Worst Bedroom Designs

The public areas of our homes - our living rooms, halls, kitchens and dining rooms - often receive more attention than the more private areas like the bedroom, but if you neglect your bedroom, you are only neglecting yourself. Because they are not on public display, bedrooms can be more of an individualistic expression of our personalities, and while this can result in some stunning rooms, it can also see the creation of some real monstrosities (check out the first example to see a literal monstrosity in action). As well as misguided attempts at capturing a style, some bedrooms are ruined by sheer neglect, untidiness or poor planning, so read on to see some of the worst bedrooms in existence and learn how to avoid making the same mistakes.

It's easy to go over the top
when furnishing a child's room

This child's bedroom was obviously planned with the best intentions, but instead of being an exciting, inspiring place, the effect is nightmarish as well as impractical - after all, when the occupant of the room starts to grow up, will they still want to sleep in a Tyrannosaurus Rex's mouth?

This room is dark and uninviting,
but it doesn't have to be this way!

It's always a good idea to co-ordinate patterns on textiles and walls, but the owners of this room have gone too far - check out the duvet and the border at the top of the wall. By overdoing the matching pattern, the room becomes dark and unwelcoming, and the heavy, poorly-chosen dark wooden furniture does nothing to lighten the mood. If your room is small and dark, avoid large, heavy beds and pick a well designed modern bed that will help you to maximise your space.

If all these horrendous bedrooms have left a bad taste in your mouth, take a moment to check out the simple, elegant room below, with its carefully co-ordinated textiles and beautiful stripped-back wall. The owners of this room have focused on comfort and simplicity and created a sleeping space that is truly inviting and relaxing. If you want to create a similar effect, keep furniture to a minimum, co-ordinate your textiles and make the most of your room's more unusual features. To really make the most of your space, turn a spare room into a dressing room so that you can avoid clogging up the bedroom with wardrobes and dressing tables. This will also give you the opportunity to create a beautiful space where you can dress in tranquility and peace.

This room combines simplicity, comfort
and style for a truly elegant space.

If you feel you need a little more inspiration, check out the BBC's great selection of bedroom decoration tips and ideas, and transform your room into a welcoming haven.

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How To Turn Your Dining Room French

Think of a French dining room, and what comes to mind? Furniture that is somehow comfortable, rustic and effortlessly chic all at the same time, carefully chosen colours that create an environment that is perfect for long conversations over bottles of wine. If this sounds like heaven to you, why not consider creating your own French-influenced dining room, and bringing some of that unique continental charm to your home.

The centrepiece of any dining room is the dining table and chairs, and to get that distinctive French look, you'll want to go for elegant high-backed chairs to really get that sense of chic. For the table, you have a choice - if you are after the look of a sophisticated Parisian apartment, then go for a dining table with slender legs and a delicate design, and accessorise with matching occasional tables and sideboards on which to place lamps and flowing plants. If you crave the rustic French countryside style of a Provence cottage, then go for a rustic table that accentuates the natural beauty of the wood - distressed furniture can help you to get that lived in look without having to pay the high prices of antiques.

This room uses pale tones and a simple
chandelier to maximise space

Once you've got your furniture sorted out, you'll want to think about the decor. French-style dining rooms can, if they are small, benefit from a traditional lemon yellow or powder blue, which will maximise the light and evoke the sense of space found in a refined French apartment. If your room is larger, why not go for something bold and daring like vertical stripes or even a trompe l'oeil painting (although with this you'll want to go to a professional, as an amateurish attempt is a real fashion faux-pas)

This room uses a rustic dining table to create
a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere

The crowning touch to a French-inspired dining room will be a chandelier, although that doesn't mean you should forget about subtlety. Pick a lighting centrepiece that is in keeping with the scale of the room - a small glass chandelier can be an imposing presence simply because it is the source of light, whatever you do don't go too big, otherwise the sense of space will be lost.

Once you've successfully incorporated a French influence into your dining room, you'll want the food to match. Check out the BBC's piece on the differences between French and British cookery, and create some marvellous dishes to serve to your friends and family.

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Things to Look Out For When Choosing A Console Table

Console tables are highly practical, and can be adapted to many purposes, from serving as a handy hall table where you can keep your keys and where post can be kept to serving as a miniature writing desk in a small apartment. A console table will fit into any room, and as such, you may want to consider choosing one that will suit more than one room in your house should you ever decide to rearrange.

The more traditional style of console table features thin, tapered legs, a slim top, and a drawer for a little extra storage. This look really helps to bring a sense of elegance and chic to a room, and can evoke the unfussy style of a Parisian apartment as well as the traditional warmth of a country cottage. A traditional console table is a versatile piece, and can really make a difference.

This traditionally styled reclaimed oak console
table is perfect for a warm, cosy home

If you're after something that has a little more of a contemporary edge, then why not go for a more modern piece with chunkier legs that may also incorporate some extra storage such as additional drawers? Unlike the more traditional style of console table, a contemporary piece will probably have a chunky design, and will look great when combined with modern decor.

This contemporary oak console table will
fit in with an up-to-the-minute home

If you're after some extra storage for your hall or landing, why not look for a console table that incorporates some extra storage, such as a shelf at the base of the legs that can be used for storing shoes or even presenting houseplants. By ensuring that even a piece of furniture as small as a console table fulfils a practical role, you'll help to keep your home stylishly organised and refreshingly free from clutter.

If you need some inspiration for your hall's decor, and really want to make the most of this often under appreciated space, check out howstuffworks.com's great guide to decorating halls and landings.

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How to Turn Your Bathroom French

We would all love to live in a chic Parisian apartment, or a charming cottage in Provence, which is why we've come up with these handy hints to help bring a distinctively French feel to your home, starting with the bathroom. Over the next few weeks we'll be turning our attention to the other rooms in the house, allowing you to rejuvenate your home with Gallic chic.

1: Don't be afraid to be bold

The French have a passionate relationship with interior design, and classic French-style looks make the most of bold, fresh colour schemes as well as more traditional looks. In the bathroom, which is often a very small room, wall colour can really help to create the illusion of space. For a classic French feel go for Celadon walls with a slightly darker shade of eggshell paint for the skirting boards and other detailing. If you want to go for a modern look, why not try bold vertical stripes?

Even though this room is small, the bold
vertical stripes bring a fresh, airy feel

2: Choose your furniture carefully

French-style rooms make great use of space, and avoid clutter. If your bathroom is small, don't waste space by trying to cram extra cabinets into the corners. Pick one carefully chosen feature piece that looks great, but which also provides enough storage, and accessorise it with a cut-glass perfume bottle for that classic chic look. Try going for a solid wooden bedside cabinet, as these are designed to be compact, but also have ample storage.

3: It's all in the details

If you really want to nail the Parisian look, you'll need to make sure that all your accessories are up to scratch. Think elegant art-nouveau influenced vases, cast iron door furniture and fresh long-stemmed flowers for a really indulgent feel.

If your interest has been piqued, and you'd like to further research the intricacies of French-inspired design, why not visit the Interior Design School Review's site and check out their article on incorporating a French feel into your home.

