Designer embrace

You are: Bold, flamboyant and not afraid of risks. A natural entertainer with the highest standards of order that mere mortals aspire to maintain.

Create the look:

• Be daring. Contrast graphic patterns in black and white for a bold look
• Choose a pair of occasional chairs that are stately and luxurious
• Add luster to glass tables with chrome metal frames. After all, why shy away from drama?
• Consider decor that is over sized, polished and eye-catching

Style tip: Balance strong angles and cooler metals by using a shag pile rug or textured wool rug for warmth.

Beach side elegance

Your personality: Relaxed, calming, a nurturer with classic charm. A gentle spirit.

Create the look:

• Choose weathered or light timbers for an airy look
• Use a linen throw over a neutral couch to soften the look
• Pattern play. At first, it may seem contrary yet patterns need to be paired with more patterns to create a unified scheme. The trick is to choose a similar colour palette to achieve a cohesiveness look
• Tactile and natural decor such as driftwood or shells brings the outdoors in

Style tip: Select thinner stripes and diamond patterns for a more contemporary take on the classic Hampton look.

Vibrant modernity

Your philosophy: Life is about making your own fun, taking the lead and enjoying the moment.

Create the look:

• Use bright colours to enliven your mood. Tangerines and yellow scream fun
• Show off all aspects of your personality and mix eclectic items with modern, clean lines
• Brighten up your walls with the photographic art of a sun-drenched beach or a stunning femme fatale. Hip holiday and cocktails, anyone?
• Mix different coloured crockery for an all year round celebratory feel to your dining table

Style tip: Balance a youthful vibe with a few classic designer pieces, such as a mid-century butterfly chair.

Tactile sophisticate

Your personality: Thoughtful and considered, with attention to detail and a love of quality and craftsmanship.

Create the look:

• Think textures! Mix sumptuous velvets, timber, marble and metal for textural contrasts
• Curated items. Acquire the right pieces over time and don’t buy it if you don’t love it
• Use a sophisticated colour palette that’s subdued yet appealing

Style tip: While a paired back is key to this aesthetic, you need to take care to avoid a room looking stiff. So inject some fun with a sequined cushion, a wistful artwork or quirky decor item that has meaning to you.

What’s Next?

As your living room will reveal a lot about your personality it’s helpful to understand what you want it to say. Finally, if you’d like help to uncover more about your personal style, you try this fun quiz! Enjoy!

The post Living Room Style – What Does Yours Say About You? appeared first on Designs to Inspire.

New Looks – Colour uplifts

Colour continues to uplift, inspire and set the mood in a space. Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2017 is Greenery. It reflects the re connection we seek with nature. A vibrant and cheery green, use it sparingly to add an element of surprise with a pop of colour in cushions, stools and artwork. And the more adventurous, choose green for your lounge.

If this zesty shade of green is not to your liking, there’s many shades to choose from this year. Here are some winning colour combinations for you to create these new looks;

• Team mint green with grey for a sophisticated and relaxed look

• Marry emerald with navy for a lux look. Add accents of gold to make it a standout

• Powder blue and tangerine. Offset the coolness of powder blue with a feisty tangerine for a fresh take on a summer vibe

• And to our delight, purple makes a comeback. Let it rain. It’s opulent, intriguing and the colour of creativity. Out tip; be bold and team purple with blues to enrich its seductiveness.

Feature chairs

It’s even more important to make time for oneself away from our busy lifestyles. To encourage escape, retreat to a cosy chair. Make a statement with the butterfly chair known for its designer look and versatility with removable covers. Our favourites are all black leather with a leather binding which can be softened with a faux fur throw or the classic tan cowhide.

Tactile and raw materials

Raw materials such as linen provide a relaxed elegance and are cooler and lighter for the summer months.

Burnished metals remind us that imperfections can make an item more beautiful as they help tell a story. Say goodbye to rose gold and embrace aged, weathered and beaten surfaces in gold and bronze tones for a timeless allure.

The artisan touch

Fringing and fraying all take us back to a time where homemade crafts were revered and a time of social gathering.

Nature in art

We are enthused to see the range available in artwork from photographic art, abstract prints and hand painted canvases. 2017 will continue to feature water laden abstract colourful artwork in harmonious tones with contrasting accents for a bolder effect.  The equestrian look gets a modern makeover featuring a moodier palette.

2017 – A time for reinvention

We hope to have inspired you with a few new looks you can try in 2017. Our team at Designs to Inspire wish you all the best for the most creative and joyful year.

