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Purity and simple styling is often associated with an Asian decor and as the windows of a room usually take up a substantial part of the wall or walls, then curtains or blinds made from an Oriental themed fabric design will quickly infuse the room with this style of decor.

A Cool, Calm and Collected Bedroom Decor

Neutrals are very well suited to this look and can be dressed up or down accordingly.

Vintage romanticism or the Country cottage look is completely at opposite ends of the design spectrum to the chic minimalism of this style of decor.

Curtains and Roman Blinds in Matching Fabrics.

Black and/or red fabrics are always popular, the warmth of the red mixing well with the mystique of the black, but if you are going for a floral fabric, then make sure it is relevant to the look, a garland of roses tied up with ribbons for example would be a definite no.

Our roman blinds will be available this autumn in a range of matching curtains, either with pencil pleat, pinch pleat or eyelet headings. This will open a whole new gambit of inspirational ideas for your windows, being especially significant in rooms that have windows of varying sizes or perhaps a window with a south facing aspect that could benefit from having a layered window treatment to help with controlling the heat and light levels in the room.

The crisp formality of a pencil pleat heading will be best suited for an Asian style of decor, the eyelet heading, although very chic, is better suited to a modern western style of home and the pinch pleat heading again is too formal and indeed too western.

A Large Circular Mirror On A Feature Wall is very Synonymous with an Asain Style of Decor

Various other colours are making their way into this decorative style, but usually they are bold colours working away from light coloured wall finishes with of course black being introduced wherever applicable.

Modern Living room with a Free Flow of Movement

Wooden venetian or bamboo blinds are great for spa styled bathrooms, but are perhaps only suitable for small windows in a bedroom or living room – a large window will call for something a bit more impressive.

Sheer Panels for the Looks used with Various Types of Window Blinds for the Mechanics

A spa inspired bathroom is bliss to the senses but to benefit fully from this style of bathroom in your home, you will need almost guaranteed seclusion – there is no point wafting away with flickering candle light and luxury bath oils only to be brought back to life by a raucous yell from the kids in the kitchen.

A Spa Styled Bathroom will Relax the Senses

A few well chosen items such as lava stones or some bamboo canes in a bathroom will add character and a bit of mystique to the natural look which this style of decor is renowned for, but in a living room you can afford to make more of a statement with a large piece of artwork or ornaments. Keep any floral decorations to twiggy or bamboo types of arrangements, orchids for example are great and they are readily available in very realistic looking artificial versions.

Asian Decor

Fabulous Silks are the Epitome of Asian Decor – Ideal for Curtains, Blinds and Bedding

This style can be achieved very easily, maybe with just a woodweave blind and an orchid in the bedroom or a wooden venetian blind, an ornament of Buddha and an arrangement of bamboo plants in the bathroom; it’s just a question of degrees.

Asian Decor-Simplicity by Design

I think personally that in the West a hint of Asia, perhaps with your furniture placed in a feng shui arrangement with Zen spaces, related decorative art and modern furniture with the merest suggestion of the Orient is stunning in a modern home, but sometimes people can get carried away with the theme and it becomes a total jumble of collectables which is not at all in keeping with the minimal theme which is so important with this style of decor.

Characteristic Simplicity With a Few Well Chosen Accessories Will Tastefully Complement The Look

Neutral coloured walls, but definitely not white, will set your decor off to perfection, particularly if you accompany it with dark wood flooring and patterned rugs.

Japanese, Chinese and Thai influences traditionally paved the way for our attraction for this style of decor, but now it is also being influenced by many Eastern cultures, the whole look mainly drawing inspiration from history and nature. Dark woods, red, brown and of course black are the dominant colours, with minimal simplicity being the ultimate goal.

This Fabulous Minimal Look is Ideal for a Modern Home

Solid black or dark brown furniture is the epitome of Asian decor, but as this style of decor is so well suited to the contemporary minimal look, it has evolved a trendy chic style of its own, modern but with an exotic Asian feel about it.

A Stunning Mix of Classical Oriental with Modern Formality

Wood or bamboo blinds were the usual choice for window decorations so if you wish to try to emulate the look, then there are plenty of types and colours of blinds to choose from, especially in the rich hard wood colourings of the tropics. Textured and silk curtain fabrics were also widely used and the same still applies.

