Archive for February, 2009

Undeterred by the recent Arctic (at least it felt that way) cold snap Spring is drawing ever nearer. Traditionally seen as a time for change, this is especially the case in these dark economic times. Therefore, as fresh buds begin their fateful journey to Mother’s Day, it is suggested that there is no better time than now to carry out home improvements.

One area of the house that can be changed entirely without breaking the bank is the wall space. Whilst a fresh coat of paint can have a positive psychological effect, a wholesale change is often more therapeutic. Indeed, in the spirit of clearing out the old and ushering in the new why not follow contemporary trends in wallpaper design to completely alter the look and feel of your home?

According to House to Home online, Eco wallpaper designs from Marks & Spencer will be extremely popular this Spring. Available in Leaf Trellis or Chalk Damask, these wallpaper designs do not only have a floral theme, they are actually eco-friendly. Well, relatively eco-friendly. Indeed, the wallpaper itself is sourced from managed timber produce whilst the prints use water-based ink. Ideal for that uplifting bedroom design, there are also a number of other Eco style wallpapers available from different retailers.

The Geometric wallpaper design is expected to be the trend of the year even if at first glance it looks more in keeping with a 1920s Manhatten apartment. Of course, the art deco look is the key inspiration behind geometric wallpaper designs. Moreover, according to Claire Vallis of Harlequin, the art deco factor is perfectly suited to this day and age adding that “dark tones and metallic hits” are “bang on trend”. Just be sure that you get the curtains right if you go down this route!

Finally, consider the ‘Timeless Curve’ look which is essentially a modern take on the classic Baroque style. Blending the old with the new which is perfectly fitting for a Spring redesign, Timeless Curve wallpaper mixes predominantly black, white, grey and metallic shades to produce abstract designs that offer eighties charm with ‘noughties’ stylishness.

In these days of environmental awareness designers are constantly looking for eco-friendly ways to improve the home such as installing solar panels on to rooftops in order to generate green electricity. Indeed, there are many green additions to houses these days but what about changing fundamental aspects of the home itself?

Italian kitchen design outfit, Valcucine, which prides itself on developing kitchen accessories with the lowest environmental impact has recently announced the development of a truly exquisite kitchen unit made from recycled aluminium.

Invented by Gabriele Centazzo, this 100% recyclable fitted kitchen comprises glass base units, aluminium work surfaces and mechanical joints. The concept underpinning the design is twofold: that it includes a composition of recycled materials and that it can be completely recycled if necessary. However, it is difficult to imagine consumers throwing this unit on to the recycling tip any time soon.

Indeed, the preliminary drawings of the design which debuts at Fuorisalone later this year depict a wonderfully simple, clean cut green (literally) kitchen unit that oozes both style and substance. Furthermore, the flexible construction allows for easy assembly and Valcucine has suggested that its INVITRIUM glass base unit will make reassembly a trivial matter. Additionally it would appear that most typical kitchen spaces, which are often somewhat narrow and elongated, will accommodate the gReenaissance’s long, straight dimensions.

As aforementioned the unit adopts a mechanical joint design which means that no glues or formaldehyde emissions are present. Furthermore the aluminium and glass surfaces provide complete resistance to water, steam and heat damage that affect so many other types of kitchen surface. So there should be no need to worry about setting down that saucepan anywhere…

According to Eco Friend, the use of recycled aluminium represents an 80% reduction of the energy that would be required to source primary aluminium, which is great news for anybody aiming to increase their use of green energy over traditional, environmentally damaging methods.

In conclusion the gReenaissance looks set to be an instant hit amongst home improvement enthusiasts and those who care about the environment.

Your choice of flooring or floor covering – whether it’s part of living room, bedroom, kitchen or even bathroom design – can change how you, and visitors, perceive the size, function and atmosphere of the various spaces within your home. Replacing the flooring in your home need not necessarily be expensive and there are countless cost-effective alternatives to choose from.

Swirly, patterned carpet, for example, is making a comeback although, nowadays, in combination with neutral wall colours to avoid a dated Seventies look. The subtle continuation of a carpet motif – a floral or botanical print for example – in blinds, curtains, etc. can help to provide a unified, contemporary look. If you are on a budget, carpets with foam backing are less expensive – albeit less hard-wearing – than some of the alternatives if you intend to change your floor covering fairly regularly. Off-cuts of carpet can also be bound at the edges to produce inexpensive matching rugs.

Vinyl flooring can be used as an alternative to carpet in high-traffic areas although it can be torn easily, so you do need to be careful if moving furniture around. Its waterproof nature also means that it can be used in bathrooms to give the appearance of mosaic tiles, for example, at a fraction of the cost. If wooden flooring is more to your taste, do remember that scratches in real hardwood, or engineered wood, floors can be difficult to disguise or repair. Once again laminated engineered wood flooring – which often simply clicks together – can provide a cost-effective alternative to real wood, parquet flooring.

