Go on..shed some light..

Hi there.
Light is very important in a house and lighting your garden is no different. It sets the mood, gives a different atmosphere if you are entertaining or even just on your own with a small glass of wine looking up at the stars and the night sky taking in the night air. There are many options available to you. So here are a few jsut to start you off
There are many different lighting effects you can give your garden such as:
Accent Lighting
Cross Lighting
Grazing
Spread Lighting and
Shadowing
However to explain it all there is a website I found which is:
http://www.lightingforgardens.com/?PAGEID=60342

If you want to give a closer more delicate light why not think about the outdoor lantern idea. Such as:

Or even the tealight candle holder/units such as:

They would accent any table with that mood lighting and make your alfresco dining a more ambiete time. These were provided by Pavilion Rattan garden furniture.

Enjoy different techniques and play around with the lighting to give you that special atmosphere you desire.
Until we speak again
-Z

Dont be too conservative with your Conservatory...

Hello everybody. How are we today? Well I hope you are all basking in this wonderful warm weather we have all been having..wherever you are :)
I started think out the sun and I think its time we got out in our conservatories and gardens, so with this in mind, lets look at Summer furniture......
The nights are getting longer and the weather is getting better so take off that big old cover of the bench and dust off that Barbeque. Time to get into your Conservatories and your gardens.

This wonderful Bistro table I found through AMAZON.CO.UK and I think is from a company called Premier Housewares who appear to do alot of really great furniture. I think I will need to look into them more and see what they offer.

SEE ABOVE:  This MGM cork medium suite was found on www.gardenfurniturecentre.co.uk. It consists of a 2 seater sofa and 2 armchairs which is available in fabric colours Churchil Champagne and Churchil Chestnut.
You can also ad side tables, coffee tables and footstools to add to this lovely set.

With a Conservatory keep the furniture light and spaced but don't fill the room too much. Floorings should be of wooden design or feel and again something that will give the light not absorb it and make it feel cold and uninviting.

I will continue to keep looking at this form of furniture and why not, the sun is now getting high in the sky and so are our imaginations of interior design
Until we speak again
-Z

Tick tock went the Old Mans Clock...

How are we all this wonderful day? As I said in my previous post I thought I would look at some Grandfather Clocks.

Grandfather clocks stand tall, with their majestic appearance. Faithfully keeping track of time and with gentle tick tocking it is a welcoming sound to any home. 

ABOVE: A breakdown of the components of a Grandfather Clock

For some, it brings back beloved childhood memories of time spent at our grandparents’ home. 
It is a timeless piece that is elegant and can successfully grace a lonely hallway or bare corner. 

There are different brands and styles of clocks to choose from. Some of the major brands include: Howard Miller, Ridgeway, and German Hermle and you can find them in a dark, medium, light, metal, or painted finish.  They can be in such styles as: traditional and contemporary.
You can even find a grandfather cuckoo clock that features intricate carvings.

See below:

 

With all of this in mind, it’s no wonder why the Grandfather clock is popular. 
It’s a magnificent piece that never loses its beauty. Make a striking statement by welcoming a Grandfather clock into your home.

Speak to you soon

-Z

CLOCK-A-DOODLE DOO !!!!

Hi everybody. Hope all your Mothers Days were special.

As I thought the clocks to forward here in the UK and on most parts of Europe, I thought it may be time (sorry for the bad joke... :) ) to look at some lovely time pieces for your wall. It may be for your main room or the kitchen or even a blank space on your bedroom wall you dont know what to do with it.

This 20 inch Thomas Kent Vintage Loft Clock will add a homely charm to a room.

It is made of planks of wood, styled like drift wood, and cut to shape to give it a care worn feel. It is available in weathered white or weather black

At a large 20 inches across, this truffle coloured time piece makes a beautiful addition to your home.

This gives a slight Parisian feel to the room and takes you back to that trip where you stood under the Eiffel Tower and sipped on that aromatic french coffee.