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Tips to Make the Most of Your Bedroom

A bedroom is a place for rest, relaxation and indulgence, whether you're sleeping off the day's stresses or simply enjoying a lazy Sunday morning lay in with the newspaper and a delicious breakfast in bed. That's why it's so important that you make your bedroom a place that inspires restful feelings, where you can really get away from it all. This handy guide offers five tips that will help you to get the most out of your bedroom, so dive in and get inspired.

1. Make sure your bed is pulling its weight

The bed is the most important part of any bedroom, so it's worth your while taking a little time to make sure that you get the right option for you. Start with the frame, making certain that you pick one that is appropriate for the room - a four poster is great, but only if you have a high ceiling and enough floor space for it. If you make one investment in your bedroom, make it the mattress, as nothing else will have the same impact on your sleep and rest.

This beautifully dressed bed makes this
room inviting and relaxing

2. Get your entertainment options sorted

Sometimes, after a hard day, nothing's better than having an early night and watching one of your favourite films in bed, so it's a great idea to bring some unobtrusive entertainment to your room. Go for a small flatscreen TV, and mount it on the wall so that it doesn't take up floorspace. You can install an extendable bracket so that you can angle it closer to the bed when you want to use it, then fold it away when you don't.

3. Do you have enough storage?

If your bedroom suffers from an excess of clutter, then you may want to consider either storing some of your items elsewhere, or if your room is large enough, investing in some new storage solutions. If you can never find a place for spare blankets and pillows, try keeping a linen chest at the end of the bed. This not only provides great storage, but makes a great place to put a breakfast tray when you've finished with it.

4. Get the arrangement right

It doesn't matter how attractive your furniture is or how well decorated the room, if your bedroom is not arranged well, then it will never look its best. The BBC has a really handy guide to planning the layout of your bedroom, so if you're struggling to come up with ideas, it's well worth a look.

Even though this room is small, the
arrangement gives the illusion of space

5. Maximise your space

Often a bedroom can become overcrowded with furniture, as you cram a bed, bedside tables, wardrobes, chests of drawers and linen chests into the same space. If you have a spare room, why not try using it as a dressing room, so your bedroom can be stripped down to the essentials, helping to create a spacious, tranquil atmosphere where you can dream in peace and quiet.

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How to Create a Contemporary Dining Room

In the age of the celebrity chef, the pressure to create sumptuous restaurant quality meals means that even the most friendly dinner party is expected to be a dazzling culinary display in a sophisticated, stylish setting. If you want your dinner parties to be fondly remembered, it's important to make sure that your dining room is up to scratch, and one of the best ways to ensure that your dining area inspires relaxed conversation is to go for a sleek, elegant contemporary look that will also help your food to look irresistible.

A contemporary dining room is defined by its fresh and innovative approach to colour, texture and space, which makes it hard to successfully navigate the huge range of modern dining room furniture and accessories. That's why we've provided this guide, which is intended to help you to achieve a contemporary look that is warm, inviting, and which suits your individual tastes and personality.

Colour

Contemporary style demands an intelligent approach to colour, a departure from the norm. Try using bold, unusual colours with modern ideas like feature walls to really give your dining room that cutting-edge feel. If you need some inspiration, check out Fired Earth's stunning range of wall colours, specially selected by Kevin MacLeod, architect, designer, and presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs.

Texture

This room uses a wooden dining table to
bring warmth to its contemporary look

Use of texture can really make an impact - when you think of a contemporary styled dining room, you may get an image of sleek, glass or metal furniture and unbroken straight lines, but in recent years, designers have incorporated the more warm, soft and inviting textures of more traditional materials such as solid oak, pine or ash. This allows you to build your dining room around a wooden dining table, for a great combination of traditional character and contemporary design, saving more modern textures such as metal or glass for other items and accessories, providing variety.

Space

The fabric blind used on this window
maximises the light

The use of space is really what defines contemporary style, with a focus on clean, uncluttered surroundings and the creative use of lighting. Use sideboards or chests to provide enough storage to keep your surfaces clear, and make sure you get curtains or blinds that allow you to maximise the light that comes from your windows, but which also look good when drawn. Make sure that you choose a lighting scheme that keeps the ceiling clear - think recessed halogen spotlights and carefully positioned low level lighting.

If you need a little extra inspiration, Channel4.com have a great gallery of contemporary dining room design ideas, which is well worth a look.

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How to Repair Your Oak Furniture

Wooden furniture brings a real sense of individual character to any room, but it is vulnerable to damage, whether from spilled drinks, accidental knocks or even from the environment itself. That's where this handy guide comes in. These tips will allow you to keep your wooden furniture looking at its best, so if your dining table is looking a bit worn, don't worry, help is at hand.

If you have a lot of oak surfaces in your
home, learning to care for the wood is a must

Before you attempt any repairs, it's a good idea to make sure you know how the wood is finished. If it is untreated, then it will be less resistant to damage, but repairs can be easier as you don't need to worry about how the finish will react to treatment. If it has been finished in lacquer, it's best to allow a professional to repair it as achieving the evenness of finish by yourself can be a challenge. If the wood is waxed, then make sure you have a pot of wax with which to touch up any areas that are in need of repair.

Minor dents

You may be surprised to know that minor dents can be easily repaired using a few drops of water, a cloth, and an iron. Simply allow a few droplets of water to soak completely into the dent, and, when the wood becomes moist, place a clean cloth over the top, then - taking care to be gentle - use a warm iron to heat the area. The heat will cause the oak to expand, and as the water dries it allows the wood to set, keeping the new shape and completely ironing out the dent. Do not attempt this on lacquered furniture, as the heat can cause the lacquer to bubble and melt, and you may find that the cloth becomes stuck.

Scratches

Scratches are especially common on the tops of furniture, like dining tables, sideboards and coffee tables. There is a myth that rubbing a shelled walnut on a scratch will help, but this is not true. If the scratch is not deep, and your furniture is either untreated, waxed or stained, you can try lightly sanding the scratch, if it is not too deep, but you will need to re-stain or re-wax the sanded area. If the crack is deeper, you can buy crack-filling crayons from your local DIY centre. Simply heat the end of the crayon to slightly melt it, apply to the scratch, then buff very gently with a soft cloth. This is ideal when dealing with waxed or stained surfaces as you can get a crayon that matches the colour of the finish rather than the colour of the wood.

Burns

Most burns are tough to remove, and will need to be tackled by a professional, but small burns on untreated oak can be removed with this odd sounding tip. Simply apply a little toothpaste to the burn, leave it overnight then clean it off, polish the area, and you may find that the burn has gone completely. This works as the toothpaste absorbs the oxidised, blackened wood particles.

Fading

beeswax can be used on finished wooden surfaces to enhance the shine. If you want to get your hands on some, check out the Furniture Clinic's range of wood treatment products.

Moisture damage

If your furniture becomes moisture damaged, whether it's a ring stain from a carelessly placed glass or coffee cup or a major spillage, then you need to act fast. It may sound strange, but after mopping up excess moisture with a paper towel, you should apply some mayonnaise directly to the stain, rubbing it in well. Leave the stain for a couple of hours, then wipe the area clean with a damp, lint free cloth.

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How To Use Floors To Enhance Your Furniture

The choice of flooring can totally define the look of a room - when visitors arrive, the floor will dictate how they perceive the size, shape, function and style of your space, and by selecting the right flooring choice, you can make sure that your furniture is properly presented and your home looks its best.