An All White Decor Instantly Gains Humanity with a Simple Orchid and a Touch of Contrast – No Matter How Small

Curtain tracks work well with curtains made from wafty sheers and muslins as well as more conventional curtaining,  creating a perfect balance of unencumbered elegance.

Curtain Tracks Give a More Informal Look to Your Curtain Arrangement.

Swathes of light muslin or silk fabric draped around a modern four poster bed or a curtain pole will capture the exotic theme, but keep the pole simple so the fabric and its drapes will be the main feature of the window dressing.

Although being  more widespread nearer the tropics, it  is a testament to when it would have been unthinkable to go to bed without the protection of a mosquito net. This brings to mind a friend who stayed in a luxury garden style hotel in Thailand who sensibly called reception when an unfamiliar bulge appeared in the roof canopy of the bed – it turned out to be a Cobra which had also settled down for the night.

Small rooms such as a home office or bathroom lend themselves well to this elegant yet minimal style of decor.  Dark wood furniture will overpower a small room, so open shelves and furniture in glass, metal and light wood will be perfectly acceptable, it’s just a question of maintaining the relevent styling.

White Window Blinds Increases the Sense of Space and the Flow of Natural Light

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

The Scandinavian Style Opened the Door

A modern decor seems to exude a sense of calm even in the busiest of city apartments with the use of light both natural and artificial being the key to success by helping to create a feeling of openness and therefore space. This style of decor is based predominantly on blinds for the windows and chalky white or soft grey palettes for the walls and furnishings. This style of decor blends beautifully with classic surroundings as well as a modern town or rural home.

Bring In the Modernist Materials – Glass, Metal, Stone and Tiled Floors

It all began with the arrival of Ikea  to the U.K.in 1987 which started the march into modernism,  but it wasn’t until the mid-90s that the company really started to make an impression on the look of our home interiors. In the early days Ikea apparently ran a very high-profile advertising campaign called “Chuck out your chintz” which opened the way for the contemporary look with the key note being immaculate and minimal (tidy) with everything having its place and that means out of sight so plenty of drawers and cupboards were and still are essential.

Bright Blues and Greens are a popular Scandinavian colour as they will brighten the short winter days.

Out went the polished mahogany and yew furniture, reproduction or otherwise and in came fibreboard (MDF), metal and glass. Fibreboard furniture is easy to keep clean and comes in various shades of natural wood colouring, white and black, but the jury is still out as to whether it is carcinogen to humans.  MDF furniture is however very environmentally friendly as it is mostly made from recycled wood and also from sustainable forests. Manufacturers have now begun to eliminate the use of formaldehyde which is the toxic binding agent which was one of the main toxic worries.

MDF Furniture is Relatively Cheap yet Can Achieve Very Striking Effects

Certain types of homes and loft apartments in particular really look good with this style of decor as the exposed rafters or beams can be left exposed and stained in a light pine colour so synonymous with the Scandinavian look. Simple vertical blinds may well be the answer to dressing odd shaped windows especially if they are large and south facing as the modern materials used for making blinds often have special properties that include heat and light resistance.

Scandinavian Influences such as the Light Pine Wood Finish ensures the Effect is Light and Gives a Clean Lined Finish Coupled with the Vertical Blind

Individual rooms such as a teenager’s bedroom will absorb this style very well particularly as their rooms are usually full of computers, games consols, games etc., that will need a place to be stored in the unlikely event of a “tidy up”

There are all sorts of subtle ways you can add interest to an otherwise bland decor such as in a kitchen or bathroom that has plain white or neutral coloured tiles, by introducing grey or brown grout as this will really make the tiles stand out adding a tab of interest without spoiling the chic minimalism by making it fussy and overpowering.

A Combination of White and Metal will instantly Create a Sense of Order

Roller blinds particularly suit the slick streamlined finish of the Scandinavian look.

A Well Balanced Scheme flows through the elements with a vibrant colour being only used for Accessories or Art

This style of decor looks great punctuated with a few punchy Asian accessories – more about that in the next blog, but always be aware of the wise old saying “the devil is in the detail”.