There is, of course, nothing to stop you combining different flooring types in a single space with your home to effectively define “zones” within than space. If you have a walkthrough living room and dining room, for example, you might like to carpet the living area but use laminated or real wood flooring to designate the dining area.

With 3.5 million home workers – employed and self-employed – in the United Kingdom and 35% of employees taking work home on a regular basis a home office or study is becoming a popular addition to many British homes. A home office obviously needs to be comfortable as well as practical – you are likely to spend much of your day in there after all – but a room dedicated solely to a home office may not be possible in all homes.

It may well be, therefore, that a home office needs to be incorporated as an element of say a living room or bedroom design. Striking a balance between the use of a space as an office and for normal domestic functions should not be too difficult, however, although a little forethought may be necessary.

Whilst ergonomics are important typical office furniture may not be necessary. You can, for example, adapt the shelving inside a wardrobe to store your office supplies or choose a cupboard or shelving that matches the décor of the room so that your chosen space does not necessarily look and feel like an office. Additional seating may not only increase the functionality of your office space generally but also provide you with somewhere to relax away from your desk at lunchtime or after work. The use of patterns too can make an office space seem more “homely” but you should be careful that these are not too overpowering or distracting.

Good lighting is a necessity in any office environment but the range of task, ambient and accent lighting fixtures available nowadays means that does not need to be at the expense of other functions. Necessary office items such as an in-tray or a notice board can also be subtly transformed into a basket, a wine rack or wall art, which whilst nonetheless functional are more in keeping with the look and feel of a room as a whole.

Garden water features, of course, first started to capture the public imagination when they were incorporated into the garden designs produced by celebrity gardener, Alan Titchmarsh, in the BBC television series “Ground Force”. There is no denying that a water feature can add movement, a touch of drama, and soothing background noise to any garden but you do need to include it properly in your initial garden design, rather than as an afterthought.

If you wish to include a pond for example, remember that it should receive 5 hours or more of sunlight a day so that aquatic plants – and fish if you want them – can flourish. Overhanging shrubs or trees can choke a pond with fallen leaves but, in any case, it should be cleaned out at least once a year; spring is the best time of year for cleaning as plants have the opportunity to re-establish themselves in time for the summer months.

If you’d prefer a running water feature such as a fountain, stream, or waterfall, remember that you may need a tank to act as a reservoir and probably a pump to push water uphill at some point. Electricity for such a pump can be provided by the domestic mains via a suitable extension cable and transformer or, of course, via solar panels, which require no wiring per se. If you have a sunny garden patio, for example, you might like to consider a tiered cascade fountain which allows water to trickle gently from one tier to the next under the power of the Sun.

You are, of course, not limited to traditional water feature designs and nowadays there are any number of pebble pools, spheres and water walls – freestanding or incorporated in the wall of the garden itself – all of which are based on the principle of pumping water from a reservoir at the base of the feature to its highest point letting it fall under gravity and so on.

A conservatory – whether it be of traditional Victorian design or simpler contemporary construction – can add a bright airy space to almost any home. You may for example wish to choose an ornate gable fronted conservatory with a steeply pitched roof as an additional living, or dining space, or if contemporary straight lines are more your style a modern, lean-to conservatory – a.k.a. a “Mediterranean” conservatory – to house your home office, for example.

In either case when it comes to soft furnishings in a conservatory mixing striped and floral fabrics from the same palette in blinds, curtains, etc. helps to create a feeling of freshness in the space. Combined with botanically themed wall covering this can also help to create a link between the interior and exterior of your home. When it comes to lighting and heating a conservatory you may find that a screen provides protection against bright sunlight, as well as creating a more intimate atmosphere at night, whilst recessed spotlights, floor lamps, and, of course, underfloor heating – warm water or electric – are other possibilities.

Whatever purpose you wish to use your conservatory for on a regular basis, storage is likely to be an issue whether it’s needed for tableware, cutlery, paperwork or whatever else. A sideboard can provide unobtrusive storage as can a dresser and if you choose a large table, rather than a desk per se, you can create a space in which to relax, as well as work. The addition of an armchair, or a compact sofa, can provide you with somewhere to read a book, or listen to music, when your work or entertaining is done.

The good news for anyone considering a conservatory, nowadays is that – provided that the construction does not extend above the height of your existing roof or cover more than 50% of your garden – it is likely to be considered permitted development for which no planning permission is required.

An old English weather proverb says “If February give much snow, a fine summer it doth foreshow.” so with the end of the current cold snap in sight, maybe now really is the time to look forward to summer and keeping cool. Many motorists consider climate control and car air conditioning necessities during the summer months, but the same is not true of homeowners, with domestic air con units accounting for only a small proportion of the market in the United Kingdom. This is surprising because night-time temperatures can often rise above the optimum “thermo-neutral” temperature required for sleep leading to uncomfortable disturbed nights. Not only can air conditioning help to maintain the temperature and relative humidity of your home, it can also improve the quality of the air that you breathe by capturing pollen and other allergens; this can be of tremendous benefit to hayfever sufferers for example.