Choose a flooring option that is
sympathetic to your furniture's style

Changing your floor is not as expensive as you might think- there are a huge range of options to suit all budgets. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Although they aren't as hard wearing as traditional carpets, foam-backed carpet is very cheap, and allows you to make a quick, cheap impact on a room. Make sure that if you have heavy wooden furniture you invest in some rubber or foam pads for the bases to prevent them from permanently marking the carpet.

Carpeting can stifle the style of modern furniture, especially if the carpet has a bold pattern, but when combined with more traditional pieces can help to create a warm, cosy effect.

Modern furniture relies on clean lines, and to reflect this, it works best with a sleek wooden parquet floor. If you want a wooden floor, but haven't quite got the money to spare, try installing some click-system, wood-effect laminate - it's cheap, and properly fitted it can be almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Make sure you place any large items of furniture, such as coffee tables or sideboards, on top of rugs or rubber pads to prevent them from marking the floor.

If your room is split into different areas for differing purposes, like an open-plan kitchen with a lounge area or a lounge/dining room, then it can be very effective to vary the flooring according to function, using ceramic tile for kitchen areas, carpet for lounge, and laminate for dining. This also allows you to create differently styled areas within the same room - a sleek contemporary dining set nestled at the end of a more cosy carpeted lounge, for example.

Make sure you consider the consequences of your new flooring choice - Ceramic tiles have the benefit of being easy to clean and totally waterproof, but they can become dangerously slippy, so make sure to use rugs to provide grip and warmth. Likewise, laminate flooring looks great, but can quickly deteriorate if used in a damp environment like a bathroom or kitchen, or in hotter rooms like conservatories.

A real wooden floor is great in any room, and really brings out the best in any type of furniture. It's a practical option too, as the wood can be sealed against moisture, and can naturally expand and contract with changes in temperature. The only drawback with wooden flooring is the cost and difficulty of installation.

If you're feeling adventurous, and think you've got what it takes to lay your own wooden floor, check out this youtube video which will show you exactly how it's done and warn you of some of the most common difficulties you may run into.

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Must Have Office Items

A home office can quickly descend into chaos - one minute it's the hub for your personal empire, the next it's a dumping ground for home gym equipment, sports gear, the kids' old toys, and you're wading through clutter to somehow find your desk. By planning ahead, and by making sure that your home office is well-designed and inviting, you can make sure that it is a valuable and productive space, rather than a forgotten storage area. By filling your home office with useful, practical items and avoiding clutter, you can make sure that you maximise your productivity. We present our eight top picks for the best office items.

This office has lost the war on clutter

10. Top pot plants

gardeningknowhow.com has compiled a list of the best office plants - easy to care for, attractive, and perfect for breaking up the harsh lines of office furniture.

9. Dress your window for success

Whether it's sleek wooden blinds or richly textured curtains, you'll really notice the difference a well-dressed window can make.

8. Stylish and Inspiring Wall Art

You'll need to make sure that your office's walls are inspiring and pleasing on the eye, so take a look around and find yourself some wall art that captures your personality. You could even get one of your own photos blown up, so that when you're busy with your tax return you can look up and be back at that tranquil beach you remember from holiday, or gazing at a breathtaking city view.

7. Inspirational toys and gadgets

Check out iwantoneofthose.com's great selection of office toys and gadgets, perfect for de-stressing in between filing invoices. We especially love the Dead Fred pen holder and the Everlasting Calendar Tape.

6. A comfy couch

Working at a desk can really take it out of you, and sometimes you need extra comfort to really think through an idea. Try bringing in a small couch to give yourself a place to think deeply, and also to bring a touch of style and sophistication to the room.

5. Extra storage to combat houshold clutter

One of the biggest threats to the order of your home office is from the mounds of household clutter that can be dumped there. Invest in a couple of wooden sideboards and you'll not only gain some expansive surfaces where you can keep plants or printing equipment, but you'll also have some spacious storage for all those items that can never seem to find a home.

4. Make sure you have enough filing space

Nothing makes an office uninviting like huge piles of paper and files. Stay on top of your filing by making sure that you have enough filing space. For a stylish feel, avoid traditional metal filing cabinets and go for sleek, stylish wooden cabinets that will make keeping your files in order a pleasure.

3. Get the lighting just right

When lighting your home office, consider the various requirements that you have - you'll definitely need a desk lamp for close reading, and a large, warm central light for a clean, clear feel, but isn't it all a bit harsh? why not accessorise with different lighting options such as low-level lamps or halogen spotlights in the ceiling so that you can remain in total control.

2. Make sure your chair is comfy

If you work from home, or even if you just use your office to organise your finances, you'll need a comfy place to sit. It's worth spending a bit extra to get a chair with full lumbar support and a fully-adjustable form.

1. Get the right desk

The desk isn't just a surface for you to work at - it can also bring a real air of stylish professionalism to a room. Pick a desk in a stylish material such as solid oak, and your study or home office will be a place you'll enjoy working in.

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Worst Living Room Designs

The living room is the heart of the home, and should be a space where you and your family can relax, and where you can entertain guests in style. Sometimes, things don't go to plan, and you can end up with a horrendous mish mash of unflattering styles that will make guests run screaming. Check out the pictures below for some of the worst living rooms in existence.

Would you want to sit in here?

The owners of this room have tried to use a red feature wall to tie the room together, but only succeeded in making it dark and unwelcoming. If the fireplace was painted white it would help to prevent the red from overwhelming the room, but the choice of chintzy sofas and gold-coloured furniture and accessories means that even with a better standard of decor, the modern wall colouring clashes horribly with the heavy traditional furniture. It's vitally important that you make sure that furniture such as sofas, coffee tables and sideboards match the style of the room.

This room is suffering from pastel overload

Everyone knows that it's important to make sure that colours are complementary, but this room takes this way too far with a stifling reliance on dated pastel shades, paired with some furniture choices that could charitably be described as 'unusual'. Check out the bizarre soapstone coffee table with its matching detailing over the window. The decoration could easily be toned down by replacing the coffee table and side table with solid timber pieces, and by choosing a sofa in a neutral tone that will not overwhelm the eye.

This room gets everything wrong

The combination of dated vinyl flooring and scruffy-looking stencilled walls makes it impossible to furnish this room stylishly. The floor should be carpeted, taken back to the floorboards or laminate flooring should be installed, while the complex shapes of the wall need to be toned down, ideally with a white or ivory toned paint scheme. The position of the furniture really doesn't help - have you ever seen a desk so narrow and in such an awkward position? By experimenting with furniture position you can achieve harmony, even in a room as unusually shaped as this. It's worth taking the time to look at a range of coffee tables, desks and console tables and planning the scheme of the room.

Just in case these tasteless rooms have sapped your will to live, let's leave on a high note.

This room makes the most of its small size
by keeping things simple

By pairing the unusual and potentially overwhelming red tiled floor with simple white walls and white-upholstered rattan furniture, a truly relaxed environment has been created. Remember, simplicity succeeds much more often than an over complicated design. If it's getting complicated, chances are that it's going off course.

There's a great article by Nina Campbell on the BBC Design Inspiration site that provides a step by step guide on how to make the most of your room and avoid making blunders like the ones above, so if you're about to redecorate, make sure you check it out before you start.