Worth mentioning is the fact that in spite of obviously achieving great wealth, the Swedish founder of Ikea is apparently notoriously thrifty, still using public transport complete with his pensioners discount card and flying economy class. The company motto incidentally is “Happiness is not reaching your goal. Happiness is being on the way”  which is quite inspirational and I personally think that if you are as happy as you can be with your home, then happiness in the rest of your life will not be far behind.

French Connection

Modern French decor is often a combination of tradition elegance and modern minimalism.

French decor can take a mix of types and periods of furniture without looking disjointed

Grey and white walls and minimal curtains or blinds and Cabriole legged Louis XV style furniture for me is the epitome of a French decor and the great attraction of this type of design is that it will add a touch of glamour to modern efficiency making even the most ugly computer recede into relative obscurity.

There are many ways to give a French flavour without having to change too much and the quickest and easiest way is to introduce a Toile fabric into the room, but take care that depending on the degree of toile print used that there is not too many other design details in the room. It is very much a standalone type of fabric due to the intricate detailing, but definitely does not need to be confined to the windows.

The Toile design is the most easily recognisable of all French designs and therefore most associated with the “French Look”

Toile fabric design is available in everything from a pair of oven gloves to a complete bedroom but whatever colour toile you go for, traditionally it needs to remain the same colour throughout the scheme, combined with plains either in a matching primary colour or a complimentary neutral colouring.

As for the walls, brightly coloured curtains, bedding and blinds are more easily integrated into a neutral background, but in the case of a Toile, one feature wall is acceptable in a matching wallpaper, with stunning results.

The liberal use of Chunky Cushions and Large Statement Ornaments make very much a Continental Statement.

Comfortable chunky traditional seating is a must with lots of large yet simple ornaments grouped in a table or mantel scape. Perhaps a trip across the channel to a French flea market could be a good source for your accessories as us Brits are often a little more conservative with our ornamental displays.

This delightful furniture Says it All

A large armoire wardrobe or cupboard and an oversized decorative mirror will also give a French feel – but shop carefully as the French style of furniture is making a comeback, being reproduced, often rather badly which can cheapen the look, moving the room from having a sophisticated elegance to having a gaudy overdone feel. 

A Sizeable Room with a High Ceiling can take a Large Statement Light

  

Choose what is to be the main detail and in this case, it is clearly the intricate detailing of the light, so keep the curtains simple, perhaps complimenting the metal finish of the light with a similarly coloured metal or wooden curtain pole.

Cameron Fuller Curtain Pole

Box pleat headings on curtains will give an informal feel especially if the fabric is a natural linen or a softly textured neutral fabric and there are plenty of metal or wooden curtain poles that can be decorative in their own right such as the Cameron Fuller curtain pole, without stealing the limelight. 

Blinds are relatively popular in France, but of course it is very common to have shutters at the windows which are shut fast often quite early in the evening giving the feeling as you drive through a French village that everyone has gone to Mars.

 

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

 

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

 

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

 

Embrace your Dented Walls and Scruffy Furniture

One very obvious look for a Mediterranean house is the use of lots of wrought iron both inside and out, but unless you live in California or indeed the Mediterranean, fancy wrought iron bars at the windows, whilst they may seem appealing in the current era of household theft and are ideal for keeping unwanted intruders out, will look ridiculous in the U.K.

Swags and Tails offer a Timeless Elegance Anywhere

Curtains on this type of window are often rather decorative to draw the eye away from the metal bars, which can give the feeling to the overseas visitor that you are being “detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure”. Swags and Tails are still used quite extensively for a more formal look, but usually dressed from a wooden curtain pole.

Plain wooden curtain poles can be jazzed up a bit still using a simple curtain treatment such as a skirted heading, but with the use of a matching fringe edging the skirt and possibly matching curtain holdbacks.

The Art of Interior Design is to Carry a Theme or Colour Effortlessly

Wrought iron or black painted curtain poles are a great way to introduce this kind of look and will compliment the Moorish lights and accessories.

And with todays innovative design ideas, you will not be restricted to a Shepards Crook or Fleur de Lys finial.

There is sure to be a Finial Shape to Tempt the Most Discerning

Arches, alcoves and niches also feature highly in this style of home and can make a useful space or feature design detail out of the smallest of areas. This often rather fanciful decor can be used to make a fun feature out of perhaps the cupboard under the stairs that used to house the vacuum cleaner, paint tins and cleaning “stuff”. Painted in a contrasting colour to the hallway, a small wash basin, perhaps a loo where the slope of the stairs makes standing impossible and an exotic Moorish ceiling light will make an invaluable addition to the house, with not too much expense.

