Off the Wall ideas

You can make a fantastic design statement with some new wallpaper on one or more walls in a room.

You don’t have to cover the whole room, why not try making a feature wall to transform a living space?

You don’t have to be living in a trendy penthouse or urban rooftop apartment, you can create the modern, urban feel in your own home by introducing some new wallpaper designs. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, but the effect is stunning.

Stripes are always popular and using them horizontally can create a fabulous effect, you will find that stripes add the illusion of space to a room.

You will get a great look if you bring introduce a floral wallpaper and combine it with metallic colours, this will make a stunning feature wall if you want a contemporary interior.

Or you could try something different like an eye catching mural. Companies like Nono specialise in large format prints and wall art if you want something very bold and memorable.

Maybe you are thinking about a work space. Geometric motifs will help to you to create a cool look for the office, as well as producing a comfortable relaxing atmosphere.

For more interior ideas and insights you can visit my blog at: fionaramsayinteriors.blogspot.com/

If you are looking for some new furniture visit our online shop at http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/ or phone 0870 609 1536 if you want more details.

Get that sixties look.

This month, I’ve put together a design using some retro furniture and sixties colours, this idea could be used for a living room or lounge.

The colour scheme is very retro and is designed to bring out the warmth of the teak furniture, I have gone for aqua, brown and cream with a hint of lime green.

At the heart of the scheme is the Fresco range from G Plan and a Florence Knoll sofa. You have lots of choice with the Fresco range, there’s dozens of different products including, sideboards, occasional tables, dining furniture and bookcases in every size and shape.

A feature wall in Aqua will create a strong impact if you have enough space. If you don’t have a big room to work with, try not to use any overpowering colours, this will have a claustrophobic effect.

If you’re on a budget, you don’t have to buy new, Fresco has been around for years and can be found in second hand shops or online at Ebay. The Parker Knoll sofa is very expensive if you buy an original but if you shop around you might just pick up a bargain.

You can buy G Plan Fresco from our online shop at http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/ or phone 0870 609 1536 if you want more details.

For more interior ideas and insights why not visit my blog at: http://fionaramsayinteriors.blogspot.com/

Bring colour to life

Neutral walls with natural wooden flooring is a good combination and will always be a safe bet but it’s nice to introduce a bit of bold colour if you want to make an impact with your redecoration project.

You can buy some fantastic paints in new sophisticated mature tones. Think rich aubergine, exotic burnt umber, zesty lime and evocative cerise. Or, go retro, with more subtle shades such as lemon, blush pink and lilac. Designers have taken inspiration for their palettes from far and wide enabling us to personalise the use of colour to suit our taste and maintain the functionality of a room.

Before any colour is applied, some consideration should be taken in to the choice of colours as this will directly affect the mood of the room. Cool colours, such as blues, greys and violets are soothing and create spaciousness but should be used in areas of plenty of natural light to avoid them feeling cold and unwelcoming. Warm colours such as reds and oranges are exciting, passionate and high energy but can also enclose a space so use with caution.

More complex than using just one colour; a colour scheme uses a selection of colours that work well together. Generally speaking, there are three simple ways to ensure your scheme will work by choosing complementary, harmonious or monochromatic colours.

Once decided on your palette you can then choose how and where to apply the colour to the room. Two simple and effective ways of injecting colour in to your living space are as an accent or background. As an accent, you can display either one shade in a prominent way or scatter a number of different colours using cushions, fabric, light shades and other decorative objects to create detail. This option is ideal for smaller, darker spaces and maintains a room’s versatility as cushions and accessories can be easily changed.

Background colour helps create atmosphere, be sure to choose a shade which creates the desired mood for the room. As a halfway point between accent and background, ‘feature walls’ give an instant lift to a room without being as dominant as painting every wall yet generally more impacting than colour as an accent. This approach is ideal for open plan or multi use spaces where colour can be used to draw the eye or define areas of activity.

If you are looking to add furniture to your redecoration project why not visit

http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/

The return of a retro classic

I love the new updated Fresco range from G Plan, it's more than a copy of retro classic, it’s the real thing. It’s G Plan's best known range, and the one most identified with the revival of retro style today. Originally introduced in 1966, it features teak veneer and a sculptural style. Now lovingly updated and back on the market again it’s the only way to get the authentic retro look of the late sixties. You don’t need to trawl the second hand shops and search on Ebay, the new range is available now at https://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/products/new-g-plan-fresco.


G Plan brand transformed the British furniture industry of the 50s and 60s. When G Plan was launched in 1953, it combined contemporary furniture design with modern branding and marketing. It was an instant success for E Gomme, the manufacturer of G Plan.

G Plan changed the experience of furniture buying in Britain forever. Before G Plan furniture retailers hid manufacturer’s names from the public, for fear of price comparisons. After much resistance they came round to the idea of branded furniture. Eventually retailers proudly claimed to stock G Plan. Other manufacturers also invested heavily in branded furniture.

G Plan made modern furniture aspirational, previously most people preferred traditional styles of furniture. G Plan made modern furniture desirable, to own G Plan meant you had arrived socially.

You can buy Fresco online now at:

http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk

Interiors: make the most of what you've got.

This article was written for Pure Lifestyle magazine: October 2008

Many of us only decorate when we’re trying to sell our house or when we’ve just moved in. With all the economic gloom around it’s a good time to think about upgrading one or two rooms and make the most of what we’ve got.

A good starting point is the big clear out, a trip to the local dump or, if you’re feeling really ambitious, why not order a skip? You’ll be amazed just how quickly you can fill it.

