Window Covering Trends

Minimalist window coverings are the leading trend these days. Back I the ‘80s, opulent swagged draperies loaded with fringe and tassels and topped with elaborate valances was the trend. As we moved into the ‘90s there was a move away from excess. Minimalist decorating schemes led to innovations like plantation shutters, bamboo blinds, Roman blinds and tab-topped panels in cotton or velvet.

Here are features of modern day window coverings.

Velvet is a classic and would be around for a long time. Velvet is considered by top designers as the best material for drapery.

Floor-length curtains have replaced extra-long fabric puddling on the floor. However, some still prefer their curtains to puddle on the floor just a little.  

Sheers in dramatic colours like cocoa and smoke are becoming a common trend just like combining two tones of sheers.

Longer, looser pleats (5 to 6 inches long) are fast replacing shorter, tighter ones which tend to look too formal. So also, double rather than triple pleats are becoming the trend.  

Curtains with grommets, a simple treatment, are coming into vogue.

Fun, whimsical patterns are also becoming the trend for draperies. You can have bold zebra stripes or giraffe patterns. Another interesting style is to have single feathers stitched into draperies at random intervals.

Curtain accessories like tie-backs, rods, finials now come in hardwares like wood, metal, glass or ceramic. These accessories are like beautiful jewelries and last longer than fabrics.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Beautiful Kitchen Organisation

There is nothing that contributes more to stress than having a disorganised kitchen. In a bid to get a particular item you keep rummaging through several items and scatter up the place, leaving an ugly mess. If you take time to organise your kitchen space and keep to it or constantly maintain the arrangement, you will have a more friendly space to work in.

1          Use appealing open shelves. Keep visually similar items together in open shelves; you can have matching china, white bowls, glassware, cookbooks together.  You can also arrange a collection of items together making sure that you put them back in the same place each time you use them.

2      Clean out all your cabinets and storage space thoroughly. Remove spoilt foods or food items that you will probably never make use of. You can give away food items that you rarely use; this will help you de-clutter your space. Once the cupboard is empty, clean it thoroughly inside and out.


3      Mount a rack inside a cabinet, preferably one of the cabinets above and arrange all your spices on it so that you can see them at a glance.

4      Keep your cookbooks on an open shelf in a small bookcase.  You can place the bookcase away from the main cooking area to prevent stains and food splatters from soiling the books.

5      Group similar items together in a cabinet. Arrange the pots together from the smallest to the largest. Same goes for mixing bowls; trays; serving bowls, dinner plates etc.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Living Room Colours You’ll Love

The living room is where the family meets, bonds, share, talk together and sometimes take meals together. It is also the place where we host guests to a warm reception. It is thus important that the living room is in the right colours. 

Colours for living room could be dark or light. Before choosing any of them consider the extent of sunlight exposure to the room. With a lot of sunlight rays in the room, light shades will make the room too bright. Therefore darker shades will be suitable in the instance. On the other hand where the room isn’t exposed to sunlight that much, light shades will be suitable.

Green
Green is a symbol of fruitfulness and it has a relaxing, invigorating effect. You can have thematic features like green plants to enhance this colour scheme. Also, you can blend the green tone with a colour like cream.

Neutral
A good way to enhance the display of accessories and decorations in the living room is to use neutral colours. Suggested colours include pale chestnut peach, rice flour lavender grey, betrothal fuchsia etc.

Brown
Brown is a great colour for a living room. Brown can easily compliment other furniture items and is good for living rooms with wood flooring. Brown can be matched with soft tones like cream, orange.

Blue

Blue is also cool for a living room.  Blue is refreshing and inspiring. A tone of white can be added to create variety. Blue tones include royal blue, sky blue, etc.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Make your Front Porch Look Beautiful

The porch, also known as veranda is an external part of the building partly enclosed by latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure. The porch can be used for relaxation, informal meetings, light meals etc.

Here are a few tips to help you in beautifying your porch.

Use plants. Natural plants will help freshen up your porch. You can place a pair of urns, stagger pots etc. on your either sides of your steps.

Remove recycling. It is very easy to drop items for recycling on the porch, before you know it, this becomes a pile. Remove such items from the porch, keep them instead in the garage or basement.

Paint the door. You do not have to stick to the default colour brought by the manufacturer of your door. Give your door some burst of life by painting in bright or bold colour. Wine is a classic colour that will attract attention, while black is sophisticated and high-end.