Work around the natural light levels of the room. If it is dark, then warm it up with a lovely yellow stucco effect wall finish and if the room is already light and bright, then embrace it and go for white. This could be a great look for your home if your walls are badly plastered, chipped or dented – the distressed look. Special paint effects such as sponging or dragging with a colour wash will turn a disastrous wall into one with a rather aged attractive finish, the play of light over the different surfaces offering an appropriately textured finish. A miss-match of old furniture is also perfectly acceptable, but unify them with some common feature such as matching cushions or throws.

As with all decor decisions, more is not necessarily better.

Careful Thought to What Matches

And What Looks a Jumbled Mess Is Important

Don’t despair, if your heart is set on this type of decor but the finances are a little stretched at the moment, then simply changing your window treatments perhaps to a pair of curtains or a new roller blind will inject a little sunshine into the room – the rest can come later !!!!

Light and Bright Colours are Ideal – Avoid Muddy Clouded Colours

There are many Spanish-style chandeliers and secondary lighting readily available and in most home furnishing departments and shops there is always an absolute abundance of Moorish style lanterns and candle holders featuring quatrefoil cut outs which will always be guaranteed to add a sense of romance – particularly relevant in dining rooms and bedrooms.

Moorish Themed Lights and Accessories Can Cross the Bounderies between Modern and Traditional

Choose your accessories wisely and a theme can be set merely by your choice of artwork and ornaments – lighting also of course plays a large part in setting the scene.

Themed Artwork can Take you There

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Keep it Simple

Wooden curtain poles and plain wooden blinds are the obvious choice for a rustic type of Mediterranean decor and the simpler the better.

Dark Wooden Curtain Poles Look Particularly Outstanding in a Room with Beamed Ceilings

Dark wood colours will also look more authentic, the light pine coloured poles being more akin to an English Country Cottage look and they can also be used to create a more original type of headboard, just a couple of cushion pads with tab tops posted on the pole is all it takes – fancy upholstered headboards would have been a definate no in this style of decor.

An ideal pole for this situation is the Rolls Woodline Curtain Pole

Rolls Woodline Curtain Pole

Some windows have a decorative finish painted around outer edge, so clearly curtains would not be appropriate.

Decorative Window Surrounds

Apart from this sandy colour which is still widely used, the original paint colour being made from the sandy pigment in the soil, a deep blue is also a very traditional colour to paint around the window surround, the colour said to deter flies and mosquitoes – personally I would rather not take any chances and fit a fly screen.

A wooden blind, ideally in a similar colour to the window frame can be used as fitting wooden shutters to a house in the U.K. would be totally out of place.

A wooden venetian blind such as the Redwood  blind is ideal

Metal or Wooden Venetian Blinds

but if the window dimensions are rather tight, you may prefer to fit a Metal Venetian Blind as the slats of these blinds are finer so the blind will pleat up tighter than a wooden blind, leaving more of the window opening exposed.

They Come in Any Colour You Like – But Go Natural Wood Finish for an Authentic Look

Metal Venetian blinds are available in a huge selection of colours, but to keep with the theme, go for a natural wood finish.

In sunny climes with all this happening outside the window, its also clearly on view from the inside.

An Explosion of Colour at the Windows All Summer Long

but you could be forgiven with our weather for introducing a similar effect from the inside looking out with brightly coloured floral curtains or blinds.

Introduce a Sunny Summer Feel to the Room No Matter What the Weather Outside

Brightly Coloured Blinds will Quickly and Easily Introduce a Relaxed Summer Ambience

This look is also attractive for bedrooms where you can afford to go floral with a total disregard for the rest of the decor in the house.

Matching Floral Curtains, Cushions and Accessories are Perfectly Acceptable in a Bedroom without being considered OTT (over the top)

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Pink for Girls and Blue for Boys or is it ????.

Playing safe and going white or lemon for the nursery is a thing of the past as if only to get the colour choice for the nursery correct, we can ask the sex of the baby.

“Playing Safe” for the New Arrival

Plain white blinds, curtains and curtain poles are all readily available, but as children love bright colours, I do think it rather a shame to have such a bland nursery.

