4 steps to cosiness without clutter

This late autumn, I would like to discuss how to achieve cosiness without clutter. Grey weather, cold wind and rainy days make us buy candles, cushions, blankets etc. Decorating your house with lovely little things is a usual pre-Christmas shopping mania. This short article aims to brainstorm how to make sure we don’t cover ourselves with layers of unnecessary stuff. 

First, I think we should understand what cosy means to us and how we perceive it. What is cosy? Comfort, relaxation, warmth, rest, shelter, snug are all words that define this feeling. There are many more too. The key is that it is a tranquil setting that gives us a sense of security and stillness. It can be achieved by rightly organising light, colours, materials and textures.

Natural materials and colours, for instance, chestnut or walnut, create a warm welcoming atmosphere. Tactile experience can be added through textured upholsteries and mood can be controlled by freestanding lamps – both floor and table. A well-chosen rug can be a winning solution, giving warmth to a large area yet not filling the space in an obvious way.

Next, let’s understand how do we perceive clutter. What is clutter? An untidy collection of many different things that communicates a messy disorganised state of being. Some might find being surrounded by clutter stressful, but for others the experience can feel quite comfortable. However, often it is the lack of focused organised action that lets clutter grow. Once all small things start piling up, they create physical and psychological barriers, that make it harder to see the difference between cosy and chaos.

Eventually, having discussed cosy clutter concepts above, here are some conclusions. I propose 4 steps to achieve an organised peaceful setting. 

1.     Imagine

A helpful thing to start with is to imagine what your perfect space looks like. Can be as easy as closing your eyes and trying to see as much detail as you can, whilst walking through your dream home. Pay attention to colours, textures, objects, both large furniture and smaller accessories.

2.     Focus

Once you have had a tour through your ideal cosy space, focus on particular details which gave you most satisfaction and caught your longest attention. What was the light like? What were the colours and how bright was the space? Was there any particular object that you really liked? This will help you identify your first steps and really pinpoint priorities of where to start. It will also be useful when later you will be shopping for new items, or selecting from the existing ones.

3.     Filter

Now it is time to look at the real room that you are in and divide your things into 3 groups: starting to choose from what really makes you feel good and brings lots of joy and comfort; second group is things that gave you slight hesitation; and lastly everything that is left behind in this prioritising exercise. However, you don’t have to throw things from the last group away, you can either put them into another room, sell online or gift them away to charity. This will not only clear up your space and give you pleasant restful space to enjoy, it will also do some good by sharing your goods that you don’t need with somebody who does.

4.     Apply

Sometimes it is a matter of moving things around and rearranging your existing possessions. Sometimes, it requires more critical action, which you can train yourself to enjoy. Once you are used to having only what really matters around you, it will be natural to appreciate the less crowded space.

With all this in mind, I’m off to have a seasonal clear out and, hopefully, you feel encouraged too. Good luck!

5 principles of stress-free garden design

Now that the summer is over, it is time to start thinking of what you might want to alter in your garden and what type of landscape you wish to see next spring through your window. The weather is still warm and sunny, so let’s forget about the interiors of your home for a moment and spend some time outside before it gets cold and rainy. 

It is a big challenge to create a well-coordinated lasting beautiful garden without involving a landscape designer. Approach can be as scientific as you might wish to have, but the five simple rules that follow below will hopefully give you a structured and enjoyable experience.

Landscape design is an incredibly complex and multi-layered subject, which requires a very particular set of skills and knowledge to be able to deliver projects. In addition, it too requires passion and effort to maintain and nurture the design regularly. In this article, we want to reveal the no-stress approach without overwhelming ourselves with technicalities.

1. Less is more

Even a thought of going into the garden centre is already exciting. The variety available to choose from is really satisfying to look at, but also makes it very hard to focus. Three things to think about: size, colour, maintenance. Looking at plants, think about how different sizes would work together when arranged in your garden. Then consider what effect you will achieve with all the different colours that you are getting. Not only when the plant blooms, but also the tints of different greens that prevail during most of the time. And, finally, how much care are you willing to give your garden. Truthfully, with 3 to 5 types of plants, it is easier to arrange a composition which you can control by knowing what colour and size goes where. It is also much more manageable if you are going for a neat structured look.