The Family Time photo frame provides you with a creative way to display 12 of your favourite photographs, all contained in brightly coloured frames and laid out around a central clock.
Use it to brighten up your bedroom or bring gorgeous colour to your living area – this multicoloured picture frame will surley become a talking peice.

The above clock were brought to you by the website www.mylivingspace.co.uk.

Tomorrow I will be looking at the 'King of the clock'....The GRANDFATHER clock.

Speak to soon

-Z

IHA Awards Winners !!!

This post I thought I would follow up with the winners of the catagories of the IHA Awards which took place in Chicago on March 11th.
The Winners were:

Bath + Personal Care: Gleener, Gleener The Ultimate Fuzz Remover
Cleaning: Casabella Holdings LLC, Quick Scrub Double Sided Microfiber Spray Mop
Cook + Bakeware: Kuhn Rikon Corp., Kuhn Rikon PushPan™
Floor + Carpet Care: Rowenta, Groupe SEB USA, Rowenta Delta Force Stick Vacuum
Home Décor + Gifts: Energizer Household Lighting, Energizer Ambiana Desk Light
Home Organization + Storage: Clean Cubes LLC, Clean Cubes
Household Electrics + Home Environment: Humanscale, Horizon LED Task Light
Kitchen Electrics: Jura Capresso, Inc., Jura IMPRESSA J9 One Touch TFT
Kitchen Hand Tools + Cutlery: Rush3 LLC, Kebo
Kitchenware: Browne USA, Date Dial Sealing Lids
Personal Care + Home Healthcare: Veridian Healthcare, iBaby Monitoring System
Tabletop: Harold Import Co., Inc., Blossom Trivet

Many Congratulations to the winners. More than 400 products were entered in the inaugural IHA Innovation Awards. The 60 finalists in all categories are featured in the New Product Showcases in the Buyers Club in each Show building

Does what it says on the tin...CAKE tin that is...

Hi everybody. Are you all ready for Mothering Sunday. Just some last minute ideas for you.

Why not bake her a cake...

These set of 3 cake tins are on AMAZON and are through a company called Prime Furnishing and are on offer for £9.50 at the moment. There normally retail at £16.99. So wonderful value and remember you don't just get 1 for this you get 3. The reviews are very good.

I was looking around at other blogs last night and came across 'A Glug Of Oil':

http://www.aglugofoil.com/2012/03/bake-cake-slice-it-and-then-keep-it.html

It was reviewing a cake tin, carrier with a handy cake slice built into the top of it. A great all in one kit for making the perfect mothers day cake. Give it a read and see what you think. I thought it looked fantastic and at £24.99 from Amazon it as a great price attached to it.

To finish off your perfect sponge cake why not add the personal touch of decorating it for her.

This decorating kit is on Amazon and by Houseware company.  This extraordinary 100 piece cake decorating set will provide the basis for limitless decorating from the most basic to the most advanced. Become a pro cake decorater with included letter stencils, flower tip styles, icing sculpting combs and pattern presses for creating a wide array of effects - the key is the mulitdirectional applicator. Fill a bag, choose a tip, squeeze and you are on your way to perfection.

 SEE ABOVE: Here is what is in the decorating kit, including 15 bags, various nozzle sizes and letter stencils.

Hope you will all have fun making that personal touch for her and enjoy the tasting of your creation even more :)

Till next time...
-Z

Raise a glass to all you Mums...

Hi everybody. Hope you are all having a a good week so far. Here are some lovely champange flutes I found I thought I would share

 

These gorgeous flutes were from www.virtualkhan.com  They are handblown in Egypt, they are available with a blue or red base. They would also make a lovely flower vase. Price for one is $15 in blue or red.

These flutes are from the Ella range on Amazon and them seem to be new on Amazon this year from a company called Premier Housewares. I also thought that they may even would look lovely for serving a desert in with summer fruits or berries with ice cream or mousse. They are prices for a set of 4 for £11.49 which is fabulous value.