Fun Nursery Prints for Any Eventuality

There are plenty of childrens blinds or brightly coloured plain blinds such as venetian blinds, curtains and bedding to make a nursery fun for any baby.

Decorating the nursery is your chance to really have fun as anything will work, especially as the vast array of multi coloured soft toys showered on the new baby will bring a chaos of colour to whatever colour theme you have planned.

Stereotyping colours into gender preferences is not a current trend, but interestingly the pigeonholing of colours such as pink for girls and blue for boys has only been since the mid 20^th century.

Contrast Headings for Curtains Allows for a Band of Colour to Theme Through the Rest of the Decor

This bright pink and lilac bedroom is definately for the girls …….

This Smart Roller Blind will Grow with the Baby – It’s All a Question of Accessories and Age Group of the Toys.

And this smart blue for a boy roller blind will not embarrass an older boy, but will suit a baby too.

Before that pink was for boys as it was a dilution of red, which was thought to be a masculine colour and blue for girls as it was a pretty delicate colour also associated in the Western world with the purity of the Virgin Mary.

Serious amounts of money is clearly spent on marketing research, targeting children and for that matter, all of us with colours relating to product types, hence for example the sea of pink packaging in the girls section of the toy shop.

Blackout Roller Blinds are often Essential for Everyone getting a Good Nights Sleep

Blackout blinds are becoming an important consideration when planning your nursery or revamping your child’s bedroom as they will give you total control over the level of daylight in the room, often a prerequisite for daytime naps. Everyone, no matter how small, will find it difficult to settle for a lunchtime nap with the sun blazing through the window. Also in the modern techno world, often even the tiniest little fingers are used to operating a tablet and may need a slightly lower level of daylight to see the screen to its best advantage.

A Simple Plain White Wooden Curtain Pole is all the is Needed to Dress the Nursery Curtains – overly fussy poles will compete with the Rest of the Decor

If you are feeling very creative now’s your chance to get stuck in. There are wooden curtain poles available that are left untreated, so you can customise your curtain pole to match the wall colourings.

An Unfinished Wooden Curtain Pole will allow you to Get A Perfect Match with the Walls.

I used to love the vast choice you could get with wallpaper borders. They allowed you to bring the walls together with the window treatments and as an Interior Designer were ideal for View Homes where the simple addition of a border would take the plainess from the walls, often a problem in an unfurnished unit.

Borders are slowly making a comeback, adding in the case of a nursery a fun finish to the walls without the effort of wallpapering.

A Playful Border will Instantly Add Fun to Any Decor

And while you have the paint pot out, why not get the sewing machine out, make a few cushions and dress up the dollys to match the blinds – just give us a ring and we can supply you with the fabric to match your blinds.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Masculine verses Feminine decors.

Should it be blinds in Autumn and Winter colours….

Mixing a slightly “Old Fashioned Look” with A Contemporary Decor Gives a Comfortable Feel Inviting You to Linger Longer

 leather furniture and wooden floors ???

This Modern Grey Roman Blind Contributes to the Masculine Feel of the Decor

Or should it be curtains and blinds in Spring and Summer colours, cosy neutral coloured furniture and carpets –

A Living Room with a Sense of Drama

It could be just a question of gender preferences.

It’s well known particularly amongst professional people that if you ask 10 different people the same question you will get 10 different answers. The same applies to interior decor, you may think there is hardly a difference between masculine and feminine ideas on a perfect decor if both parties basically like the same colours and style of decor, but from my experience, you would be very wrong.

Modern men often seem to have a preference for autumn and winter colours, seemingly to prefer solid, functional furniture and furnishings. Deep colours such as burgundy, rust and terracotta often based around a decor with plenty of black included, with heavily textured fabrics and feature walls in bold colours or bold patterned wallpaper which seemingly introduces a quality of strength to the home.

Window blinds such as roller, vertical or venetian blinds are often the favoured choice in a masculine decor, the formal lines of the blind very much in keeping with the more minimal, no nonsense look.  

Blinds with a View – Modern Blinds Made From a Transparent Fabric Offer Privacy, Style and Light Control Without Blocking the View

Vertical blinds as above will always make a perfect finish for a masculine brief, along with black and white photography or indeed black and white anything especially large screen tvs and computer “stuff”.