Use Trendy Hardware. Use modern hardware for your porch. Use a mailbox or slot, doorbell or knocker, kick plate and lock set from the same collection. Your house numbers should also be in a matching finish.

Lighting Instead of old worn out lights, use energy-saving, long-lasting, low-wattage compact fluorescent bulbs.

Add a seat. Add a bench, chairs, café table or porch; this creates a welcoming ambience, not just for your home, but your street as well.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Family Friendly Designs

Most people would remember no-go areas in their homes while growing up. Mother's living room; the one with the delicate glass collection arranged on the cocktail table; the white carpet whose pristine pile she lovingly vacuumed into sweeping every week?

However, you do not want your home to look like a day-care center. The solution is a middle ground: a comfortable, attractive and even sophisticated abode that can withstand just about everything kids dish out.

You can incorporate a decorating style that will stand up to sibling food fights, vomiting babies, indoor football matches and incontinent pets. Consider who you live with and decorate accordingly.

Check out the color of the stains on your sofa before choosing a hue for the new one.

Many families hold off on decorating until their children are older, making do with ratty post-dorm furniture for years after its expiration date, because the kids will just destroy anything else. But even the youngest children benefit from living amid beautiful objects; they grow to appreciate and respect them.

You can get kids involved in the decorating process, asking what they'd like to see in a room you're redecorating or letting them weigh in on a few pre-screened paint colors or fabric samples. A clean-lined but casual and comfortable look is the way to go.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Decorating Mistakes to Avoid

Here are common mistakes to avoid in interior decorating.

1    

Buying area rugs that are too small
An area rug should allow for a 12 - to 16-inch border of flooring around a room's perimeter; any rug smaller than that will look too insignificant. The guiding rule is that the front legs of your furniture should sit on the area rug, so the rug doesn't appear to "float" in the middle of the room.

2    Having more than one focal point in a room
Every room needs a focal point but a lot of people choose the wrong items as focal points. In the living room, the focal point is usually the TV, fireplace or outside view -whichever you enjoy most. In the bedroom, the focal point is the headboard; in the bathroom, it’s the vanity area.

3    The front door
When people drive by your house, what they usually see first is the front door. Paint the front door in a complimentary colour with the rest of the house; this makes it stand out. You can paint the garage door in a similar colour to that of the rest of the house.

4    Purchasing furniture before measuring a room
Many homeowners usually buy items before taking possession of their home. Usually when the furniture arrives, it doesn’t fit into the home- the door is too long or too deep for the room. Rather than making buying decisions before moving in, live in your space for a while, and then start making your furniture choices.

5    Decorating without a professional
It is better to get the help of a professional for your interior décor. For a small budget percentage, you can be assured that you’ll have a long lasting project.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Incorporating Children’s Needs into Home Decor

The whole essence of making your home family-friendly is carving out areas for children to do the things they enjoy. After all, it is a part of the plan to make the ambience comfortable for the children instead of relegating them to bedrooms and basements.

Keep furnishings on the spare side while you preserve space for your toddlers to run around.

If your family likes games, set up a game table and chairs in a corner of the family room, or opt for a large coffee table that everyone can gather around on game night.

Float furniture away from the walls to create distinct spaces, and don't forget to customize each space to your children's temperaments and interests. Leave an open area for your junior gymnast to practice her cartwheels, a cozy nook for your bookworm to curl up with his favorite book or a centrally located work table for your chatty budding artist.

Keep away sharp, dangerous objects and medicines out of their reach. You should not have match sticks, used cotton boards, stale food, chunky wooden candlesticks, iron picture frames with the glass removed, metal vases and so on around them.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Organising Tips for Your Home

Organising your home doesn’t have to be a boring chore or something that wearies you always. Here are a few tips to help you keep your home organised.  

1 Organize your shoes

You can organise your shoes with creative DIY storage solutions that are easy and simple to manage.

2 Keep your closet clean
Try as much as possible to de-clutter your space often. Avoid postponing arrangement of your closet. If you keep procrastinating, soon the space will become a huge mess that you will be reluctant to clean up. 

3 Keep your kitchen tidy
Ensure you keep your kitchen tidy always. One way to do this is to make it a habit to clean up the dishes and wares after a major food preparation or after the family meals. That way, you will ensure that the kitchen is always clean.

4 Spruce up your entryway
A welcoming entryway should look clean and tidy. Avoid making your hallway a dump place; it is easy to drop umbrellas, coats, jackets and other items in the hallway just to relieve you of your loads as you come into the house. Avoid doing this otherwise, your hallway will always be untidy. Get other family members to also cultivate the habit of putting away their stuffs.