Air conditioning has tended to be the preserve of the wealthy, but as many people abandon a traditional office for a home office, or garden office, they are looking for atmospheric comfort all year round and the industry has responded accordingly. Whole house air conditioning may still cost several thousand pounds but basic portable units are available from around £100 or so and more powerful units from around £200.

Garden buildings nowadays are a far cry from what they once were, with a choice of shapes and sizes available and the possibility of creating a really useful additional living or working space. Some garden buildings offer mezzanine floors and even double glazing, which, when used in combination with an air conditioning and heating unit – two-in-one units suitable for installation in a garden office or log cabin for example are readily, and affordably, available – can create a pleasant, comfortable environment inside whatever the ambient temperature outside.

A well designed bedroom can not only provide a calm, tranquil environment in which you can escape the pressure of modern living, but also add value to your property through its appeal to potential buyers. The emphasis in any bedroom is on relaxing and sleeping, but depending on what else you what you want to do in your own space – working, watching TV, etc. – there may be other elements that you wish to incorporate into your bedroom design.

You have the choice, of course, of fitted or freestanding bedroom furniture. Fitted furniture allows you to create your own, coordinated look, and can be useful if your bedroom is an odd shape, or there are awkward areas to be filled. Fitted wardrobes also usually extend from floor to ceiling, creating extra storage space for bedding, etc. that needs to be stored separately from your clothes, shoes and accessories. You do need to exercise a little caution when planning fitted furniture, however, as filling more than one of your bedroom walls with fitted wardrobes may make the room feel a little claustrophobic. If you prefer the flexibility – in terms of being able to rearrange various items, at will – of freestanding furniture, you can mix and match pieces that suit your needs, both externally and internally. If you wish to store long winter coats, or party dresses, for example, you’ll need the full height of a wardrobe to hang them in, and don’t forget drawers and shelves, for sweaters, shoes, etc..

The bed is the focal point of any bedroom, of course, and dressing the bed is as important as your choice of furniture. The trend in bed linen this year is likely to be towards brighter and warmer styles, which are reflected in colour and texture in curtains, blinds and other soft furnishings to create a sense of style in the bedroom.

For many people the creation of a luxurious, tranquil space in which to escape from the world, if only for a while, is the ultimate aim of their bathroom design. The actual design, of course, depends on the size of your bathroom – or on the size of your house if you are considering a wet room for example, as an ensuite or second bathroom – and your budget but there is any number of designs for you to choose from.

If you are lucky enough to have a large bathroom, or a room suitable for a second bathroom, you might like to choose a true wet room – a fully waterproofed or “tanked” room tiled and with an open shower area – in which underfloor heating is a possibility, if you want to take advantage of green energy. The addition of a wetroom can add up to £10,000 to the value of a property in the best cases, but at the very least will add value and appeal to your home if you want to sell it.

If your space, and your budget, is a little more modest a fitted bathroom can still be a beautiful bathing space. A bath may be the focal point of your bathroom, so whether you opt for a traditional rectangular bath with paneling or a freestanding bath tub, you do need to think about styles and materials to suit your overall design. If space is at a premium, storage needs to be well planned, but bathroom cupboards do not need to be very deep as their contents are generally small and narrow. A wall-mounted towel rail can not only be functional in terms of providing warmth and, of course, holding your towels but can have significant aesthetic value too. Patterned wall tiles are once again en vogue whilst on the floor you might like to consider long porcelain tiles as an alternative to floorboards.

It was Oscar Wilde who said on his deathbed “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go” but those people whose memories of wallpaper include the Anaglytpta, flock or woodchip styles that were popular in the Seventies may be surprised to learn that wallpaper is undergoing a revival. The minimalism of the Nineties is being phased out in many homes and being replaced instead by a full range of colour and pattern including on the walls.

Wallpaper designs on a large scale often work best in well-lit rooms and many interior designers are incorporating them as important elements of living room or bedroom design. You can, for example, choose a wallpaper in a favourite colour, or colours, and coordinate your bedroom furniture, curtains and other soft furnishings accordingly. Another possibility is to pick out a single wall in a room and paper that wall – perhaps with hand printed wallpaper for added richness and depth of colour – as a focal point or feature. If traditional, old-fashioned, hand printed wallpaper is beyond your means there are some wallpapers which, although mass produced and therefore less expensive, have almost the same characteristics.

There is, of course, an issue with wallpaper – as there is with carpet and paint – with regard to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are responsible for a strong odour as well as being hazardous to the environment. Thankfully environmentally friendly wallpaper with no such compounds is readily available nowadays. If you are hanging wallpaper yourself make sure that you remove any existing wall covering and debris – including flaking paint – beforehand and wash down the wall(s) with sugar soap. For ease of hanging and maximum effect afterwards wall surfaces should be smooth, clean and dry before wallpaper is applied.