enhance their image.  Once these initial elements are in place, it is essential that they are well maintained.  If  TV’s are installed, then they better be working and on a channel that is in alignment with your businesses culture.  Similarly, any printed material, such as brochures, price lists, industry magazines and newspapers should always be current.  The principle here is, avoid putting anything into a reception area that won’t be kept up to date and well maintained.

4.  Reception furniture is designed with several good reasons in mind.  Soft seating shouldn’t be that soft, it should be comfortable yet firm enough to assist people to get up quickly, and avoid getting saggy or tatty from constant use.    Durability in the reception areas is very important.  Generally the reception desk, storage and seating is specified to a high standard so that they don’t deteriorate rapidly.  Consideration to corners that stand up tot he hoover, surfaces that don’t chip or lift, and durable fabrics are all standard practicalites.      Equally important is that everything is serviceable, light fittings must be easy to clean and easy to change the globes.  Corners can easily be knocked, so thought should be given to design them in a way that is either protected from traffic or constructed to withstand a knock.

So, if you are planning a remodelling of your reception area, or if you are locating your business premises, I hope that some of these principles are of use to you.  Once the intial draft of the design is in place, the interior decoration needs to be planned at the same time, so you end up with a practical, functional yet stylish and beautiful reception area to welcome your visitors.

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.