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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