BLACK – Not to be Afraid of

Black and Cream With the Midas Touch - Gold

Black has scary connotations, death, the devil and the night – however in interior design in Asian decor it was thought to bring good luck to the occupants of the house and although in the West we know it takes more than a black decor, it still looks good.

No-one in their right mind would consider an all black room, but even if it is just a black roman blind or a black curtain pole with curtains based on a black background or decorative design, black will look stunning and very chic combined with charming warm colours such as pale coral, pinks and creams or gold for the epitome of a show-off scheme and bedrooms in particular with black accents are fabulous.

Carrying the curtain fabric through to the curtain poles and bedspread or as in this case, to a bed runner and of course the cushions will keep the movement of colours flowing through.

If your curtains are interlined or even if they  just have a  decorative heading such as a pinch pleat heading, you may wish to dress them in the folds that correspond to the pleats of the heading. You will need curtain holdbacks or tie-backs to achieve this and unless you have the time or the inclination to dress them every morning, it is best to fit an additional blind, usually a roller blind or a roman blind as the secondary fitting to be the actual working part of the window treatment.

The addition of  glass tops to your furniture will not only protect it, but also the shiny reflective surface will add both glamour and light to the decor.

Chrome curtains poles are great with black curtains in a modern scheme, this Speedy metal curtain pole being particularly stunning as the black background of the finial shows through the mosaic glass fragments of the finial decoration,  mirroring the curtains to the last detail.

Carry Your Curtains through to the Curtain Pole

This very adaptable pole can also be used as a bay window curtain pole with the required corner joints, great if you have more than one window in a room, one of which being a bay window. The corner joint literally fits at one end of two poles and there you have it – a perfect right angle bend.

Bay Window Problems - A thing of the Past

Space is a sheer joy I think in your home – when you come in your door after a busy day at work, travelling in a crowded train or doing battle in Tescos, a decor based on white or cream with black accents will certainly help you to feel less conjested and relaxed.  Let the black colouring be the decorative detail, it´s strong enough and the white or pale cream the space maker.

Black finishing touches in a living room are stunning, but best avoided as the main upholstery colour unless you are a particularly organised person, furniture is such hard work in black and anyway you never know when a puppy or kitten may arrive. Black influenced living rooms are definately for the modern minded – a pared down interior is required, not one that is loaded with personal items. It´s now very “out of vogue” to fill the room with ornaments – a few groups of carefully selected favourite ornaments and a similarly well chosen coffee tablescape is all that´s permitted.

Metal Venetian Blinds will get you out of a Tight Corner

A black worktop in the kitchen will give depth to the units, match many of items such as the hob and oven and can easily be accesssorised by black kitchen equipment such as toasters and permissable nic nacs such as the odd olive oil bottle. Don´t forget to introduce a bit of colour even if its just a red flower.

Metal venetian blinds are ideal in a kitchen and are available in a huge range of colours, so getting your window treatment to match your chosen decor colour will not be a problem. Blinds of any description are a great way of dressing bay windows that are a combination of flat sections as each window can be fitted with an individual blind.  Also if the kitchen is a kitchen/diner, it´s good to pick out a feature colour from the curtains and match the blind accordingly.

Greater care needs to be taken with powerful primaries such as red – for lashings of red the room will need to be vast and free from any encumbrancies such as fussy curtain treatments and ornaments. More about red soon……….. in the mean time some of us are more than happy to stick to black and white.

Lay Back and Enjoy It

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Christmas is Coming

If you have had enough of the old tree, the tired tinsel and decorations, then leave them where they are in the loft and go for a more minimal, natural look – its amazing what a pot of glitter and some polyfiller can do. Get your wellies on this weekend and go out into the woods and get a few small branches of some evergreen trees.  Berries, at least where we live are not dripping from the holly bushes or yew trees, not sure what an old country dweller would say about that, mix some polyfiller into a paste, dab onto the leaves and then sprinkle the glitter on the wet polyfiller paste.

Garlands of natural leaves look great behind pictures and give the silk flowers a rest, put them away for Christmas and use your leaves in every available vase, possibly with a strand or two of tinsel to give a snowy look.