The Black and White Image Creates a Stunning Visual Distraction

Most women strive not only to look beautiful, but also to feel beautiful. Luxurious fabrics such as velvet, damask and silk are not even on most men’s radar screen.  Women seem to favour the spring and summer colours, their soft freshness better fitting the more romantic detailing preferred by women.

It really does matter to us that things co-ordinate wherever possible, even if it’s just the candles and cushions, with tender floral designs often with a nostalgic traditional feel being particularly popular for a feminine bedroom decor.

This Stunning Bedroom Decor is a Haven of Period Feminine Charm

Interlined curtains with decorative headings will possibly call a curtain pole to complete the ensemble which is where something such as the Byron and Byron Florentina Wooden curtain pole will make a stunning partner.

Made to the Highest Standards in the U.K.

In a partnership men seem mostly to give the woman a free hand in the bedroom, gracefully accepting defeat, but for the main areas such as the kitchen and living room, a compromise needs to be reached.

If you live in a traditional country cottage opr period home, then dramatic pink florals, even if its just a roman blind with matching cushions as above, can still be the order of the day without affronting the male occupants pride, especially if the furniture is pine or antique, talking of which, if you are furnishing a traditional home, then go to the local auction rooms first, you will be in for a surprise. A lot of people do not want all that “old stuff” anymore, the modern home being minimal with Ikea furniture or similar fitting the bill perfectly. You can buy beautiful furniture at the auctions for the same price or often less than current prices for new furniture.

Incidentally this is not a criticism of the modern decor, I personally prefer the openness created by modern furniture, especially by glass topped tables, but as we live in an old barn, happily we can mix modern furniture with “hand me downs” from my Great Grandmothers house, which not only gives a comforting feeling of belonging, but also compliments the style and period of the barn.

Blinds can be Elaborate, Elegant, Striking or Plain – Its all a Question of Choice.

Today blinds are available in an infinitesimal choice of colours and styles, with many also having special properties to help to control the temperature and levels of light in the room, so you can be sure a compromise can be reached, maybe a few floral cushions and a pretty blind will suffice.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Take the Leap from Safe Neutrals to Imaginative Brights and Black

Winter colours especially as curtains and blinds give you an opportunity to catch everyones attention with a palette of receding and advancing colours. Punctuations of brightness in the stunning black and white decor below are offered by a particularly vibrant orange and the reflective surface of the tiled floor gives a very contemporary, not to mention light and airy finish to the room.

Highlights of Bright Colours have the Capacity to Transform a Neutral Decor

Metal curtain poles such as the Rolls Neo will perfectly match the look and feel of this room –

Modern Metal Curtain Poles In Special Metal Effect Finishes

 but there is a new very trendy form of curtain track available which is especially suited to a modern decor …. the Byron and Byron polmet.

Your Curtains will be Influenced by the Shape and Type of Curtain Pole or Track

This innovative curtain track makes a design statement in its own right, the black mirrored effect of the surface being given an extra dimension by the bevelled edge of the track. Any form of curtain heading, but especially double pinch pleat or pencil pleat will suit this modern track, but make sure that when you measure for the curtains you measure for them to hang just below the track or the clean horizontal look of the track will be broken.

It is often better to hang the track or curtain pole before making or ordering readymade curtains or worse still having expensive made to measure curtains and finding they are the wrong length. Curtains that are too long can usually have the curtain hook position lowered which will obviously lift the curtains higher to slightly compensate, but this may well cause the curtain heading to foul the curtain pole or track. Curtains that are too short stand out for all the wrong reasons and to most people are as offensive as trousers that are too short.

Curtain tracks are now readily available in various colours and Aluminium tracks such as the Fineline metal curtain track are also very easy to fit around tricky bay windows as they can be bent by hand.

Ideal for Straight or Bay windows

A black feature wall makes the perfect setting for a collage of art work, the pictures looking richer and the details more defined.

A Black Feature Wall will Highlight the Colours of the Artwork as well as Marry Them Together to Form a Group

Black furniture or as in the case of this stunning bath are perfectly matched to white or off-white walls, although to my mind a black and white decor definitely has more masculine overtones, whereas grey and white being softer is by definition, more of a feminine looking decor.

