Your most-liked Instagram post from the last month and how to recreate it
‘We wanted this room to be the most impressive, glamorous and grown-up space in the house,’ says Alice Bettington, describing the vision behind this formal sitting room in a family home in Hackney, which was our most-liked image on Instagram in March. Also crucial was a sense of calm and orderliness as this needed to […]
Inspiring reading nook ideas: how to create the perfect space to settle down with a book
‘I love reading in a very deep chair that’s upright enough to concentrate, but still low, deep and high-sided enough to completely sink into,’ says interior designer Hollie Bowden. ‘Great reading chairs envelop you in my opinion.’ Similarly, stylist Sarah Corbett-Winder favours a high-backed wing chair designed by her husband – ‘you can really get […]
How to declutter your bookshelves (and the books you should never declutter)
One thing I find helpful is to frame the exercise in a different way; look at it not as culling but rather curating your collection. Embrace it as an opportunity to reassess your reading habits, look at how you’ve changed as a reader and consider the kind of books you’d like to read in future. […]
What is making your interiors look blah? (And how to bring them back to life)
If your dining area is in your kitchen, it’s particularly important to pay attention to the lighting to ensure you can create some sense of atmosphere in the evenings. A combination of low-hanging pendants and wall lights, like Emma Ainscough has chosen for this London house, is often the best solution. Dean Hearne Your lightbulbs […]
How to upholster furniture without breaking the bank
For a speedy upgrade, upholsterer Micaela Sharp favours woven trimmings. Her tip? Load up the glue gun and ‘be bold… it’s easier to apply edgings in one go. But remember to glue and fold the edges before you start,’ says Micaela (for more insider hints, she also teaches an online upholstery course at Create Academy). […]
How to style a sofa bed (so that it actually looks good)
Christian Bense says ‘we actually leave our mattress topper on the sofa bed mattress, it folds back with it on. We discovered leaving it there was handy. Also, don’t be stingy with the pillows. Every bed needs at least four, so don’t leave guests with a measly two to make do with. Four pillows always. […]
A short guide to the ceiling cornice and how to find the right one for your room
Serena Williams Ellis designed the cornice in her house to blend seamlessly with the building’s Victorian bones. Dean Hearne The ceiling cornice may not be the first decorative element that comes to mind when planning a room, yet they have a remarkably subtle influence on how a space feels. They frame the meeting point between […]
How to make a radiator look good: seven solutions for unsightly heating
Radiators probably don’t keep you up at night, their chunky awkwardness weighing heavily on your mind, but they can be tricky things to navigate at times. Either they’re just downright unattractive or they’re blocking a perfectly good wall where you would otherwise want to put a piece of furniture. So, how to design a space […]
Making a case for sentimentality in design (with expert advice on how to do it well)
Holiday souvenirs, dog portraits and inherited objects: why we all need to make room for the sentimental in our houses. Source link
Are we in a ‘blandemic’? (And how to make sure your home has soul)
Patrick Williams, the historic building specialist behind Berdoulat, also fears that our sensory responses are being deadened by poor design. ‘It was with the arrival of modernism, and the entirely new way of conceiving and making our homes that it promoted, that sensory stimulation and a building’s ability to connect with the core essence of […]