2. Be realistic to how much space you have

Reading up on how big each plant gets in 6, 12, 24 months is very important to ensure you are giving it enough space to grow. Having too little space will not only reduce the pace of its growth but also very likely to affect other plants which are around it.

3. Decide on the style: formal or wild

In both instances, you still have to consider all the points discussed above and make planting plans accordingly. The wild garden sometimes requires more planning and more knowledge to achieve the look that looks natural. In both cases, it is a good idea to first distribute little pots over the area that you will be planting, having in mind the size that it will grow to and what it will look like with all other plants around. It is very useful to test a couple of arrangement options to understand what feels right. To make this exercise worthwhile, you should however know basic characteristics of each plant (size, colour, maintenance required) discussed above.

4. Be realistic on how much you are keen to look after

Water and sun is something that with outdoor plants is aided by the weather. But, some plants might need more trimming and shaping care than others. Some grow relatively fast and can require more effort if you wish to keep the designed look. It’s not such an issue if you have plenty of space or if you are going for a wild look.

5. Consider seasons

Having an ever-green base is always a good idea, because it means your garden looks lush all year round. On top of that you can then layer a selection of plants that bloom at different times throughout blooming seasons. 

There are no conclusions to this chapter, because even though there are rules that would make your garden flourish, it is a blank canvas that cannot be ruined by habitation. All plants are lovely to look at because they give us calm and tranquil feelings. It is also a live-and-learn kind of activity that always pays joy and pleasure in return.

4 Colour Ideas for Painting Your Home

Deciding on colours in which to paint your home is not easy, regardless of whether you are or are not a designer. Colour triggers emotions which makes the selection very personal. Not only we rarely agree amongst ourselves what a particular colour actually is – blue, green or turquoise, we also experience very different reactions to that same colour. It communicates strong messages, setting the feel of space as well as becoming background to everything else. Not to mention, every day - is a new day, and many other unrelated factors impact our experience of that same room.

The solution has to be smart. Our palette has to respond to the ever-changing mood, opinion, season, lifestyle, fashion, likes & dislikes and so and so on.

To start with, WHITE WALLS are not boring, and, white walls cannot fail. There are three reasons why: light, focus and maintenance. White walls reflect the light and make the room feel bigger and lighter. Ceilings feel higher, rooms feel wider, windows feel bigger. It is beautiful when a wall captures one ray of sun and brings the whole space to life. It also highlights the inherent architectural character of the space. Being such a basic colour, white yet brings all details out. Imagine you put a white shirt on, it starts to highlight all other items you are wearing with it. Same applies to all objects in the room: plants stand out, art stands out, furniture is framed with the white background behind. But, finally, it is also very easy to maintain. Even though walls can get dirty in a more obvious way, touching up paint is stress-free.

However, white is not the only clever solution. While white walls is a safe choice, it does not necessarily fulfil the potential that each room might offer. There are many colours that are NEUTRAL enough and yet versatile to adapt well to many different interior features. Take grey for instance. It is a very elegant and sophisticated colour that has many secrets of its own. It can be modern and classy, obvious or not, feature or base. It can also work together with the majority of other colours as a calm but confident backdrop. Interestingly, this colour is amongst very few that are timeless, making it a very attractive choice.

Finally, some more out-there options can be some very natural colours of a DARKER TONE. This is dark blue, forest green, terracotta. These, being natural pigments, are very soothing as our mind subconsciously makes connections to nature which we as humans are intimately linked to. We experience a sense of piece and relaxation, which gives natural tones a lot of confidence in interiors. As far as our reaction to colour goes, studies show that some colours are more calming then others, some inspire creativity and some even make you feel hungry. So, picking the colour can either be theoretical and researched, or based on an instinct. Either way, it will not leave you indifferent.

Once you feel comfortable with colours, you can start experimenting and using more than one colour or even painting asymmetrical shapes, similar to COLOUR BLOCKING. These two later options have to work with the rest of the room more than a single colour application. However, it can bring much interest and uniqueness to the space of any size and proportions. 