5 Keep jewellery tangle-free
Keep your jewellery tidy in a box or a drawer. That way, you don’t have to keep rummaging through the box or drawer each time you have to pick one of them for an occasion. Keep them well laid out and neat in a box that has compartment or a drawer. You could dedicate a drawer out of your closet for your jewellery. This drawer can be compartmentalized and overlaid with soft, smooth velvet material. This also adds style and colour to your wardrobe. 

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Maximising Small Spaces

Small spaces could sometimes be challenging to live in. However interior designers have solutions to help maximise small spaces. Below are tips that help you make small spaces seem larger.

You can visually enlarge floor space with wall-to-wall carpeting instead of using several area rugs. 

Use storage units. You can use coffee or end tables with storage beneath, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and armoires to keep linens, entertainment units and other items.

Create a seamless flow by covering furniture and walls in a single, unifying colour or pattern. The rhythm can make a space look larger.

Use a spacious two-seater sofa instead of a three-seater. This gives you ample space to put an end table, besides guests rarely occupy all three seats.

Use wall-to-wall mirror because they help to amplify small spaces.

Avoid blocking off open spaces. Use furniture with open legs rather than closed legs; instead of chests of drawers use console tables because they have more space.

You can use a low bookcase as a room divider between the living and dining areas; a glass coffee table allows the eye to travel unimpeded through the space.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Bedroom Design Resources

Bedroom design is one of the areas that a decorator or a designer can make an impact or change in a home easily and cheaply. Bedroom design resources include furniture and furnishings and items such as drapery, area rugs, artwork and linen. These items can be easily replaced without having to spend a great deal of money on items such as joinery, plumbing or appliances.

Color, texture and lighting are handy tools. By using paint, wall paper and fabrics, one can easily and without much cost give the bedroom a makeover or refurbishment.

Lighting and cushions are two very easy additional items that allow a room such as a bedroom to be transformed from a mundane functional area to one of fun or luxury. 

There are many duvets or bedspreads now available in new colorways and patterns.

Check out the colourfastness of the fabric and its quality. For example cotton sheets should really have a minimum thread count of 200 and preferably 250 for a quality feel and longevity.

The curtains and drapery are best lined especially if you live in a country with high ultraviolet light from the sun such as New Zealand and others that are close to the thinner areas of the ozone layer near Antarctica. Ultraviolet light (and sunlight in general) tends to washout the color and also rot the fabric. Lining the curtain with a suitable resistant fabric will help protect the fabric and the designer or owners investment for many years.

Repainting a room will make all the difference giving it a fresh look with minimum expense but all efforts at redecorating will be in vain if the lighting is not addressed.

Bedrooms are for sleeping and relaxing and even romance. This may be incorrect for children’s rooms where they may play or study. Task lighting will cater for this without having to compromise on a softer general light for the room. Using dimmers and up lights with task lights for reading and especially table lamps to the side of the bed make the room’s light indirect and more conducive to resting and a softer relaxing environment.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Interior Design Tricks to Transform Your Home [2]

There are many subtle ways by which you can transform your home. This doesn’t not have to be something expensive or outlandish; just a little touch here and there and the entire ambience is transformed.

5. Add a hanging pot holder to your kitchen

Kitchens are meant to be warm and inviting. We spend much of our time in them whether it be for preparing meals, serving meals or entertaining. A hanging pot rack is useful elegance. Kitchens are meant to feel as though they are in constant use and a hanging pot rack certainly makes one feel this way. In addition to looking so wonderful, (there are many sizes and styles available) additional cupboard space below is now freed up to store other items. Seldom has anyone complained of having too much storage.

6. Use flowers

Add plants to your living space. Add them to every room, small or large, few or many. Plants are an inexpensive means to accessorizing your space and adding color and texture. Not only are plants beautiful but many can clean household air and balance humidity. They can absorb pollutants and remove harmful gases from the air. No home should be without these wonderful greens!

7. Paint or wallpaper your bookcases

This instant pop of color will brighten and re-energize any room! It’s amazing how something as simple as a coat of colorful paint can instantly energise and transform your space. Perhaps the simplest and most inexpensive way to transform a boring space is to apply a coat of paint somewhere unexpected. Bookcases are an ideal place to start because you don’t need to paint a large area. Other fun places to add a pop of color include painting fireplace mantels, the insides of closets, hallways and ceilings.