Until we speak again,,,raise a glass for all the Mums out there :)

-Z

Magical Start to her day

Good afternoon everybody. I really hoped you have enjoyed your trip round the world last week and took some good photographs :). Its now time to unpack that suitcase and take that bag off your back and settle back down in home sweet home.

I thought this week as it is Mothering Sunday (18th March) in the UK it may be a good idea to get into the kitchen for some nice ideas to impress and surprise you mum or even your wife. Ideas like breakfast in bed, champange flutes, baking for her or way to make that meal for her so much easier.

BREAKFAST IN BED:

SEE ABOVE: This delightful set is personalised for that extra special touch. Making her favourite tea or blend of coffee along with min pancakes, toast or bagels, this set is sure to go down a treat. It is on the website www.personalisedmemento.co.uk.

 SEE BELOW: Why not serve your personalised set with a unique way of bringing it to her. With this photo framed style serving tray. You can put all those happy mother moments of you and her in this and there are matching coasters as well from www.dealhuntingdiva.com.

These are some thoughts to make it a wonderful start to her day.

Speak Soon

-Z

Hope you like fruit ....we are off to the BIG APPLE!!

 

 Hi there. This is the last leg of our journey so close up that suitcase one more time, strap the bag on your back and lets head off to the good ol' U S of A. More specifically New York. The reason for this is its known round the world for its huge apartment blocks and skyscrapers. So I thought if you were in an apartment or flat then here are some ideas to utilises the space and get he most out of the view you have.

Below are some ideas to use natural light a. Keep the colour scheme to a minimum such as white, cream  or browns are a good idea. Think about symmetry especially by a window or a feature wall. Keep the lines simple and clean. Glass centre tables can lighten up a room and show/ reflect more light. The modern theme is key here with modern art on the wall, new, sharp designs for your sofa and a few lamps round the room. Also add maybe a piece or two of something different for the room. For example a wall dedicated to a library style book case or an interesting centre light. You can have fun thinking of some new ideas and new conversation starters. I will leave it up to you........

For you guys out there if you have a spare room and need something to do with it. Why not turn it into the MANCAVE!!!!!

This is the place where you can go chill out, watch films or just have mates round.Man caves can be equipped with accessories such as refrigerators, vending machines, giant TVs, musical instruments including gear such as microphone stands stands and amplifiers, pool tables and entertainment centres. A man cave may also be fitted out with a bar and sports memorabilia such as trophies, vintage sports clothing or art or photographs from a specific sporting event.

 Of course guys you can only have a Mancave if you ask your girlfriend or wife first. You really must get their permission first. :) :) 

Enjoy your day in the Big Apple take in the sights and room design. Bring them back with you and we will all return to the UK soon.

Till then speak to you soon

-Z

A taste of the Oriente...

Hi everybody. Have you all enjoyed your trip so far?..... Well its time once again to catch that plane and we will jet off to the far east, the land of the Dragon.......
CHINA

Chinese interior design is full of bold colours, mainly black and red. Red stands for good luck. The furniture is usually ornate with a high-gloss, lacquered surface. Porcelain jars, large decorated vases, pots with stylised fish and embroidered silks with flowers and birds fill Chinese rooms. There is a vast array of styles in Chinese interior design. The Chinese culture values peace, harmony and simplicity. If the design arrangement does not fulfil these ideals, then try a different arrangement until it feels right to you.

Another motif for Chinese interior design can be based on their blue and white porcelain jars. Tea sets, large decorated vases, ginger jars and large pots in blue and white can be added. Lay these decor items on bamboo trays. Plant large bamboo plants in the pots, and surround then with polished river stones. Keep things simple and grouped together.