Stylish furniture is a great investment and starting point for a new room. So, it’s good to know that Glasgow is the home to the UK's largest independent cabinet manufacturer, The Morris Furniture Group. The family business has enjoyed a rich and successful history spanning three generations, crafting first class cabinets for the Queen Mary and QE2 liners before launching into domestic furniture in the post war boom. More recently Morris acquired G Plan and, over the past ten years, has grown to provide work and income for over 1000 staff, many of whom are based in Glasgow.

Morris Furniture can be bought from many independent retailers in and around Glasgow or online at http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/.

Back to the home makeover: once you’ve set a budget and deadline you can begin the design process. I recommend creating mood boards or sketch books. You can build these up with a selection of images ripped out of magazines and brochures stuck to a board or inside a note book with some colour swatches and fabric samples along with notes and ideas on the space you’re trying to create. Don’t be afraid to take your samples into shops and discuss your ideas with others to make sure the final outcome is as close to the original concept as possible.

As I’ve said, good furniture is always a great investment and you can build a design round the new pieces you plan to use. You don’t need to buy a new sofa or armchair, why not re-cover an existing piece or get hold of some second hand furniture and get it re-upholstered. There’s some fantastic fabric around that will give your old sofas and armchairs a new lease of life. I’ve done this many times and am happy to advise, just give me a call on 0141 585 6484 and I will gladly talk you through the process.

G Plan recently launched the Elements range, available in natural and black ash veneers. The black ash version is my current favourite, with its contemporary straight lines and beautiful design details, it makes a great starting point for a living or dining room scheme. It mixes well with wooden floors or polished ceramic tiles. For an ultra cool, understated look, I would introduce some bold fabric contrasting with a neutral wall covering from Harlequin or Romo. Red or yellow work well with black ash and will give a really sumptuous, bold and contemporary feel to the room.

G Plan Elements includes some very well designed plasma display units so, if you already have a big LCD or plasma screen or are planning to upgrade, now is the time to invest in the right piece of furniture to go with the new tv.

And finally, don’t forget about the details. Before you go shopping for all the latest soft furnishings and accessories maybe it’s time to say goodbye to the clutter. Most of us build up bits and pieces that don’t really add anything. It’s time to be brutal and throw everything out that doesn’t fit in. Or, if you just can’t bring yourself to get rid of something for good, why not pack some things in a box and see how much you miss them. If they’re still in the box in six months time, it definitely time to part company.

G Plan, Morris and Zone Furniture ranges are all available to buy online now at http://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/
https://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/collections/g-plan
https://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/collections/morris-furniture
https://www.newhomeshop.co.uk/collections/zone-furniture


Company Profile
New Home Shop does not have high street stores or big overheads, this means we can pass on the savings to you.
Buy securely from our web site www.newhomeshop.co.uk or call Fiona Ramsay on 0141 585 6484.

Interiors: what’s hot for this year?

This article was written for Pure Lifestyle magazine: September 2008

As this is the first issue of this new magazine I think some design tips on ‘what’s hot and what’s not’ for this year might be a good start. I hope these points give you some inspiration for your home decor this year.

Minimalism is out, many top designers are using sumptuous, patterned fabrics to create bright colourful rooms featuring retro upholstered furniture without sacrificing elegance or beauty. There are many second-hand shops where you can pick up some really good old sofas and chairs at relatively low cost. Even if the fabric is a little dated or worn, as long as the frame is of good quality then you can get the piece re-upholstered to suit any design scheme.

Colour has a very important role to play in any home, it can be the difference between a house that flows from room to room complementing each other or a horrible and costly mistake which makes you curse each time you walk into a room. Yellow and black or red with black, seventies colour palettes are big right now with influences coming back from the days of platforms and flares.

Lighting can be just as important as colour to a room by changing how the room is viewed. Using accent lighting and multiple light sources to emphasise key decor highlights such as objects or architectural features is always a good idea.

Designers are indulging their senses this year by adding different textures into the home such as silks & velvets. Think of the different textures you can give your rugs, curtains, loose covers, sofa throws, scatter cushions and wallpaper.

No matter what any of the industry expects say this year it is clear that there are many ways for you to make your home individual and personal but it is a good time to be bold and make an impact.

If you are looking to create a very modern design statement I recommend Japanese sliding panels. These are a great alternative to curtains or traditional blinds.

They are made from material which is secured to rods on a sliding track and weighted at the bottom, providing effective shading, privacy or screening.

A huge range of fabrics can be used to make the blinds, contrasting colours can have a striking effect. They are often made with stiffened fabrics and can be lined to give as much light reduction as you need. There is a huge range of fabrics to choose from, most designer ranges can be made into panels but it is a good idea to avoid products with a high linen content, this type of fabric creases badly and the panels can quickly lose their shape.

You can cover a very large area with panel blinds, tracks come in 3, 4 and 5 ways allowing up to 10 panels in various widths.

They are very easy to fit and maintain; the brackets are easily screwed into a ceiling or wall, the bracket arm swivels and locks into a groove on the top of the track, then the fabric panels are velcroed onto sliders on the track. Panels are easy to clean, much the same as curtains, if it's a washable fabric then you can remove the panels easily from the track to wash either in the machine or by hand.

You can easily change the panels when you redecorate, because they are velcroed onto the panel track they can be removed and replaced with new ones.

And finally, are panel blinds expensive? No, they shouldn’t cost any more than a good quality pair of curtains.

Company Profile
Soft Options: made to measure soft furnishings from New Home Shop
Soft Options is all about attention to detail, the best in fabric design, exceptional craft, skill and experience to achieve the highest standard of finished product, from curtains and blinds to bed throws and cushions. If you’re looking for an individual interior or a quick makeover, we’ll bring the shop to you.
Contact: Fiona Ramsay on 0141 585 6484

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