diy

Late last year experts at IMM Cologne, an exhibition and event business, revealed that minimalist interior design would be hot in 2011. And now we have proof!

According to findings compiled in the book ‘Interior Trends 2011′, ‘Emotional Austerity’ is to be a big trend this year.

As a result of the credit crunch, IMM Cologne believes that people are questioning what it is they need to live well. This is leading to a greater desire for simplistic, formal or severe designs that combine the basic and old with the modern and the high-tech.

John Lewis

Homebase

The Home Improvement Centre has indeed noticed a growing number of simple yet stylish room designs and accessories cropping up in the interiors world.

Kate Jacobs, home interior stylist for the Guardian, for example, recently created a variety of looks for the kitchen, bedroom and lounge, all devoted to caramel and nude hues. By blending a host of natural colours together, Kate says homes can avoid looking dull but instead be subtle and lavish.

She said: “I love white, but too much of it can be boring, so I like to use it with other neutrals.”

The Daily Mail’s Design File also tipped chic white accessorise as a celebration of the minimalist trend.

Their reporter, Emma Love, said: “Could there be anything more clean and crisp than pure white? It’s fresh, spring-like and a big trend for interiors this season.”

Next

So to get you back to basics, here are some of our favourite items for 2011 inspired by Emotional Austerity.

New look Neutrals

Top to bottom:

Megan left hand corner unit by Homebase.

Washed Linen Bedlinen, Natural, (£25 standard pillowcase and £220 super kingsize duvet cover) by John Lewis.

Ombra Chair (£125 set of two) by Next.

Great home discounts are currently happening at Homebase.

Until March 24, shoppers will be able to receive 15 per cent off all armchairs and sofas at Homebase. As the UK’s second largest home improvement retailer, Homebase if also offering 15 per cent off the purchase price of all kitchens, bathrooms and Schreiber fitted bedrooms when you spend £300 or more.

Homebase has around 350 large out-of-town stores, which sell over 35,000 products across a broad range of home enhancement products, services and traditional DIY items, as well as a growing internet service.

It targets a wide range of customers with an inspirational selection of home merchandise and offers the convenience of home delivery for bulky, high-value items.

The retailer serves around 60 million customers per year through its stores.

Visit www.homebase.co.uk for all the latest deals.

Habitat is hosting a Spring Spectacular with thousands of items on sale up to half price.

Items include all kinds of homeware products from furniture to accessories, including lamps, cushions, sofas and kitchen utensils.

Discounts are being offered at 20 per cent, 30 per cent and 50 per cent off.

Stand out items include the Emlyn three seat sofa (Was £1,300.00 Now £1,040.00), the Trude medium wall box mirror (Was £110.00 Now £55.00) and the Mews large wardrobe (Was £1,600.00 Now £1,120.00).

The Habitat Spring Spectacular is taking place online now. To visit the website click here.

B&Q’s biggest ever range of decorative homeware lines for spring and summer has been launched.

Silhouette

The Silhouette decor range is a romantic take on a classical floral design for inside the home. It incorporates rich plums and aubergines colours. Blend together with silver detail and velvet to capture a real sense of luxury.

Palm Springs

Perfect for spring, this is a collection described as ‘country with a twist’. Main features are bold patterns and textures in shades of green, taupe and teal. Great for kitchens.

Metropolis

The B&Q design team have come up with this concept with contemporary living in mind. Key elements are monochrome  graphics, textiles and glossy lighting and floor tiles.

Fun!

As the name suggests, this is something for the young and young at heart. Fun! is all about brightening up living spaces. B&Q have 10 new matt colour paints, from electric yellow to cool slate grey, ready to shake up any feature wall.

Research carried out by Halifax claims that around three in 10 people will embark on a DIY home improvement project this month.

The lure to go DIY is being put down to costs, with many people looking to save money and use the work as a distraction.

Halifax revealed that 28 per cent of people will undertake a project in January in order to keep themselves occupied as financial pressures means more of us are spending increased time in the home.

Painting rooms has been rated as the most common project, with 64 per cent of individuals opting for a new or fresh colour scheme. The number of people using their time to bleed radiators and build flat pack furniture equalled at 32 per cent and a further 37 per cent will be looking to fix items such as broken fittings.

Kingfisher, which is the parent company of popular nationwide DIY goods supplier, B&Q, announced yesterday that it has enjoyed increased profits in the six month period ending 1st August 2009. In fact, the retail group has published half-year pre-tax profits of just over £288m, which represents an annual increase of around 34% or £74m.

Clearly, any business that has enjoyed massive profits at the height of a recession is operating in a market that has been largely unaffected by the economic downturn. In this case, Kingfisher’s increased profits further evidence claims that home-owners and property developers have opted for home improvements as a means of surviving a depressed housing market.

Furthermore, according to one Kingfisher source, the increase in profits are a clear indication of “renewed consumer interest” in DIY, which is not only seen as a way to improve existing living conditions but also one that can help improve the potential value of a home. However, whilst Kingfisher’s profits have also been stimulated by French home improvement chain, Castorama, there are other reasons that could explain the success besides increased consumer DIY activity. Indeed, the closure of MFI, formerly one of B&Q’s chief rivals in the home improvement sector, has no doubt pushed trade in Kingfisher’s direction.

Moreover, Richard Hunter, head of UK equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers, told the BBC that Kingfisher’s “fine performance” was partly due to “seasonally good weather… and the revamping of its offerings”. Part of this revamping was introduced a year ago when B&Q implemented a scheme to cut empty shelf space by 25%, increase its product range substantially and to significantly cut operation costs – a far cry from B&Q’s board restructuring of 2005 that was brought about by decreased sales.

According to the Mirror, Homebase and B&Q are literally at war! As we get progressively deeper into the summer, the leading DIY rival firms are going head to head for your business! This is fantastic news for consumers, as if it ends up anything like the Supermarket wars, we could see the rival firms slashing prices in a bid to get feet through their doors!

Lets take a look at similar items from the warring DIY warriors, and see who comes up top!

If you are looking for a cast iron Chimenea for your garden, who can give you the best deal? Well, a Maya Cast Iron Chiminea with an antique bronze finish will set you back £69.99 from Homebase. Whereas B&Q can offer you a Baha Black Cast Iron Chimenea, for only £59.98! A saving of just over tenner!

But, in many ways it may just come down to convenience (or cost of petrol to get there), take for example the Flymo Micro Lite Electric Hover Mower. Homebase have it priced at £34.99, and from B&Q? It is £34.26! Similarly, a 12ft Trampoline, complete with enclose, is currently priced at £182.81 from B&Q, and £174.99 from Homebase.

And, as we customers keep hoping that a price battle will heat things up, it seems that in a bid to keep cool, the rival firms are matching like with like! For example, B&Q have slashed the price of their Globe Modern Ceiling Fan with Brushed Steel Effect from £103.00 to £67.98. This is seemingly to keep in-line with a similar product from Homebase, as the Monaco 4-Blade Ceiling Fan in Chrome is available for £64.99.