Beautiful, ornate furniture can be a centrepiece in Chinese interior design. Pick a piece that is black or in a shade of red with gold or mother-of-pearl inlays. Place this piece in a corner of the room. Keep an eye out for a woven Chinese throw rug to put in front of the centrepiece. All other pieces of furniture need to be downplayed and simple. A  low  bed can be filled with embroidered silk throw pillows. The pillows can be covered with flowers and fish. Do not get carried away with placing knickknacks everywhere. The ceiling can be hung with paper Chinese lanterns in red, yellow and green.

Give yourself a piece of the far east and indulge in the land of peace and tranquillity.

室内设计 - (Interior Design) :)

谢谢 - (Thankyou)

We will be on one more journey tomorrow, so until then.

I will speak to you all soon

-Z

Spice of Life in INDIA

Its a new day, a new dawn and a new destination for us to view more ideas and inspiration. Where else can we get inspiration than the land of diversity, tradition and wonder. I am of course talking about INDIA.....
This country has such a rich cultural background, tradition and vibrant colour. So lets waste no more time and have a look at some interior rooms from the spice of life.

The furniture should be of walnut or rosewood.

The atmosphere of comfort, luxury and joy. Orange, raspberry, reds are just some of the leading colours that must be combined with the furniture. It may be an idea to start from the curtains. These should be light and bright in combination with walls. If you have any occacianal chairs you can add your own design or decorated the pads with images of animals, humans or gods.

You may want to obtain a screen separator which can divided parts of the home. You can obtain these from antique shops or possibly from car boot sales or garage sales. Even if it has seen better days you can see it as a small project and spruce it up the way you want. You could add materials such as silk or threaded wood and even metal. Although if it is worn then taylor it to your colour scheme. Do not forget to put flowers in the room, incense and candles floating in a container with water and fragrant aromas.

To finish decorate with colourful Indian dishes or bowls, colourful boxes for the storage of tea and spices, rugs hung on the wall, throw pillows or scatter cushions on the floor equips for room space.If you have  shelve units why not arrange symbolic statuettes, made of wood, jade, metal or other materials - this will emphasise the Indian interior design.

Take yourself away to a magical part of the world and relax on your own hard work and inspiration.

We shall go travelling again tomorrow but until them speak to you soon

-Z 

Dip your toe in the water and experience the Mediterranean

How are we all today. Its that time again when we have to pack those bags again travel further east down to ..... the Mediterranean. The beautiful blue waters, the endless sunshine and the stunning food and drink make this a perfect destination to relax in a home catered for the fiesta or the siesta lifestyle.
All you need to work on a Mediterranean interior design project is creativity and a lot of research. A common element of homes with this style is the signature paint. Most homes using this theme use a rich Terracotta tint for the walls. Some people may find this colour a bit dark, so an alternative may be a more cheerful yellow or a striking French blue.

ABOVE LEFT: Keeping colour to a minimum of the earthy tones can give the room more light and air about it. Flooring is a starting point and you tend to find terracotta tiles or a stone washed natural stone or a unpolished marble is a good place to begin. One or two dashing country colours such as the french blue or an aubergine against the yellow are very striking. I have found this chair (see below) on Amazon. It is a swinging Rattan chair through a company called Premier Housewares.

BELOW:The main colours are often earthy with depth and vibrancy. Oranges, deep reds along with rich dark forest greens. The wood is often rustic and iron work is another design option. Keeping the walls simple with not many wall art can highlight the main pieces of furniture in the room.

ABOVE LEFT: Strategically placing ornaments, keepsakes and even framed family photographs in a room such as the hallway give a warm feeling of homeliness and a family mood to the start of the home.

The key to it all is take your time on this design and think about your colour options, where the light is coming in and texture from floor to ceiling.

Have a wonderful day

Speak soon

-Z

PACK YOUR BAGS..WE ARE OFF...

Happy Monday all you designers out there. Hope you had a fantastic weekend. Well... just to keep you all updated.... I have decided to do a theme throught the week. If I happen to see something shiny and new I will be like a magpie and pick up the info and share it with all you wonderful people. So I hear you all cry what will this weeks theme be based on...(drum roll please....).
ROUND THE WORLD. I thought we could all go travelling so padlock lock the suitcase, put on your sunscreen and remember to take your passport......
Today willl be in my home country. Bonnie SCOTLAND!!!