Red and gold are the mainstay of Christmas colourings so why not change your roller blind for a bright red one, they are very reasonably priced and easily changed so when the bright spring days arrive, you can swop back. Red and gold cushions, candles and crackers will really bring a feeling of Christmas to the decor.

The ends of your curtain poles are great place to drape tinsel and strings of Christmas cards and perhaps with many suffering a rather lean time at the moment, gift wrapping the essential things in life can still give great pleasure.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds. Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660 Email: info@polesandblinds.com

White – the Chameleon of Colour.

White is the ideal choice to enhance the visual impact of the features of a decor or indeed the architecture, but is not always the easy option as it will also take on the colours around it like the chameleon, unlike creams and naturals which tend to blend with their surroundings.

White will highlight the other colours in the decor.

White makes a Wonderful Backdrop to Highlight Coloured Details

White wooden or metal venetian blinds and white roller or roman fabric blinds work universally with any colour of décor just as well as white curtains. The type of fabric chosen will be the determining factor in the type of décor best suited to the fabric such as a simple crisp cotton would be best suited to a Country or Scandinavian look whereas a sumptuous silk would look the part in an elegant more traditional finish. There is for example nothing to outshine the simplicity of a plain white roller blind in a modern decor.

White Sheets Classic Even in a Modern Setting

Due to the popularity of large quantities of white in our home décor, there is now a positive gourmet of shades of white paints for walls and woodwork- gloss or semi gloss for woodwork and a semi gloss for the walls are best as the reflective properties will maximize the light in the room. Natural whites sometimes include a tint of colour but remember to paint a sample patch of wall before you rush in and paint the whole room as the tints can sometimes end up being more dominant than expected.

My Personal Favourite – Black and Gold Dressing White Furniture

White furniture and furnishings have long been used by top designers to accentuate the colours of the decor, giving a room visual space and depth, lifting the whole impact of the room. Us lesser mortals can also use this to our advantage at home by using white furniture – your rather dated pine can even be given a new lease of life simply with the help of a tin of white paint.

And while you are about it, why not take up the old carpet; you never know what may be underneath possibly also waiting for a whitening. White decor is very easy on the eye and interestingly changes colour more noticeably according to the time of day than a coloured setting.

Some things are however best not white !!!!!!

    Like my doggie Harvey

Warm Colours- For Romance or Comfort

Reds and browns will evoke a feeling of warmth and exoticism and are energizing colours which are ideal for kitchens, dining rooms and children’s bedroom blinds or curtains. They are based on earth pigments and have been used for thousands of years in our home décor, from early man’s cave paintings to the basis for many colour palettes used today.

A Super Snug snug

Deep warm coloured blinds and curtains are beautiful as well as practical when used in the home, but depending on their intensity, will never offer a subtle impression of tranquility. They will take more handling and wear than light cool colours without showing signs of soiling, but they will tend to advance towards you, ideal if you are trying to create a warm cosy study for example – but not so useful if you are trying to make a modern décor based on an open expansive look.

Fitting a stunning metal curtain pole such as the Speedy Alexia will always go a long way to modernising a scheme and will also give a touch of iridescence to a deeply coloured fabric –  one of the disadvantages of using a strong colour is that it tends to absorb the light.

Using a bold colour such as red for curtains, blinds or indeed decorating a whole section of a room will draw the eye away from an ugly feature in a room. If you are going to go for the painted wall option then make sure that there is also the option of good lighting, whilst dimmed lights are very attractive for mood lighting, kitchen spaces in particular will need to be well lit.

A few vibrant Home Accessorise will make All The Difference

A good compromise is to use cool colours as the main choice for the décor to give a feeling of space and then compliment the scheme with a few well chosen “warm” highlights such as a window blind or even just a few candles.

Light warm colours such as pink and lilac are seen as feminine colours and as such are used extensively for bedrooms, soft subtle pinks for the “grown-ups” and the brighter the better for the girls.

The popularity of all things pink for the little girls has been intensified by whoever at Disney had the idea of linking all the Princesses together. What a marketing triumph – a completely new range from the old faithfulls available in practically everything down to a computer mouse.

