Interior Accessories

To ensure a successful mix, I treat cushions, trimming, lampshades and other accessories as the shoes and handbags of the home. The right shoes can really make an outfit - and equally, if you have the wrong shoes, you can feel old-fashioned in the smartest of suits.

Ideal Home & Garden India

INTERIOR STYLING DONE by KIRAN SINGH

BE YOUR OWN DESIGNER | Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine | April 2010

So...you'd like to sell your house?

Great! Everyone's doing it. But this is your first time and you'll be doing the sale yourself. Nervous? Of course! The fact is, it's only unnerving because you haven't got a clue about the dynamics of selling a house - your house. Read more here; http://www.myuniquehome.co.uk/documents/47.html.

Space-saving Kitchen | Brighten with accessories

Small rooms can still look stylish - just a few clever tricks and some smart storage solutions make them seem bigger and brighter.

What's behind that door?

"Doors speak a story and convey a feeling, a presence. They are the Eyes to the Soul of those who lived behind them, representing the history and experiences they have witnessed. Some doors are proud; others are tired or worn, but tenacious. Some are welcoming and beckon entry and exploration, whilst others tease and tempt with mystery, encouraging the visitor to take the journey through. "

Coastal cottage style - 8 ways to get the beach style

File ideas: Create a wish-list notebook to record your dream pieces (with accompanying dimensions and color swatches). This allows you to shop with confidence at flea markets and estate sales.

Paint the insides: Add a splash of color to the inside of a cabinet or armoire. In Susan’s kitchen cabinet (far left), aqua paint makes the eclectic display feel like a true collection.

Keep whites white: To preserve the fresh look of white slipcovers, buy extra sets. Wash slipcovers every other month as part of your cleaning routine.

Convert old textiles: Don’t stop at recycling furniture. The striped pillow on the sofa and the curtain below the kitchen cabinet were fashioned from a tablecloth from Anthropologie.

Look in your closet: A good way to find your signature style is by assessing your wardrobe. This could reveal your personal color palette as well as your favorite patterns and textures.

Decorate with nature: Gather your finishing accents outdoors — flowering branches and clusters of single-stem flowers are good bets. In Susan’s kitchen, a single palm frond in a simple white bowl creates an almost sculptural display (below).

Tell a story: Create a vignette with similarly themed items. In the bedroom, a breezy summer tunic hangs next to a vintage oar and raffia beach bag.

Use mood lighting: Keep a collection of white candles on hand to enhance tranquility. Low-wattage bulbs also help set the right tone.

Formal terrace

Unfussy furniture and sleek containers give structure to this living space, while a neutral palette of chocolate, cream and sage green blends well with the surroundings to give a chic, sophisticated look

Perfect work space

Set up a potting bench in your shed, with everything you need to hand. Keep tools on wall hooks to leave your bench and floor space clear, and tuck crates, seed trays, baskets and buckets underneath.

Urban-chic garden

Create a comfy, alfresco seating area with a modern rattan sofa and armchair and pick a dining set in black and chrome for a contemporary look. Brighten the look with silky red and lime cushions and include plenty of striking foliage in co-ordinating planters and finish them off with a few pebbles around the base.

Decorate your garden walls by displaying your favourite spring blooms on a piece of trellis.

HERE'S HOW...
•Use at least three small pots, each with a thick rim around the top edge to stop the wire from slipping. We've planted ours with hyacinths. When these die at the end of spring, they can be replaced by other seasonal blooms.
•Drill holes in bricks (not cement, which will crumble), using an electrical drill with a masonry bit. Push a Rawlplug into each hole, then hang the trellis using sturdy screws.
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•Plant up your pots, then wind garden wire twice around each pot, making sure the ends are long enough to wind on to the trellis. Twist them together tightly to secure.
•Thread the wire ends through the trellis and firmly attach the pots, ensuring they're spaced equally. Tie natural twine around the rims of the pots to conceal the wire.

Clever storage ideas keep tools in good condition, making garden jobs a joy

• Keep twine, gloves and other essentials close to hand, hanging from a rail.
• A stainless steel surface looks smart and is also very easy to care for.
• A cutlery divider stores smaller tools and seed packets.
• Organise pots by type and size in storage boxes.
• Keep everything in its place with outlines on the wall.
• Place old apple crates underneath the table to store anything from vintage pots to compost.

Nursery times

Create a room suitable for a boy or girl, using yellows and greens with an animal theme. The colourful blind is from John Lewis, which goes perfectly with the citrus coloured walls. The sturdy cot bed, changing table and chest of drawers are all from Chic Shack and the ivory carpet won't date as your child grows.

Modern open-plan dining area

This clean-cut dining room with smooth lines can be separated from the kitchen by sliding glass panels, or left open to add more space and let in more light. Contemporary black and white accessories provide the finishing touches to this fresh modern room.

New England-style dining area

Classic New England style features heavily in this living/dining room with its classic blue and white colour scheme. Decorative dark wood chairs from Flamant Home Interiors surround a table set with a blue cloth and simple but elegant china. Blinds from Sheila Coombe's Long Island Collection perfectly complement the striped curtains. Dark flooring works particularly well with these shades of azure.