Creating your home

How to create your home….
Interior Design Tips from Yourshowhome.co.uk

Choosing the colour.
Choose a colour that you like. There are no hard and fast rules about choosing a colour, however avoid a colour purely because it is ‘in’- you may live to regret it!

Colour can drastically affect your mood. Orange colours create a sense of warmth. Pink based colours are vibrant and dramatic. Green is calming and blue, cool and restful. A colour scheme of one/similar colour but different shades like off whites, cream & beige will give you an appearance of more space while warm colours like red and yellow will give an impression of a smaller space.

Adding pattern
If you have seen a showhome and a really appealing mix of patterns and textures, but don’t have the nerve to do it – don’t panic as it is easier than it looks.
The key is the size of the patterns that you select. Start with one large-scale pattern. Next, using the same colours, add a plaid, a stripe, or other geometric pattern. You can fill in with small-scale prints, or tone on tone geometrics such as diamonds, trellis patterns, dots or "squiggles". Try to repeat each fabric at least once in the room. Remember that if you find too many fabrics you like for the number of opportunities you have to use them in the room, carry them into adjacent rooms, as you can use a coordinating colour scheme in an adjoining room.


Creating space
To make a room appear more spacious than it is, try to minimize your possessions.
Purchase dual-purpose furniture (coffee tables with storage underneath, beds with drawers underneath or tables that fold down.)

Consider lighting
Consider how to use artificial light as well as natural light and, where possible, try to have it coming from more than one source or direction. Table lamps and wall lights on dimmer switches are ideal for living rooms.

Use mirrors wisely
Clever use of mirrors can give the illusion of more space. Strategically place a large mirror near a window so the outdoors can be reflected. This will make the room look brighter and bigger. Make sure mirrors reflect only things you want to see more of.

Adding warmth with rugs
To add warmth and coziness, invest in a rug to set the room off. Choose a rug that complements the colours in your room and also one that complements the furniture. If your room has a contemporary theme, try to find a rug that has geometric designs.

Adding personal objects
If you like surrounding yourself with pictures of memories and loved ones avoid placing them randomly around the room. A group of family photographs in frames on a small side table looks so much more impressive that having them spread out all over the room or hung on the walls individually.

If you like small ornaments try grouping them together, this looks very effective and is ideal if you like collecting things.

For inspiration take a look at http://www.yourshowhome.co.uk

About the Author: Rebecca Rice
http://www.yourshowhome.co.uk