Who said girls like pink ??? Incidentally the insistence for wearing swimming goggles and cap when riding a bike is derived from watching Moto GP

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Tags: bathroom blinds, curtain poles, roller blinds, roman blinds

BLINDS – Why Go For That Colour ??

Cool Colours – these colours are in fact both marine and aerial; they can be full on seaside blue or the deep turquoise of the Aegean Sea, the dusty grey-blue of the Scandinavian skies or the deep cobalt blue of an English summer sky. These colours are particularly ideal for bathroom blinds.

Cool and Calming ideal for Relaxing

Cool colours are also greens and certain yellows or purples, depending on whether they have a touch of red in their colour blending or not. Cool colours are certainly refreshing, looking particularly outstanding against a crisp white background, making the room feel more spacious and light whilst possessing an air of peace and tranquility. These restful colours even if they are just used for a window blind will set the scene for a tranquil bedroom or relaxing bathroom, but perhaps during the winter months this cool fresh look may not be quite so desirable, so the simple addition of a few well chosen home accessories in warm colours hues of reds or rusts will quickly make the room look warm and inviting.

Roman blinds give a softer finish to the windows as the folds of material gently pleat up as the blind is opened.  Roller blinds are just as effective and perhaps better suited to a bathroom as there is minimal use of fabric and especially in a family bathroom,things can sometimes get a bit wet.

Alternatively the same stunning effect can be achieved with a white blind set on a cool coloured wallcovering, either with all the walls finished, or just one feature wall finished in the colour. If it is a small room and you decide to only have one wall with a coloured finish, then it is usually best to go for the wall that also includes the window and tone the window finish with the wall colour or the decor will become fragmented.

There are Blinds to suit every Style and Budget

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Tags: bathroom blinds, bathroom windows, roller blinds, roman blinds

LIVE IN HARMONY WITH YOUR HOME

Everyone needs their own space and if you are fortunate to have enough room for that luxury, then use it well and appreciate it.

Design your decor for You

And this is an ideal opportunity to really theme the room towards its intended use. For a very informal decor, minimal curtain treatments such as light voile curtains will set the scene for a relaxing mood as they gently waft in the breeze through an open door or window whilst also allowing for maximum light. Heavy full length curtains will not give the casual look just by virtue of the fact that they will not fall in sufficiently soft folds. You will of course have to arrange some kind of secondary window treatment such as roman blinds or roller blinds for shading to protect your furniture and soft furnishing fabrics from the sun and to give privacy at night. A light weight plastic curtain track such as the Integra Plastic Curtain Track is ideal for this kind of situation.

Plastic curtain tracks are available in many shapes and sizes. Some tracks are supplied with their curtain hooks included as part of the glider mechanism and some are customized so you can buy in kit form exactly what you require.

Plastic runners and gliders produce a smooth, quiet travel for the curtains on the curtain track. This type of curtain track is extremely versatile as plastic can be extruded into practically any shape or form. The track fixing position can be ceiling or wall fixed. Plastic can be easily bent by hand, so certain types of plastic track can be used as bay window track, being forward or reverse bent, easily trimmed, or joined for extra wide windows.

Basically your colour scheme is the single most challenging part of designing a themed room – the style, mood and perceived temperature is all affected by your choice of colouring. Colour is a powerful tool for the transformation of light and space, but without any understanding can result in the faint hearted reaching for the tin of Magnolia paint or alternatively a decorative disaster.

Light or lack of light plays a very important roll as to whether you can use a dark colouring for your décor as light is absorbed as it strikes an object, so using dark colours in a gloomy room will only compound the problem. The mellowest of schemes will need a touch of vibrancy to give it life whilst a dramatic scheme will need an element of calm or it will overwhelm you.

This collage of different coloured room interiors simply shows the effects of the different colours in a decor.

Different colours impact in Different ways on your Decor

Living in harmony with nature is always a sure way to create a mellow setting, so introduce as many natural finishes as you can. Wood weave blinds or many of the wood, leather or suede effect Roman or Roller Blinds are a good medium to work with for a natural finish. Lots of plants and the odd flower arrangement will also create a pleasing, relaxed setting.