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Tips to Make the Most of your Dining Room

TV shows like Come Dine With Me and Masterchef have sparked off a surge of enthusiasm for dinner parties, but with their emphasis on Michelin star quality food and super-stylish surroundings they have also increased the pressure that hosts are under to deliver an unforgettable evening.

The pressure to create
restaurant-quality meals is on

In fact, the Telegraph reports that researchers have found that 57 per cent of people find that inviting friends for a dinner party is more nerve-racking than commuting to work, while a quarter said it was more stressful than a job interview.

The number one fear is that dishes will go wrong, with the number two spot taken by a fear that guests will not enjoy themselves. Fear number three is that their choice of decor will be mocked.

Jim Haynes, host of a supper club, estimates that he has invited up to 130,000 people round for dinner over the last 30 years. He says: 'People shouldn't stress when hosting friends for dinner. The key is to have a nice environment and guests who want to be there.'

That's where this guide comes in - if you can get the decor and furnishings right, then you will be taking a significant stress off your shoulders and will be able to concentrate on creating some delectable dishes with which to wow your guests.

1: Pick a Colour Scheme

There's nothing worse than sitting down to dine in a room that is filled with clashing colours that make you want to keep your head down. That's why it's important to select a palette of complementary colours for the walls, curtains and even tablecloths, napkins and other textiles.

You don't want to end up with a room like this

2: Choose the right furniture

The dining table is the most important piece you will have to choose, so make sure that you find the right one for you. You may want to invest in an extending dining table in order to accommodate more guests, but remember to get extra matching dining chairs, as mismatched chairs can stick out and ruin the carefully designed look of your dining room. Pair the table with a matching sideboard to provide great-looking storage.

3: Get the lighting right

Too much light and your guests will be dazzled, too little and conversation gets tricky as people peer through the murk. Dining room lighting is a real chance to get creative - to make sure that the table is well lit, you can choose a centrepiece chandelier style light for the centre of the room, hanging down over the table to provide a pool of light. Choose some warm-toned lamps to place in strategic corners of the room to pick out the details of your decor for maximum style points.

This room gets everything right, from colour to lighting scheme.

4: Accessorise!

With your dining room decorated, furnished and lit, you'll want to make sure that the details are right - choose a stylish bread bowl for the centre of the table, and pick some stylish wall art. You can also select some attractive plants to help keep the atmosphere fresh and to break up the lines of the room.

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Choosing The Right Colour And Style For Your Bedroom

Your bedroom should be a restful and inviting haven where you can relax and recharge your batteries, so its design should be an expression of your personality. Use this handy guide to explore your options, and allow yourself to be inspired to rejuvenate your room's colour scheme and track down the perfect bed and mattress.

Colour has always been associated with our moods and feelings, and has always been used to help us to understand our environment. Originating from cavemen instinctively seeing fiery red as potential danger, or leafy green as a sign that water is near, our capacity to use colour has developed, and modern interior design can help you to take advantage of the complex network of associations and emotional responses to colour, allowing you create and control the atmosphere that you want.

These winterberries may be beautiful, but the red
colour lets us know that they aren't safe to eat.

The BBC have a great article on the psychology of colour, complete with a guide to which colours stimulate which feelings, so take a look and plan out your room's new colour scheme.

This bedroom makes the most of contemporary design features
such as vinyl flooring and halogen spotlighting.

Modern interior design moves quickly, and if you're looking for some up-to-the-minute design ideas for your bedroom, then take a look at this video, from interiorcomplex.com, that shows some of 2009's hottest new looks, and let yourself get inspired.

This bedroom is filled with traditional touches like carefully matched
textiles and antique effect wooden furniture.

For the more traditionally minded among us, there really is nothing better than a traditional wooden bedroom set, accessorised with floral print curtains and bedding, for a timelessly inviting feel.

Once you've decided on your bedroom's colour and style, you'll need to start thinking about furniture. A luxurious, comfortable bed is obviously the most important piece, and will set the tone for the rest of the furniture, so it's a good idea to find the bed you want, and then pick the rest of the furniture to complement it.

It's possible to get some great deals on your bedroom furniture and accessories, but if you're having trouble finding the best deals, why not take HGTV.com's budget bedroom quiz, and get some tips on sniffing out a bargain.

Once you've settled on a colour scheme, found the furniture that is right for you, and picked your accessories, all that's left to do is settle in for a wonderful night's sleep in your newly designed, peerlessly stylish bedroom.

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3 Top Tips For a More Inviting Conservatory

In summertime, a conservatory is always inviting, making the perfect place to sit and enjoy a long cool drink. But at other times of the year it can feel cold and unwelcoming, so why not use these three simple ideas to turn your conservatory into a year-round haven.

1: You can never have too many cushions

Conservatory furniture is often made of rattan or wicker- great for the summertime, but hardly inviting in winter. The easiest way to get the best of both worlds is by bringing in lots of attractively covered scatter cushions, and creating a soft, welcoming space.

2: Get the lighting just right

In winter, you can't rely on evening light from outside, leaving the conservatory feeling too dark. Why not invest in some blinds and a new lighting scheme- think warm, amber light from low lamps placed on lamp tables.

3: Pick the right furniture

A new focal point can really make a difference, so why not invest in a coffee table to really bring the room together, turning it into a second sitting room? If your conservatory is large enough, you could also pick a matching TV stand and create a den feel, perfect for when you need a bit of space from the kids.

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Set Up A Flat Screen TV In Style

New, modern flat screen TVs can really dominate a room, taking away from the style that you want. This is especially true when they are mounted on a TV stand that is meant for an old-style TV, which makes them stand out.

There are two options if you want to soften the appearance of your flat screen TV – you can either mount it on the wall so that it does not impose on the room’s space, or invest in a modern-style TV stand that has been specially designed to display a contemporary HDTV.

Most flat screen TVs come with wall mounting brackets, but considering how expensive they are, it is worth enlisting some expert help rather than mounting it yourself. You can even have a custom-made cabinet installed so that you can hide your TV away when you have guests.

A modern TV stand, in a traditional material such as solid oak, is a great way to present a huge modern TV in style, and makes for a great way to enjoy some lovely family evenings in front of favourite films or programmes.

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3 Simple Ideas For an Inviting Hall

Your hall is the first room that visitors see, so it’s worth spending a little time getting it just right. Use these handy tips to make your hall the inviting, comforting space it can be.

1: Pick a warm and appealing colour scheme

Go for a modern tone such as a refreshing olive green to really make sure that your hall feels cosy and welcoming. Pair it with either a new carpet or some rugs to give it a carefully designed look.

2: Get the furniture right

It doesn’t take much to make a hall look crowded, so it’s well worth taking the time to pick the right pieces. A console table is ideal as a place to present a family photo, or if you have space, to create a little telephone nook.

3: Think about lighting

It may seem obvious, but there’s a lot you can do with lighting. Try switching from a ceiling lamp to wall mounted, designer light fittings for an extra dash of welcoming elegance. You could also place mirrors in strategic places to maximise the light from the door.

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Pick The Right Furniture Finish For Your Room

If you’re thinking of rejuvenating one of your rooms with some new solid wooden furniture, then it’s worth taking the time to consider what effect the furniture’s finish will have on the room.

