If you have just redesigned your home using an experienced architect like www.redandgray.co.uk that can offer all the latest technology like 3d visualisation or you have done it from scratch yourself, you next goal will be to turn your house into a home and step one will be getting the soft furnishings right.
Well chosen fabrics for your curtains, blinds, upholstery and cushions can create a warm, luxurious feel or a cool, designer look depending on what you select. Whether you opt for a formal or relaxed atmosphere, a traditional or contemporary theme, the right rugs, cushions, curtains and blinds can transform a plain room into something very special.
Most experts agree that the key to successful home decor is to decide on the type of look and atmosphere you want in your home before you start to buy. Decide what style you want and then buy accordingly. A mishmash of styles rarely works well so it is best not to buy something just because you like it, hard as this might be.
Choose a style that suits your house
When you are selecting a look for a room, you might want to consider the age of your house. Victorian terraces lend themselves to shabby chic decor or a more traditional style. A house built in the mid-20th century looks great with a Fifties vintage style. Houses built in the Sixties and Seventies often suit a more simplistic Scandinavian look. Late 20th century houses, while often traditional in style, are usually neutral enough to suit either a contemporary or traditional look.
Seek inspiration
When you are selecting the right look for your home it pays to spend some time browsing on line for inspiration. House and Garden is a great source for ideas and covers every style for every type of home. Scandinavian designs have been and continue to be very popular. With an emphasis on light and airy, colour schemes are usually whites and creams with plain wooden floors and occasional brightly coloured rugs.
Vintage styles, popularised by Cath Kidston, are still on trend today. While less is more might be true for those who are after a minimalist design, it definitely does not apply to vintage styles. You can mix and match patterns here freely so long as they are all of the chintzy genre. They are easy to track down too; so many high street stores now stock gorgeous fabrics which echo patterns from the 1930s.
If all these patterns give you a headache, however, you are probably better suited to a contemporary look. You’ll need plenty of cupboard space to keep clutter hidden away. Colour schemes are likely to be white with occasional bursts of strong colour on feature walls. Furniture will be sleek and streamlined and soft furnishings plain and understated.
If your house is Edwardian or older a more classic, traditional style can work very well. Here lush fabrics in deep, dark colours create a warm and cosy atmosphere while carefully placed lamps in brass or pewter will lighten the darkest of corners.
Take your time, choose carefully and you can turn a house into a stylish, comfortable, welcoming home. What are you waiting for?