ABOVE: This warm and inviting retreat, may seem full of furniture but due to the colour scheme of warm tones like the reds, warms oranges and oak  furniture. The curtains are double layered to keep the heat in on those cold winter evenings. They are on tie backs which is becoming a very country vintage look at the moment. Ambient lighting is also key in your space of peace and ease. So work out where there may be a dark corner and consider your bulb selection, even a terracota bulb may just give a cosy feel. Keep the colours to minimum but keep the area interesting. For example with the tartan drop down behind the bed. Makes a change from a headboard.  A few loose, worn rugs which you could pick up from  second hand shops, antiques shops or even a car boot sale can just finish off the room.

ABOVE: Decorate with colours inspired by the beauty of the Scottish landscape. As seen here the sandy tones give a neutral spot to show the matching colours on the chair and stairs. Finishing touches like simple wooden or oak table and scottish landscape paintings certainly give a point of focus. A broad landing is the perfect spot for a chair dressed in a large-scale check. The chair fabric is made by BUSBY and BUSBY.

ABOVE: This collect just gives you some ideas and inspiration if you wish to give yor room that warm highland feel. For example tartan throws for the suite or bed, doorstops, footrests and etchings or paintings of for the wall all can start you on your thoughts and at the end of the day sit back relax, put your feet up by the log fire and have a well deserved sip of a full on 12 year old malt.

Dates for your Diary...

Just thought I would let you know of some dates for your diary. Ifyou are in the trade sector or an indepentant retailer you may be interested in either showing your goods or get to know other companies...then Interiors UK will take place at the NEC Birmingham on 20-23 January 2013 and now there has been the launch of a new boutique edition:
Interiors London at ExCel London from 19-21 May 2013.
I know Im early but you have to think about these things early doors.
Talk to you all soon
-Z

To Theme Or Not To Theme....

Happy Friday everybody. Hope you are all well and you have some wonderful things planned for the weekend.:)
I have been giving this blog a think and am considering to theme each week with a topic, idea or fun things that are on the interior design front. If I happen to have see something unrelated on my travels, regarding design then I will still post to all you wonderful readers.....

But what do you think..... To Theme or not to Theme, that is the question...
Have yourselfs a fantastic weekend.....
Stay innovative :)
Speak to you all Soon
-Z

Marching to the Awards

Good Afternoon everybody
Well can you all believe it we are already into March...where have the last few months gone...
Something which caught my eye was that IHA announced the finalists of the Innovation Awards in Chicago last week and there seems to be some stiff competion competing with some big names fighting it out for the award. The ones which I will be keeping an eye on are:

Home Organization & Storage category:
The finalists are:
Clean Cubes' Clean Cubes;
Full Circle's Smart Rack dish rack;
Racor's Ladder Lift;
Spiker's Beach Holder;
and Travelon's Deluxe packable shelves.

Household Electrics & Home Environment

Dyson Inc.'s Dyson Hot Fan Heater
Humanscale's Horizon LED Task Light
La Crosse Technology's La Crosse Alerts by La Crosse Technology
Rowenta, Groupe SEB USA's Rowenta Eco Intelligence Iron
The Master Brands Group Corp.'s Whirlpool Whole Room 360 Fan-Assisted Ceramic Heater

Home Décor & Gifts

Energizer Household Lighting's Energizer Ambiana Desk Light
Inventures Products LLC 'sEZ Pull Battery Pendant Light
Mark Feldstein & Assoc.Inc.'s Plant Pal Singing Bird Moisture Meter
Pitkin Stearns International's Deep Sea Pacific
Shirtwhiz's Shirtwhiz

Good Luck to all the finalists....:)
I will post who won what on the March 11th the day after the event.

Speak to you all soon......