If you are furnishing a bedroom, then you’ll want to find a soft finish that does not reflect too much light – consider a waxed finish, or even a stain, to bring out the relaxing and beautiful qualities of the wood, helping you to create a truly relaxed atmosphere in which to sleep.

For a living room, you have a far wider choice of finish – if you want a bright modern look, go for lacquered wood, with its distinctive modern sheen, or a timeless oiled finish for smooth and effortlessly stylish comfort. If you want to go to for a traditional look, then consider a dark woodstain for a time-honoured, refined feel, or even an antique wax, which will bring out the shadows and highlights of the wood.

So make sure you put a little time into considering what finish to go for, and you’re sure to reap the rewards and create a room that has a totally harmonious style.

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Make Your Coffee Table Count

The coffee table is the focal point of the lounge, and while there are many elegant, funky or sleek styles that are available, it is not just the table itself that dictates the room’s look, but how you choose to accessorise it.

If you have chosen a table with built in storage, then make sure that you use it to its full. Any shelves can be filled with favourite books or films, which not only makes for a convenient storage space but also contributes to your room’s look.

For the top of the table, consider a modern table protecting textile sheet – leather if you have antique dark wood, or even an edged hessian for a Moroccan feel.You can also use large wooden bowls as great accessories – fill them with fruit, sweets or even just remote controls, and you’ll help to create a relaxed and stylish look.

It’s also worth investing in some new coffee cups that match the tone of the wood, so that coffee time becomes a truly stylish experience that you will relish.

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Make Sure You Have Enough Wardrobe Space

If you have a spare room, then why not consider turning it into a dedicated dressing room, with a stunning dressing table and stool, a full length mirror and walls lined with wardrobes so that you always have the space that you need for your clothing.

A dressing room is a great way to make absolutely certain that you have enough space for all your family’s clothes, as it provides room for a full hanging wardrobe for long dresses and coats, a gents’ wardrobe for suits and smart trousers, and even a triple or corner wardrobe to make sure that you never have to stuff clothes in.

The best way to finish off a dressing room is with a stylish and comfy chaise longue, where you can lay out outfits, or just lounge while waiting for your nail varnish to dry.So remember, if your family love clothes, make sure that you consider a dressing room that you can all share, and keep the rest of your home free of wardrobes.

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Have a look at this Cutting Edge Modern Bedroom

If you live in a modern space, and you’re looking for an up to the minute look that incorporates the effortless warmth of wooden furniture, then take a good look at this stunning room, with its large full wall window and solid wooden floor.

The owners of this home are fortunate in having such a spacious room, but they also capitalise on this by carefully choosing their furniture. The king size wooden bed is made to a sleek modern design, but the solid timber craftsmanship allows it to radiate a subtle rustic glow that complements the view from the window. Though this room gets a lot of its style from its minimalist approach, you could easily include a solid wooden wardrobe or console table for extra storage without compromising on the look.

The circular ottoman softens the straight lines of the room, helping to make it a relaxing space that is not overcome by the clinical quality of some contemporary spaces. By keeping the walls a cool, clean white, and matching this in the bedclothes, the room becomes an inspiring and exciting space, filled with possibilities.

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Using Pine To Create A Scandinavian Bedroom

Solid pine is both affordable and stylish, and is the cornerstone on which the school of Scandinavian furniture design is built, so if you want a relaxing, minimalist bedroom that is relaxed and inviting, why not make use of this stylishly simple material?

For a Scandinavian look, the first thing you need to do is to simplify the walls - get rid of any fussy picture rails and skirting boards, and either treat your floorboards with sandpaper or paint or go for a laminate floor to really bring the simplicity of the Scandinavian style home.

Next, you'll need to get some great pine furniture. Go for low chests of drawers, and always try to keep all the furniture as low to the ground as you can - pick a bed that does not have a high header and footer, and go for a plain pine wardrobe so that it does not impose into the space of the room.

Finally, dress the bed with crisp white linen, never a pattern, and you're sure to achieve a great Scandinavian look.

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Turning A Utility Room Into A Stylish Space

The utility room is almost always a dull, grey, uninspiring place whose only purpose is to store a freezer, tumble dryer or linen closet, but it does not have to be this way. With a little thought, your utility room could be a great space that you will enjoy visiting, and you'll be able to put a bit of style into laundry day.

The first thing to do is to look at what furniture you can fit in. Try taking your fitted cupboards out and replacing them with some traditional painted timber chests, perfect for storing linen and also easy to clean. Set them off with a new paint scheme for the walls, and to maximise the sense of space, you can pick one wall to paint a darker or louder colour to break up the monotony.

If you really want to make an impact, you can even install cupboard housings with solid wooden doors for your washing machine and other white goods. This will provide you with a matchless feeling of order, and really render your utility room stylish and elegant.

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Modern Fireplaces For Winter

As the temperature starts to plummet into freefall, the fire once again becomes the focal point of the living room. In a modern home, a fireplace can look out of place, but with the vast array of modern fireplaces available, then you are sure to be able to find something that really sets your room's look on fire.

Modern fireplaces are often built around recessed shelves instead of a traditional fire surround, and are incredibly efficient due to their modern designs. One thing to remember is that if you have wooden furniture, you need to make sure that it has been sealed to prevent excess drying if it is positioned near to the fire.
With so many unusual designs available today, you'll want to take your time to make sure you find the ideal option for your home. Use Google to find local stockists, and then visit them in person to see your new fireplace in action.
Once you’ve got it installed, you’ll need to make sure that your sitting room is cosy and inviting to sit in, with enough coffee tables and console tables for warming winter drinks, and enough soft furnishings for everyone to have a comfy seat.

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3 Easy Ways To Organise Your Study

A study can be an inspiring place, where you can read, work on creative projects, household finances, or even run a small business, but far too often, a study can become a cluttered and oppressive room that nobody wants to use. That’s where these three tips come in.

1: Get some stylish filing cabinets

Throw out those horrible old metal office filing cabinets and invest in some solid wooden ones to keep your files in order while helping to keep the room stylish.

2: Tidy up your wires

All those snaking cables from your computer and printer can really ruin the feel of a room, so try installing cable tidies against the legs of your desk, and hiding them all away, so that the room can breathe.

3: Get the lighting right

If your study is either far too bright to concentrate or too dim to read, try rejuvenating the lighting scheme with a standard lamp, a desk lamp and a dimmable main light so that you have total control. Also think about ambient lighting for the corners of the room for a great relaxing atmosphere.

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The Rewards of Awards

As a company we have always been somewhat media shy, we always seemed to be far too busy to be entering awards, filling out application forms or being interviewed by all and sundry about how well we may have done in the past. I like to think we are a very forward thinking company and as for me, patting myself on the back has never been my style. All that being said, I am starting to change my mind.

Our first external recognition as a company was last year in The Sunday Times Fast track awards and although the thought of hanging out with Richard Branson and the other 99 fastest growing businesses in the country brought me out in a cold sweat (I don't know much about golf or the property market), everyone in the office seemed to be really excited. The uplift in morale in the company from being featured was surprising, there was a genuine excitement among everyone here.