Stunning, but to my mind the Simple Clean Lines of the Bath and Bathroom needs the imput of a Warming Winter Primary Colour

But before you steam ahead with copious amounts of black and deep earthy primaries make sure the room has adequate space and light to be able to cope with these colours or the room will look depressing and overpowering.

Metal Venetian Blinds are Particularly Good as a Medium for Introducing Just Enough Vibrant Colouring to Blend with Brightly Coloured Home Accessories.

 I was once asked to re-do a show house that an “interior designer” had supposedly done. It was a complete disaster because clearly the designer loved terracotta and had themed the whole scheme around it, not bothering to first look out of the window of the living room, which is after all almost the first place a potential buyer looks.

The show house was completely overshadowed by large, protected trees and was built in red brick which would not normally be noticed from the inside. This particular house however backed on to the garages of the new estate, the view from the living room window therefore being dominated by red brick. With the garden being virtually only 2 metres square this was clearly an issue that need to be considered.

Everything in terracotta including the curtains, three piece suite and cushions had to go; all that remained in terracotta were a few candles and a splash of terracotta in the paintings. I went neutral to lighten the load of the wall and lift the dismal mood of the room created by the shade of the trees and included plenty of lighting of course.

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com

Winter colours – ideal for curtains and blinds

Black and Cream is the Ultimate Chic Look

Black is of course the colour most synonymous with winter, but it will need the negative impact to be warmed by other deep winter colours such as red, terracotta and mauve or be neutralised by creams and soft naturals. Any of these combinations will ensure a decor with a touch of glamour, mystery and romance but too much black or any other of these deep colours will be difficult colours to live with in rooms that are in constant use which is where window blinds, curtains and cushions make a great vehicle for introducing these colours. Vertical, roller, roman and in the case of the fabulous room set below, wooden venetian blinds make a wonderful window treatment for people who like to alter their decor on a frequent basis, perhaps in time with the changing seasons.

Deep Mauve is a very Sensual Colour twinned with Neutrals

Layered window treatments make a wonderful visual as well as practical treatment for rooms dressed to impress. Blinds, especially roller or roman can be used as the main working treatment for the window, with perhaps unlined floaty voiles as the curtain treatment in the summer which can then be replaced by more substantial lined curtains in the winter which can be pulled at night to give a feeling of security and warmth.

Voile curtains or Blinds used in a Layered Window Treatment Always Makes a Stylish Statement

Black is the only colour that is not found in nature and when used in a decorative scheme, it needs to be in a room with sufficient space not to appear smaller because it is being dwarfed by a colour that can be a draining force. Cream and other soft neutrals make great partners to black and is the ideal combination for a contemporary chic decor. With so much black in a modern living room in the form of a flat screen tv, speakers etc., a decor with black accents will help to camouflage the equipment enabling you to perhaps discard the painting or mirror over the fireplace or indeed the seldomly used fireplace and make a feature of the television screen.

Deep Winter Colours Always Look Fabulous with Gold Accessories

Winter colours of deep plums, burgundy’s and mauves look fabulous with gold accessories, brass curtain poles being an idea choice to fit your curtains on if they are in any of these colours. Brass curtain poles tend to be more readily available in traditional styling as many are reproductions based on the elegant era of the Regency and Victorian times.

This fabulous Galleria brass curtain pole strikes a happy medium as it encorporates the traditional colouring of a brass curtain pole with a modern eclectic finish which is achieved by the stunning studded curtain finial.

Winter nights and indeed many winter days will often be dull and dreary, so make sure you have plenty of good lighting, both mood and task lighting. Table lamps are great for creating warming pools of light which will give certain chosen areas added comfort – I hate the new light bulbs. I know we are supposed to be doing our bit for the planet, but they are so dull.

Warm Colours will Ensure a Welcoming Reception Area

Many modern office reception areas are very bright white and chrome, ideal for a trendy suite of London offices, but a warm winter colour on a feature wall twinned with a soft window treatment such as this attractive cream vertical blind will put everyone at ease – it’s not always about creating an impressive impression, it’s also about making clients feel comfortable with your company.

 

 

Contact Poles and Blinds – For all your curtain poles and window blinds.

Tel: 0845 4650101 International Calls: 00441243 586660

Email: info@polesandblinds.com