All in all, whether you choose one, two or three colours, paint is a fun and easy way to creatively re-fresh your home. But, most importantly, it is also an easy one to play with. If something goes wrong and the colour is not working, you can change it in a matter of a brush stroke. It is absolutely worth trying and hopefully you are now inspired to find your hues at your next renovation.

5 exposed brick styles in modern interiors

Exposed brick walls are most commonly found in apartments formed inside abandoned warehouses and lofts, which has influenced our perception of look and feel created by this design element. With rare honesty, it raises associations with industrial past and therefore brings the luxury of authenticity to the space. However, having been so highly favoured by many people, it gives a very broad scope for creative new palettes and style variation that it plays part to. This short article will particularly focus on the range of spatial character that brick wall suggests as well as design strategies to achieve each one of those characters.

5 distinct interior atmospheres that love a brick wall:

Industrial: exposed and raw - unfinished but refined.

Here, structural and mechanical building elements that sustain function and intended use of the building are kept exposed. Large open space, minimal intervention, honest materiality are all true features of the industrial interior. Bold and unique interior objects (furniture, art, other fittings) are key to bringing freshness into this interior style. Utilitarian elements are celebrated by leaving pipes, ducts and other service elements exposed. Vintage objects can really contribute to the unfinished look of the space too, emphasizing the juxtaposing eras of both.

Bohemian with rustic elements: The feel that this style is celebrating is rather nostalgic and carefree with hints to romance. It is a bold collection of texture, colour and pattern. It is very proud of its seemingly random collection of objects on display, sustaining a very artistic yet liberal atmosphere. There is no one defined vision of a bohemian style, as more than any other style it is very unique and faithful to the personality and culture of its creator. Well-preserved existing architectural features saturate interiors with sensational moments and add more layers to our perception of that space.

Contemporary sleek: There are many streams to the modern style but they all share one common quality - a very well-found balance between neutral and bold. Minimalism is key. Contemporary is a more relaxed attempt to a modern style, where simplicity is not as enforced. Here, the exposed raw material may sometimes appear as a passive feature to the space, not in any case accentuated by any surrounding clutter. Often it might be painted over to match with the rest, blending it into the minimal context even more.

Barn / Country: This is less typical for an urban environment property; however, its raw absence of luxury and bare authenticity is often an inspiration. In case of a barn conversion, it is worth keeping existing structural elements, such as beams and walls, exposed. This way we accentuate the natural fabric of the original use. The space then can be complimented with either very minimal modern pieces or quite vintage and rustic - both will work really well with the honest background.

Tacky and kitschy IN A BAD CASE: In short, this starts to happen when it is falsely overused, and replications as opposed to honest features start being used. This is a no-go zone, just mentioned here as a reminder to look out for spurious excess.

3 worthwhile aspects that this raw material adds to the value of the space:

1. Experiential: Adds character. There is a vast number of types and range of colours of brick as well as a wide variety of bonds, that all give a brick wall its particular look and story. It is fascinating how wide is the range of appearances that can be achieved with treating exposed brick in a certain way and then completing the ensemble with considerate detail.

2. Time-related: not fashion but classy, so a long-lasting design. Wall paper, paints, porcelain tiles are all in a way superficial finishes, the range of which is unceasingly growing to reflect new interior movements. Raw structural materials, on the contrary, is the essential basis that is always present. Even though interior trends are ever-changing, such elements as brick, concrete, steel and glass do not respond to such fashions.

3. Monetary: value can be added by keeping original elements. Finally, the point which is in no way less important is money. Real features highlight the authenticity of a property, which has always been worth something more. Random collection of words here: History, craftsmanship, quality, longevity, character, meaning, tactility, layers and manifestation, but altogether that is what gives value, unites the concept and coincidently is a list of things the majority of us is attracted to.

 Pulling together interior ideas for your own home is mesmerising, yet not easy. More often than not you will need professional advice to help you define the right path, consolidate your thoughts and preferences, or even specify the right materials to achieve the vision in a practical way. Having existing features, such as brick walls, can give your journey a steer and hopefully this article has shown you how. 