Last week I was very pleased to pick up the company's second award, the Barclays Commercial & EDP Business of the year award for 2009. This award, which was kept under very close wraps until the end of the business awards dinner, was a great surprise and a huge boost to the company. Spaces were limited but I was shocked to receive celebratory texts from lots of the team well into the early hours of Saturday morning who had heard through the grapevine that we had won.

It was great for everyone here to get the recognition they deserve for their hard work, in what has been a very difficult year, and it is also brilliant to see the enthusiasm for the success of the business is so engrained in the whole team.

So back to the original question - does it pay to enter awards? Well I think it pays in bounds. The team are walking with their heads a little higher and everyone seems to be more focused and determined than ever. We are getting some positive press in the media, which can only ever be good. And finally I hope that the recognition helps you, as our customer, realise that we genuinely do want to be the best online furniture retailer and we aim to leave you delighted with your experience of dealing with us.

Will we be entering anymore? Well, in all honesty I am leaving that up to the team. There has been some talk from different departments about going for individual awards/recognition and I will be sure to keep you posted as to their progress.

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Seasonal Kitchen Style Tips

As winter approaches, bringing with it the festive season, it’s time to start thinking about a few great seasonal ways to bring a new atmosphere to your kitchen. Try using some innovative ideas to bring a little warmth to the coldest season, and take inspiration from the natural world.

A great way to bring a touch of festive cheer to your kitchen without any of the potentially gaudy effects that can come from putting Christmas decorations up too early is to look to the outside. Some winter twigs or small branches will bring great shapes and shadows to any room, and look great when sprayed white or silver and placed in vases. You could also invest in a new dresser or sideboard for some handy storage if you want to de-clutter.

Another great tip is to use some white fairy lights to create a border between the walls and ceiling. These lights have a festive appeal, but can also be used all year round to provide light and charm to any kitchen space. If you want a warmer look, you could even go all out and get some fairy lights that are shaped like red chillis.

So pay attention to your kitchen, and let the wintertime inspire you to create a truly inviting room.

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Great Ideas To Keep Your Home Extra Cosy This Winter

Now that the evenings are drawing in, and the air is getting chilly, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your home is as warm, inviting and cosy as it can be, so take advantage of these simple ideas and make your home into a haven from the cold outdoors.

One of the best ways to make your house that little bit more winter-ready is by investing in some thick long-piled rugs to make sure that your family’s feet are kept toasty warm. Look for natural fibres for a great organic texture, and your room will immediately feel warmer.

You could also go for some extra scatter cushions, or even a delightful chenille throw for each sofa, so that your family always have somewhere comfy to snuggle up for the evening. To really encourage a warm and cosy environment, why not get a linen box in which to keep your family’s slippers.

So think about your family’s comfort, and you’re bound to discover some great ways to bring a little extra cosiness to your home.

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Great Colour Schemes To Suit Wooden Furniture

If you’re planning on kitting out your home with some new wooden furniture, then why not also consider introducing a new colour palette to your room that will really bring out the inherent natural characteristics of the wood?

A dark wooden piece, such as stained oak sideboard, can fade into the background, so place it against a light coloured wall to maximise the contrast. Either paint the whole room in a brilliant white or a lemon yellow or just select a feature wall for your dark wooden furniture, and it will look great.

Paler wood benefits from a minimalist approach to decoration, with single coloured walls that are either a bold, rich colour such as slate blue, or a plain ivory, and white soft furnishings. Any yellow in the walls will make the wood appear too bleached, and will swamp the room with a light that will drown out the subtle characteristics of the wood’s grain.

So pay attention to the colours in your wood, and to the best way to present your new furniture, and you’re sure to be able to make your wooden furniture look even better than it already does.

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Top Winter Conservatory Tips

The conservatory can be overlooked during the autumn and winter, with the summer furniture, though perfect for hot days, not providing the warmth needed for a winter getaway.

There are many things you can do to make the conservatory a more inviting place, from putting in thick curtains all round for extra comfort and warmth to introducing a coffee table or sideboard, or even adding a central fireplace for a toasty-warm heart to this sometimes neglected part of the home.

If you want your conservatory to feel warm and inviting, you could go for the option of curtains and drapes to seal in the heat and mask the dark windows. For a decadent atmosphere, rich in drama, you could go for burgundy or even crimson curtains, with low Moroccan-style couches which will be just as relaxing in summer as in winter. Bring in a warming rug to keep coldness from the floor, and the effect is complete.

However you decide to treat your conservatory in winter, remember that you could be getting more use out of it if you furnish it with all seasons in mind, and gain an extra room for relaxation and family fun.

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Novel Ideas For Your Utility Room

The utility room is an oft neglected space in most homes, a grey, dull space for the freezer, washing machine and extra fridge to sit, with a few cupboards for household essentials. But with a little extra thought, the utility room can be a fresh, breezy place to get things done, a haven of organisation that will help you to keep your house running smoothly and with style.

For a truly invigorating look, try a bright, fresh colour like lemon yellow, or if you are feeling especially bold, lime green, combined with white painted wooden furniture for an airy and spacious feel. Pick furniture with deep cupboards and drawers to make sure that you have space for all those vital household supplies, and don't have to resort to stacking piles of cleaning products and laundry on top of the surfaces.

The most important thing to remember when furnishing a utility room is that it deserves just as much attention as the rest of the house – approach its decoration in the same way as you'd approach any other room, and you'll achieve something truly unique and inspiring.

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Turn Your Wasted Garden Space Into Outdoor Rooms

All too often, large areas of your garden can go unused and unloved, so why not get creative and find a solution that turns these neglected areas into places where you and your family will really want to spend your time.

One great idea is to bring the outdoors indoors by creating a space that blends the cool, fresh outside world with the warmth and inviting relaxation of the inside of your home. Try putting up a shelter or roof, with sliding doors for rainy and windy days, and put some 'indoor' furniture in - a sofa and a wooden coffee table, for example. You'll instantly create a memorable and quirky new feature for your home, perfect for autumn coffee mornings, and a relaxed and meditative place for reading or rest.

So think about bringing the outdoors in, and you're sure to come up with a novel idea - maybe you'd love a garden sitting room with a tiered roof over it, hanging low so that you always have fresh air, even when it's raining. Just make sure that you take care to use an all-weather flooring material to ensure that your outside living room maintains its exceptional style.

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Do It Yourself - 2 Achievable Ideas To Make Your Room Look Fantastic

Always loved the idea of DIY, but never had the time to really take on the project of your dreams? Start small, with an achievable goal, and you can still make a huge difference to the style and practicality of your home, so check out these two great ideas for a simple solution to how to put your stamp on your living space.

Try putting your own shelves up in an alcove – most hardware stores carry floating shelf kits, which give a professional look at a fraction of the price, and also give you that sense of pride that comes from knowing that a littler of your heart and soul went into the completion of a job well done.

All you'll need is a drill, a set of screwdrivers, and a bit of patience, but the results can be truly revelatory.

Another quick imporovement that you can make in an afternoon is to replace your skirting boards with new, modern ones that will really set the tone of the room. If you go to your local timber merchant, you will find a great selection of beautiful wooden boards in a variety of finishes that will have a surprising impact on the look of your room.