8. Use area rugs to soften hardwood floors

Throw rugs give warmth and can add great texture, color and personality to your living space. Tiled floors are beautiful and easy to maintain but they lack the comfort that carpeted floors offer, especially in the cooler months. Area rugs can add fun and functionality to your living space. Use several of varying patterns and fabrics together to showcase your character. You can also add several rugs of the same pattern and fabric, or different textures but the same color.

The possibilities are endless. You can change your area rugs to reflect the seasons using warmer tones and fabrics for cooler months and lighter ones for the warmer days of the year. There are many lovely cotton, washable area rugs which are ideal for those homes with children. There really is no reason why a home with young children cannot also be a stylish one.

Keep in mind that too many items can make your place look crowded and difficult to clean. What beautifies a room are items selected carefully and displayed elegantly. So, take this into consideration before you start decorating. When you finish decorating, don’t forget to clean your house. You know, no matter the design, if a place is dirty, it just doesn’t look good. The sooner you complete cleaning, the better.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

                                                                                                                               

Give Your Guests a Treat to Remember [1]

For a weary traveler, a stylish, well-designed guest room gives a sense of comfort hotels can’t match. If you don’t know where to start, begin with the features of a typical hotel room: Luxury bedding, soft lighting, one or more beds, a luggage rack, a place to sit, a desk for work. Sure, not every guest room can mimic the scene of your last hotel stay, but seeing the room as a getaway spot is a step in the right direction!

If you don’t have a guest room, you are not alone. In fact, many people make do with an air mattress or an extra pillow for couch surfers. It is the special touches that make a difference. For many, a guest room is a luxury. To be able to offer your company a space of their own is a true gift. If you are fortunate to have an entire room devoted to housing out-of-towners, you can focus on making this interior a truly special one.

Start with the specifics– a comfy bedding and a welcoming layout. In fact, for smaller spaces, this may be all you can manage, and it will certainly get the job done. For larger rooms, a dresser, a chair and other small furnishings can be added. 

For example, two chairs and an ottoman help create a comfortable vibe.

Some homes may have the benefit of a larger guest space that can accommodate more than one bed. A side-by-side bed layout would fit into this kind of room, courtesy of a posh guest room that has fun with the symmetry of sleeping two.

Guests may not mind sharing a room if the room is a beautifully designed space. The memories of the beauty and design of the room will linger with them for a long time.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Interior Design Tricks to Transform Your Home [1]

Whether you have just moved or are looking for a quick, little home pick-me-up, or perhaps something more significant, there are some well-known interior design tricks that designers employ that you too can easily do with minimal effort and cost.  Sometimes the smallest things make the greatest impact. It could be the addition of a mirror, a painting, a lamp or even a plant. Maybe you want to soften your walls, brighten a room, or add some warmth to your living space. Take a look at these clever design tips and see how they can inspire you!

1. Paint smaller rooms in softer, lighter colors to help make the room feel larger

A compact size room has the tendency to seem cramped, but the large windows, bright colored walls and ample use of lights gives you a great example of how to maximize a small living space. It does not only reflect the natural light pouring in from the doors and the windows, but it also gives the optical illusion of space, making the room seem larger than it actually is. Conversely, darker colors will make a room feel smaller. Even with the abundance of natural light and the strategic placement of your collectibles, the room in a darker shade would have a more boxed-in feel to it.

2. Use decorative mirrors to add instant light to your living space.

Placing decorative mirrors can make a room look more spacious and elegant. Mirrors are great for a couple of reasons. First, they don’t take lots of space and can be placed on different surfaces. Second, the best way to fix a room with limited natural light is putting a mirror right across the windows – that is to make it look more spacious. Additionally, mirrors are not expensive. So, if you’re looking for something to add dimension in your house but your budget is limited, these items can do the trick.

3. Mix up old and new, expensive and inexpensive

There’s nothing wrong with placing family heirlooms alongside your modern couch. All good interior decorators will tell you that the most important aspect to decorating your home is that it reflects who you are, your personality and your style. The antique Chippendale desk that was your grandfather’s tells a story. It tells the story of your past. The modern couch you fell in love with and simply had to purchase also tells a story, your present story, and there is no reason why the present and past can’t co-exist beautifully together. With fabrics whether it be furniture, rugs or pillows, varied colors and patterns can bring warmth and texture into your living space.