The post New Looks You Need To Try This New Year appeared first on Designs to Inspire.

Key ingredients for your designer bedroom

1. Frame the bed

The most expensive element to your bedroom is the bed, and its style dictates the look and feel of the entire room. Yet you can make your own affordable upholstered bed head for under $100, depending on the choice of fabric.

If you don’t wish to have a bedhead, then a selection of European pillows with lovely covers can frame the bed just as beautifully. A rule of thumb is to use 3 European pillows for a King Size bed and 2 for a Queen, propped up against the wall or bedhead.

Pillow play for King and Queen beds – Images by Designs to Inspire

Alternatively, for a relaxed modern feel, omit the Euros and use either one or two sets of standard pillows, either laid flat or stacked on top of each other.

Easy luxury – Images by Designs to Inspire

Don’t be afraid to mix patterns and textures with scatter cushions. Play around with the sizes and compositions to create interest, yet stick to a colour scheme to ensure harmony.

2.  Right linen

Buying bed linen can be expensive, so it’s important to get it right the first time.

Opt for a quilt a size larger than your bed for a more opulent look. That means, use a King size quilt for a Queen mattress and a Super King quilt for a King bed.

Keep it neutral with a white quilt in either a linen or a waffle weave for versatility. The look can then easily updated with scatter cushions and a coordinated throw.

3. Choose a colour scheme

Choose colors to create your designer bedroom with your preferred style and the mood you’d like to create.

For a classic and bold look, a black and white scheme with metallic accents of gold or silver is timeless. For a modern edge, pair grey with tan, orange or yellow. For a girl’s bedroom, pink and teal are bright and playful, and for a guest room, blues are always smart, soothing and restful.

 
Colour schemes – Images by Designs to Inspire

4. Let there be light

Table lamps provide both ambient and task lighting.

Choose oversized, bold and statement lamps for a formal look. Bases with ornate and intricate details are elegant, and simple and clean lines, suits a modern aesthetic.

Lighting – Images by Designs to Inspire

5. Bedside style

Accessorise your bedside with books, flowers or frames. Keep the clutter to a minimum for a calm environment and better night sleep.

6. Feature chair or seating

In a larger bedroom, you can afford to lounge about like Cleopatra.

Use ottomans at the foot of the bed or add a comfy chair to lounge back in or use as a quiet reading space. Pair it with a floor lamp and a side table or a drum for a more contemporary look.

Reading corner – Images by Designs to Inspire

What’s Next?

Follow these 6 key steps to create the designer bedroom of your dreams. For more inspiration, make sure you you follow us on Instagram to see the latest styles and on trend looks.

The post How To Create Your Designer Bedroom appeared first on Designs to Inspire.

Being an interior designer and a property stylist has always been my dream. It’s actually in my DNA. As far as I can remember playing house has always been a passion. From as young as 9, being with friends often involved rearranging their bedrooms and creating neat and orderly spaces.

To this day, I strive to have my home free of clutter, while arrangements of fresh greenery from my garden surround my living room uplifting my spirit daily. Beds are made with layers upon layers of cushions that quite possibly drive my husband and daughters mad, but let’s not digress!

My Saturday morning ritual of lattes, home design magazines, and the newspapers’ property sections set me up for a weekend full of inspiration and ideas on local and international trends and colours. This is when I find the time to sketch and plan for the week ahead.

My team and I often venture to home interior shopping precincts around Melbourne absorbing new ideas, styles, and products to use on our next home styling project. When I am on the road, my eyes always drift to the houses along the way. It’s a habit I’ve always had, admiring stunning homes and gazing upon those with the need of attention – wishing I had the opportunity to help reveal their full potential.

If there is one thing I have learnt as an interior designer and property stylist, it is to have an appreciation for all styles of homes and interiors. Blending new and old and working with what you already have with a touch of imagination can create beautiful spaces in your home without having to break the bank.

Oprah once said she always had fresh flowers in her home even before she became the most influential woman in the world. It uplifted her spirits and brought her a sense of joy when all else seemed bleak. It is my personal belief that everyone deserves to have a beautiful home, a sanctuary, no matter your budget. In the words of celebrity stylist Martyn Lawrence Bullard: “Live, Love and Decorate”.

Over the next few months, I will bring you highlights from the Design and Décor Show in Melbourne and share with you a series of tutorials and design tips that will hopefully inspire you to create rooms you will love. I hope you will join me as I share this exciting home staging and interior design journey with you.

X Georgia K

The post I Am Georgia K. appeared first on Designs to Inspire.