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Check Out This Eclectic and Inviting Dining Room

If you are looking for ways to bring an unfussy, relaxing and yet still stylish feel to your dining room, why not check out this beautiful dining room for inspiration.

With its quirky wall hangings and simple choice of furnishings, it has the shabby-chic appeal that is so in demand, but the fitted bookshelves in brilliant white provide a grounding force that will enable you to display a varied collection of knick knacks, ornaments, books and games without the room succumbing to an avalanche of clutter.

The simple centrepiece of a vase of flowers exemplifies the unpretentious, welcoming vibe, and allows the room to be inviting instead of intimidating – far too many dining rooms have the atmosphere of a formal, unlived-in space that means that the room is seldom used for relaxation.

In order to achieve this look for yourself, choose warm wooden furniture, a muted colour for the walls, and bring in some wooden shelves, either unpainted or in white or black, to give you that great eclectic feel and to allow you to display your favourite objects in style.

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Picking Out Wooden Furniture For An Eclectic Look

Sometimes a room furnished entirely in one style can feel monotonous and uninspiring, with no room for the imagination to take flight. Why not try an eclectic look composed of several of your favourite styles for a refreshing alternative that also acts as an inviting expression of your own personality? Choosing some differently-styled wooden furniture can really help you to achieve this striking effect.

For a deliciously different and effortlessly elegant eclectic look,try combining a traditional sideboard, bookcase and console table with a contemporary coffee table and soft furnishings, then add a touch of quirk with some brightly coloured or intriguingly patterned rugs and curtains. By mixing styles like this, you will create an atmosphere that is totally relaxed, without a trace of stuffiness or coldness – the perfect marriage of modern and traditional styles and pieces.

So for a varied look that incorporates everything you love in furniture, but without being tied to a particular era or style, think about combining a wide range of pieces into a totally unique new arrangement and create a space that your whole family will love to spend time in.

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Attention To Design Detail

When picking a style for your home, or even for a particular room, it can be easy to overlook the importance of small nooks and corners of. As this beautiful window seat area shows, by putting a little extra care and attention into the small details, a great effect can be achieved.

As you can see, the choice of upholstery really makes a difference here, and allows this simple window seat to take on a sumptuous and inviting air that will ensure that any member of the family or any guest will want to linger there. It is important to create such areas in your home to provide variety within a room, otherwise you may become tired of your new look far too quickly.

If you hanker after a traditional corner like this, make sure that you pay attention to the details – a rug will allow the corner to be an integral part of the room while also ensuring that it stands out in its own right.

So take a look with fresh eyes at your smallest nooks and corners and soon you'll be filled with great ideas that will truly revolutionise your home.

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A Warm, Stylish, Family-Friendly Sitting Room

This beautiful room demonstrates the ease with which you can create a harmonious space that is not only a joy to look at, but which also has a welcoming atmosphere that will make sure that family, friends and other guests will want to linger, and will be able to be as relaxed as can be.

Look at the beautiful rug, with its bold coloured stripes, and notice how it brings the room together, picking up the colour notes found in the cushions and in the garden, visible through the window. It's important not to go over the top with colours like this, but this room has the balance exactly right.

Also note the eclectic range of furniture, and how the plain white walls allow the disparate styles to be brought into harmony, making the room an effortlessly elegant and relaxing space to spend time.

This room uses a few simple tricks to attain the sense of harmony that exudes from the carefully selected furniture. The trick is to be bold, to be eclectic, and to be true to your own vision of what your room should be.

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Great Home Office Storage Ideas

It is so easy, in this hectic modern world, to let clutter pile up and get the better of you, so why not take the opportunity to assess the situation and invest in some great storage solutions so that you can really take control of your living environment.

The home office can often end up being a repository for clutter, as it is often the least used room in the home, but with a little attention, you can ensure that it remains inviting and professional, while also having enough storage for you to keep those hard-to-organise items in perfect order.

Most home offices already have a filing cabinet and or a bookcase, but these are really only good for office objects, so if you want to gain extra storage for other household items, you may need to bring in some more varied pieces. A sideboard is a great idea as it has a wide expansive top, perfect for setting out documents and categorising your bills and other household accounts, but it also has deep and spacious cupboards which can be used to keep your household clutter in order.

So get creative, and take control of your clutter, and your home office will be a more inspiring and professional space

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Painting With Light

Choosing a colour scheme for a room can be very difficult, as it can dictate the way the room feels, leaving you with few options for different moods. But with a creative lighting scheme, you can set up several different atmospheres, all available at the flick of a switch.

Why not try installing some subtly coloured spotlights to pick out the corners of your room - a warm orange for a relaxing fireside glow, or a cool blue for a modern, relaxing chill-out feel. You could even try bringing in some extra standard lamps to flood the room in soft light for a great family board game evening.

The thing to remember when choosing a lighting scheme, is that the colour ofg light will affect the colours that are visible in your furniture - if you have dark wooden furniture, then an amber light will bring out the warmer tones of the wood, while a yellow light will bring out the paler highlights.

The best way to achieve the look you desire is to experiment, and try many different combinations until you hit on the one that is right for you.

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Beautiful Kitchen Accessories

The kitchen is the heart of the home, where meals are lovingly prepared and where the family can come together, so it is of the utmost importance that you take the time to make it an inviting and comforting space where your family will want to linger.

With a few simple and inexpensive touches, any kitchen can be given a new infusion of life, whether it is some carefully chosen plants and flowers to bring a traditionally natural feel to the room, or some contemporary ornaments to give the kitchen a totally modern style that is sure to be a hit with adults and children alike.

The main thing to remember is to have a good idea of the look you are after, and to be consistent in your approach. If you're going for traditional style, pick vases and ornaments that evoke a sense of times gone by, and which have the comfort and warmth that is associated with more traditional styles.

If you want a more contemporary look, go for cutting-edge design for vases and ornaments, and even try experimenting with a modern lighting scheme, which will allow you total control over the room's atmosphere.

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Colourful Furniture Too Much For Your Home? Try White Walls

With the amazing array of modern textiles available, it has never been easier to bring vibrant, exciting colour to your home, but all too often the boldness of contemporary design can make a room feel cluttered and create clashes of tone.

The best and simplest way to harmonise a room with too much colour is to paint the walls pure white, isolating each piece of furniture in its own space, and allowing the colour to have its full effect without causing ugly clashes. This look is most associated with contemporary minimalist design, but works equally well with traditional looks, since white is a totally neutral colour, and has the effect of melting into the background so that the colours and patterns of your furniture will come to the fore and dictate the atmosphere of the room.

So don't be afraid of white space – with the right furniture and accessories , it can be as warm as any other colour, and with its amazing harmonising effect, can allow you total freedom when choosing your furniture.

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Occasional Tables For Practicality And Style

Every house has halls, corridors and landings, which are often overlooked and can feel bare and unhomely. But with a little creativity and attention to detail, and room or thoroughfare, no matter how small, can be made into a stylish and welcoming space.

Occasional tables of varying styles all bring two qualities to bear on an empty space – a natural wooden table will bring the character and style of the solid timber, enriching your hall or landing with effortless elegance, but a table can also bring much-needed storage or display space.

Why not accessorise your hall with a few matching console tables, and use them to display your proudest family photos or most treasured ornaments, so that they are the first thing to greet you on your return from work or shopping.