How to choose natural stone surface in 4 steps?

This short article talks about tips & tricks on selecting natural stone surfaces. Often, we experience excessive doubt and lack of clarity when it comes to choosing materials & finishes for different purposes. It is also quite hard to always rely on the judgment and recommendation of suppliers, hence to make it easier we want to discuss factors that are most important.

The most popular choices are marble and granite, however there are many more that can be used including travertine, limestone, slate, onyx and other.

STEP 1: Consider natural stone factors

Every stone is a unique formation from a different location on our planet with distinctive environmental conditions. Hence, every stone is unique in its qualities and how it reacts to various impacts. Mostly acknowledged features are:

GRANITE is a very structurally strong and impact resistant rock. It is a non-porous surface that never fades it colour, so is very good to use as counter tops. However, to maintain these qualities it is important to regularly reseal it as per manufacturers recommendations. The perfect characteristic of this material which makes everyone want if for the kitchen counter tops is that it is bacteria resistant.

MARBLE is widely appreciated for its aesthetic characteristics. But it is not only beautiful, it is rich with physical and technical qualities too. It is resistant to scratching and due to its strength can sustain heavy loads, which is why it is popular to be used in floors. Yet, appearance-wise, it demands knowledgeable care, as various chemicals might irreversibly impact the finish. Hence, due to being prone to stains it is not advisable to be used for kitchen counter tops, even though it is so attractive.

LIMESTONE and TRAVERTINE are both beautiful stones that mature and weather over time. Stone structure is relatively porous and therefore stains easily, so rarely used in interior applications, unless on walls or other vertical surfaces. Externally, though, it is very popular for both walls and floor construction.

ONYX is very distinct for its rich colour and active pattern. It transmits light beautifully but is also very resistant to physical and heat impact. Application-wise, it is practical to apply it to any surface – table tops, kitchen counter tops or walls which can be designed to let the light through from one space to another.

STEP 2 : Selection process

TYPE of stone chosen for the project depends not only on the designed look and feel intentions, but can be very much driven by the budgetary constraints too. Here the estimations must be considered carefully, as often the price is given in two parts: one is the cost of the raw material per/m2, which is then highly increased by the fabricator’s input. The latter includes cutting to size, applying the necessary finish, forming any designed shape and ultimately installing in place.

FINISH depends on the intended use and aspired aesthetics. The list of options is generous enough to make the stone work for you the way you want.

SUITABILITY or intended traffic affecting the stone has to be taken into account, as some are more resistant and hard wearing than others.

Finally, even though some level of MAINTENANCE is expected for any finish, frequency and type of maintenance will really be affected by how well you choose the stone. Sealing the surface of the stone is important as it will be exposed to various physical and chemical impacts. With a correctly specified seal and detailed maintenance programme, the stone will last for a very long time.

STEP 3: Consider the rest of the palette

Stones have got the exquisite power to add luxurious feel to the space. There is the risk of making the space look heavy and old-fashioned if the stone is overused or not matched correctly with the rest of the palette. Stone is a rich material that often is the hero piece or the accent in any room. By adding a very colourful and highly patterned stone, or using too much of it, in the room that is already busy will create a very overwhelming experience and stone will lose its presence.

 STEP 4 : Quality checklists

One quality that is very hard to control is the pattern of natural stone. As obvious as it can be that the look of the natural rock at cut is unpredictable, this is something that you must be aware of. Each stone sample is unique, and it will not be replicated exactly in the final pieces. The pattern and direction of veins can be specified in the design stage, but there is another way too. To ensure the best match to the approved sample, it is possible to choose the slab at a quarry and know what to expect. This, however, will inflate the cost dramatically.

Lastly, the lighting in which the stone will be seen is not less important and has to be taken into account. The appearance of colour and tone can vary a lot depending on how it is lit. Therefore, to avoid disappointment, it is safer to look and pick the stone in a similar lighting condition to the one it will live in.

Ultimately, the beauty and charm of natural materials, stone in this case, is that it inherently has the strength and character that makes it a centrepiece. If the application is well designed and the stone is picked correctly, it will bring you joy indefinitely.