To draw attention to a particular object in your decor such as a work of art or a collection of glassware, selecting a blind in a matching colour will accent the objet d’art highlighting its colours, ensuring it remains the focal point of the room. Alternatively pale coloured window blinds increase the feeling of space, blending with neutral wall coverings, furniture and flooring.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Tags: bay window curtain track, bay windows, curtain poles, plastic curtain track, suede effect roman blinds, wooden blinds

Working Around a Theme or Treasured Items

Furnishing and decorating your home with a mix of precious and sometimes peculiar items from around the world can be a challenge and great care should be taken to ensure that what appears to you to be the essence of good taste does not end up looking to others like a quality gift shop.

Dark Wood always adds an Exotic Feel to a Decor

This fabulous Chinese chest has been beautifully complimented by the stunning co-ordinating curtains, the colouring then being accented with selected accessories throughout the rest of the décor in the room. The secondary feature colour is the dark mahogany of the wood furniture which again has been cleverly combined with matching dark wood curtain poles, lampshades and picture frames.

The dramatic colourings and stylish finish of the wooden curtain pole has provided a stunning method of displaying the curtains that can also be a window treatment for modern lifestyle and décor. This particular wooden curtain pole is available in a stunning colour palette of 13 stunning colours and 3 pole diameters.

The Museum Wooden Curtain Pole

The plain ball finial can be dressed up or down according to the colour choice selected, the design and colouring of the soft furnishing fabrics and the choice of curtain headings. A modern innovative curtain fabric with a simple double pinch pleat heading used in combination with the plain ball curtain pole in charcoal or antique silver will produce a stylish up-to-the-minute effect, whereas the same curtain pole with curtains finished with a triple pinch pleat heading in a rich brocade or silk fabric will produce a window finish of timeless elegance.

Simple to Decadent Curtain Finials and Everything Inbetween

Your living room will be the room that will make the most impression on your visitors, so try not to be too dramatic or specific with your collections. Keep the displays in groups which will show them off to their advantage, especially with appropriate lighting to add impact to the pieces.

Roller Blinds or Roman Blinds make a good choice in this type of decor as they will contribute to the style of the decor without upstaging the collections or artwork.

Reds Always Create a Dynamic Statement

Reds and other deep earthy colours such as the Islita Scarlet Roman blind creates a sensual atmosphere in a room, with the rich timeless colours associated with the tropics, ideal for Asian or African collections.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Tags: curtain poles, roller blinds, roman blinds, wooden curtain poles

DEFINING THE THEME

Choosing your curtains, curtain poles and blinds can be a challenge and can often not be all that everyone in the household would wish for or indeed appreciate – there are so many styles let alone colours to choose from.

You could go ultra modern and minimal

Minimal to the Extreme

with a modern curtain pole such as the Speedy Metal curtain pole range

 

or full on traditional

Traditional with all the Frills

 

with an ornate window treatment to match set on a decorative wooden curtain pole such as the Regency Portfolio Reeded pole

Hand finished for an Authentic Tradtional Look

 

Gone are the days of old when the colours we introduced to our homes were entirely dependant on the earth colours of the area and fruit or vegetable dyes. It was not until the 19th century that synthetic dyes were produced, opening the way for the stunning interiors that followed.

 

Yellows, reds, browns and indigo are to be found in any historical colour palette and still widely used in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, creating a period, hand-produced feeling to the decor.  Black is not a colour that we used inthe West much in the past as it was very much associated with death – not so in Asian decors.  The intensity of light in that part of the world somehow lifts black and red, making them essential colours to be included in this style of decor and black used in the Asian home is also thought to bring good luck to the household.

 

 

 

Natural coloured Roman or Roller blinds always make a great design choice for your windows if there is a lot happening in the rest of the decor and will compliment other neutral funishings and furniture in the room.

 

 

 

More muted colours have always better suited our rather subdued light ( a polite way of saying grey, dismal, rain sodden days ).  Neutral colours however do have many virtues, a safe colour choice being one of them. They can look absolutely stunning lifted with brilliant colours, reds and browns giving energy to a room or greeens and blues giving a more calming influence and todays contemporary designs will always work better if they are based around a neutral backdrop.