Remember, halls and landings are often the first impression a visitor has of your home, so if interior design is important to you, it really is worth taking the time and making the effort to ensure that your entryways are as stylish and atmospheric as can be.

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Choosing The Right Plants For Your Home

Any room will benefit from the introduction of a few well-chosen plants and flowers, but it can be hard to make sure that you select the right ones for your particular style.

If you are accessorising a modern room, then it's important to pick flowers and plants that will fit in with a more contemporary style, so pay close attention to the leaf shape and the structure of the flowers to make sure that the plants will not be too fussy for your modern environment. Choose wide-leaved plants such as rubber trees or specialised palms, which will both look great and require little upkeep, and most usefully, will not shed their leaves or attract too many insects.

If you are going for a more traditional look, then you can choose more freely, from plants with multicoloured flowers, arranged in bowls or vases, to large leafy plants like winter ivy, which is hardy enough to thrive indoors and can be trained to follow fireplaces and mantelpieces.

Just make sure that you pick plants that express your personality, and which really appeal to you and you won't go far wrong – after all, it is your home and it should reflect your tastes.

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Kitchen Storage Ideas

Is your kitchen getting cluttered up with cookery books, seldom-used utensils and your family's belongings that can never seem to find a home? If it is, it's high time you thought about a total storage solution for your kitchen. With so many beautiful styles of furniture available online, it's never been easier to find a storage setup that matches the style of your kitchen, allowing you to organise your life without having to compromise on style.

Whatever storage you need, you'll need to make sure that it matches the style of your kitchen, so make sure that you explore what's available and pick out some pieces that will add to the overall atmosphere of the room while also fulfilling a useful function.

The ultimate kitchen storage is of course the Welsh-style dresser, with its capacious sideboard base and shelves on top to display your favourite crockery. Welsh Dressers used to be exclusively traditional items, but now they are available in a range of modern styles.

Don't be afraid of being unconventional - a linen chest can be a great place to store your family's wellies and hobby equipment, and a chest of drawers provides unbeatable function, so use your imagination, and you'll find an elegant and practical solution.

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Creating An Inviting Family Kitchen

It can be hard to keep your family in the kitchen, and especially if you love to cook, it can get awfully lonely in there.

That's why it's important, if you have the space at your disposal, to make your kitchen an inspiring and inviting space where your family will naturally congregate to help you prepare meals, do homework at the table, or even just hang out and play board games after a hard day. But to ensure that you make a truly sociable kitchen, you'll need to pay careful and close attention to the furniture you choose.

Make sure you pick out some comfortable chairs, so that all the family will enjoy sitting around the dining table, and will have no reason not to linger. It's very important that you don't forget about accessories, as it is always the smallest touches that make the biggest difference. Try some new prints for the walls, a new tablecloth, or even a fresh and funky lighting scheme to shake things up and bring a feeling of novelty to the room.

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Furnishing A Traditional Home

With the market filled with ultra-modern pieces, characterized by clean, sometimes harsh lines and unbroken expanses, sometimes it can be nice to be reminded of a simpler time, and a great way to achieve this in your home is to choose a traditional range of furniture with which to transform your home.

While modern rooms can often feel cold, there is something very special about traditional design that makes it exude warmth and a charming rustic glow, so why not take advantage of the unique properties of traditional furniture and give yourself and your family a treat today.

Traditional furniture is characterised by time-honoured design that evokes the warmth and simplicity of times gone by, and uses materials like solid oak and pine to bring an air of solidity and permanence to a room. Check out the great range of solid wood furniture that's available online, and soon you'll be filling your home with pieces that bring a charming, warm presence and with radiate a simple and unfussy beauty.

Once you've picked your furniture, try accessorising with traditional rugs, tablecloths and other textiles for that classic rustic look.

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A Beautifully Eclectic Sitting Room

With everything that's going on in this room, it can be difficult to pick out exactly what makes it so stylish and elegant, and yet so relaxing and unpretentious - it is the choice of an eclectic style, incorporating elements from many different looks and themes to bring a slightly chaotic, but totally stylish, new feel to any home.

By carefully mixing and matching pieces and styles from across history, you can create a room that is not just a stylish place to entertain guests or simply to spend time with your family, but which is also a totally unique expression of your personality.

One of the best things about going for an eclectic style is that you can shop virtually anywhere, from the charity shop to the high-end boutique, choosing pieces that appeal to you and which really demonstrate the way your mind works. It's a great idea to mix and match, as this only magnifies the off-the-wall effect of an eclectic room and turns it into a fascinating Aladdin's cave, filled with stunning pieces.

So get your imagination going, and start collecting unusual and quirky items to create that wonderful, appealing eclectic look.

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Check Out This Opulent Traditional Sitting Room

With the sumptuously elegant furniture on display here, it's easy to overlook the simple touches that go into the rest of the room, giving it its exclusive, refined feel and making it a truly impressive living space.

Note the curtains, which, with their pale gold accents both reflect warm light and also match the understated tones of the upholstery, creating a unified look that smiles warmly on gold colours. Also note the carpet, with its unusual design and white background, which together work to incorporate the sofas and footrests into the scheme of the room, making sure that nothing looks at all out of place.

If you want to create a similar look on a budget, then there a few easy things you can try: go for some rich coloured fabrics to dress the room, and invest in some solid wooden furniture to really bring home the traditional grandeur that you are seeking.

With a little imagination, any room can feel like a sumptuous palace, so get creative and see what's available online and soon you will find yourself relaxing in beautiful, opulent surroundings.

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A Beautiful Retro-Modern Kitchen

If you hanker after the look of years gone by, but are addicted to the sleek elegance of contemporary styles, then this stunning retro-modern kitchen is the perfect inspiration for you.

Notice how the layering of different textured surfaces, from rich, characterful wood to sleek marble worktops to smooth vinyl for the cupboard doors, all set off by brushed stainless steel sinkware, oven and stools. This effect can easily be duplicated by carefully combining wooden furniture with more modern materials, allowing you to create a highly varied look that will never get old.

The key to this look is also evident in the shelves – the more clutter that appears on them, the less the beautiful surfaces will stand out, so it's very important for this look that you have properly thought out your kitchen storage, as nothing ruins a style like clutter.

So if you want to recreate this look, then carefully pick the textures that you want, and then ensure that you have the storage that you need to maintain the cool minimalist look.

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Exciting New Ideas For Your Dining Room

So you've decorated your dining room in beautiful colours, bought and installed stunningly elegant new furniture, but you just need those tiny extra touches to really bring the room to life? Well, look no further for inspiration – there are so many little ways to accessorise a dining room, from an innovative table display to a creative lighting scheme, that you'll have total control over your dining room, and as a result your dinner parties will never have been so stylish.

If you are after something that is just that little bit different, why not try dressing your table with an exciting and daring new table arrangement? Invest in a designer centrepiece to provide a great conversation starter and create a great focal point to the room. You could also look into some new tableware – if you're feeling bold you may wish to opt for something funky and fresh like rectangular plates in bright colours so that you can make absolutely sure that your dinner parties will be totally unique and unforgettable.

So let your mind go to work, and soon you'll come up with some fantastic ideas to give your dining room a little extra lift.

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