 

If you are fortunate enough to have a blank canvas, before you take the plunge with a themed decor, remember that colour is an essential element to different styles, so although you may have your heart set on an exotic Moroccan decor with deep earthy reds and ornate curtain treatments, if the room is already dismal with a north facing elevation or small windows, then this is definately not the look for your project.

 

Nearly everyone has a camera with them in the form of the mobile phone, so wherever you may find yourself, there will always be ideas you can adapt to your own look. Some things are completely “over the top” and you may think there is nothing you can apply to your decor

 

but it is all a learning curve and by process of elimination you will end up with a finish you can be proud of.

 

 

 

  Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.
Tel: 0845 4650101
International Calls: 00441243 586660
Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Tags: curtain poles, metal curtain poles, roller blinds, synthetic dyes, vegetable dyes, wooden curtain pole

Your Home is Where Your Heart Is

A bit of great news I must tell you first, our site is soon to be re-launched to include not only curtain poles and blinds, but also curtains, both ready made and made to measure.

Who cares about the weather

Travelling especially holidaying with your loved ones is usually a great experience, even if it’s raining, but if we are truthful  it’s always nice to come home, especially if home is decorated and filled with your energies and designs. Home should be a place where you and your family can rest, sleep, cook and live together in harmony. Hopefully my blogs will give you a few tips on colours and designs that may help you a little to achieve this.

The next few blogs, sorry for the lack of blogs over the last few weeks, been travelling, will be about themed interiors and their favoured use of colours.

If you are moving to a new home and want to make permanent changes or just undertaking a transient makeover of a room, now is the time to think through your vision of a perfect decor. Regardless of the size and location of a room, the lighting, material colours, textures and furniture all play a very significant roll and should all be considered before launching yourself into your project.

Chic but comfortable living decor

Stone neutrals make a wonderful base colouring for bold contemporary colours such as this lime and violet decor. It is always best to make the statement wall if the paper matches the curtaining to be an adjacent wall to the window or some of the impact of the curtains will be lost as the curtains will simply fade into oblivion. In this stunning room, although the curtain pole needs to plays it’s part in the window decor, with so much else going on, it does not need to fight for attention. This stylish Speedy wooden curtain polecompliments the wooden flooring and furniture, effortlessly connecting the window with the rest of the detailing in the room.

Dark Wooden Pole balances well with the flooring

Wallpapers and fabrics that match make a stunning detail in a room but if the room has various issues such as a south facing elevation or an old and drafty window, then often a blind, especially a blackout blind will make all the difference to the light and temperature in the room. There are an almost overwhelming number of different styles of window blinds available today which can stand alone as the feature window treatment or to compliment the main curtaining and all with colour palettes to cover any eventuality.

A Go Anywhere Blind

If in doubt about obtaining a suitably coloured blind, then go for a light neutral roller blind or a natural woodweave blind, they always make a safe yet stylish haven.

A Modern Minimal Window Finish

Tags: blackout blind, curtain poles, roller blind, wallpapers, window decor, wooden curtain poles, wooden flooring, woodweave blind

Curtain Poles For Any Eventuality

With all this going on, its better to be discreet

This very decorative living room has enough visual interest without a flamboyant curtain pole added to the mix.  A simple metal or wooden curtain pole will provide the means for hanging the curtains without stealing any of the impact.

Wallpaper is one of the main trends for home interiors this year and looks particularly outstanding if used on a feature wall. Many of the wallpapers match or compliment the curtain fabrics with large florals and light reflective surfaces being the most popular.

Metal curtain poles with special effect finishes

Metal curtain poles will suit any colour palette as they are available in a wide range of metal finishes and can be both traditionally elegant or minimally modern. Many metal curtain poles have matching curtain holdbacks which will help you to create the type of window treatment you desire if it is to be based on large drapes of fabric.

Bay Windows Need Special Curtain Poles

Bay windows are definitely the main feature in a room as they not only add depth to a room and an increase in natural light, but also provide the means for a beautiful window treatment.

Bay window curtain poles are not a problem with today’s innovative methods of manufacturing, with many of our standard curtain poles also being able to be used for bay windows with the simple addition of specially designed corner joints.

Tags: bay window curtain poles, curtain poles, metal curtain poles, wooden curtain poles