4. Use what you already have to decorate
We all have items in our possession, probably packed up in boxes somewhere and haven’t given them a second glance. Your home needs some accessories. Instead of running to the store, take a good look at what you already have. Trays, wooden, acrylic, metal or silver can be placed on top of luggage racks, tea carts, trunks, bedside tables and coffee tables for extra texture and dimension. Arrange candles on them, frames or pile books on top of them. Plates can be hung to create wonderful wall art. Art from children’s books can be framed and hung in nurseries, children’s rooms or their bathrooms. You will be amazed at what you can do with what you already have!


At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Give Your Guests a Treat to Remember [2]

The guest room can be a delightful place to host friends and family. You don’t have to break the bank to have a fantastic guest room; with whatever your budget is you can have a presentable guest room.

You can always go with a theme! You could adopt touches like framed maps and a sailboat on the window-side table contribute to the style without stress. If a guest room will house kids from time to time, add whimsical touches like playful lamps, stuffed animals and colorful accents.

Whenever you are hosting many people at once, bring in as many beds as your space can accommodate. The challenge of fitting several guests into one space can seem daunting, but why not have a little fun along the way? For four-some guests, you can make do with bunk beds. They bring back the magic of childhood, and with the right bedding they can evoke any style you want to depict; such as bright and elegant. Simple and modern gets the job done.

Whether you have multiple guest rooms or no guest rooms, don’t underestimate the power of flourishes like a folding luggage rack, a vase of fresh flowers and a stack of magazines by a sleeping space. These small tokens of consideration will let your guests know that they are more than welcome!

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Using Texture to Make the Most of Your Colour Selection

Texture refers to the visual or tactile surface of something which could be a fabric, timber carpet or glass. Every surface has a texture.

It is important to balance colour with texture and pattern to provide a harmonious environment. Combining rough and smooth textures and using these to contrast with each other creates balance.

There are two types of texture – rough and smooth. With the use of texture, we can create quite different effects.

Hard smooth shiny textures are cold to the eye and to the touch while rough thick surfaces have a warm look and touch.

Rough textures include; brick, timber, wicker work, carpets, coir and sisal, suede, linen, furs – these elements create a rustic natural homely feeling.

Smooth textures include glass (not patterned) chrome, plastic, lacquer paint finish, Vinyl upholstery, High Gloss paint finish, chintz fabric – these elements suggest a harder crisper formality to a room. They can be combined with soft surfaces like carpet on the stair treads and a floral display, balancing the space.

Comfort can be created by carefully choosing some soft textures, using soft fabrics like velvet or cotton on sofas, rugs over hard flooring. You can also enhance comfort by scattering cushions and throws over chairs.

Using a combination of hard and soft accessories creates balance. A stone sculpture can be complemented with a green leafy fern beside it. A cane coffee table can go with a glass vase of fresh flowers, or an antique copper etching over a brick fireplace.

You have to take into consideration the absorption or reflection of light on texture. 

Smooth textured surfaces reflect light while rough textured surfaces absorb it. Direct and bright light will flatten out texture and cast little shadow, losing the surface definition. A more indirect lighting scheme will emphasize even subtle textures, and is far more effective.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Window Sill Cushioned Seats for Relaxation

Most people have not given much thought to their windows other than to see it as an opening that provides ventilation in the house. However, with some creativity a window sill can be turned into a beautiful relaxing arena or whatever else you make it out to be.

You can construct a boxed in area which serves as a frame beneath a window sill. Add some moulding and paint it in the colour of the theme of the rest of the room. Next place a cushion in the frame – this should sit about 2 or three people. This space can be used as a lovers’ corner, a place for relaxation, reading etc.

The window sill can also be turned into a comfortable sofa-type seat. You can add more value to it by adding utility or storage space underneath. You could have for example, toy chest for children, a shelve of books and magazines, etc. underneath.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

De-cluttering Your Home

Cluttering starts with not letting old and useless articles and items go. Most of these articles are worthless, but some people can’t just let their garbage go. This is how gradually the house becomes cluttered with unused items.

Below are some helpful tips on how to de-clutter your home.

Change your mind-set – allow old and worthless articles to go. You don’t have to keep everything; if you consider the items important, you could give it away to charity or to someone else that needs them.

Work on each room one after the other. Empty the room – remove all the items in the room as if you are about to move out.

Return only the most important items into the room. For a living room, the most important items will include the TV, stereo, sofa, throw pillows, couch, chairs etc. After doing this, you will realise which of the other items could be categorised as clutter.

Locate where all the important things should be placed in the room. Then begin to put the items in position in such a way that there is free movement around the room.

Layer the room. Select a few accessories and decorate the room. The items could include your paintings, pictures, a flower vase, rugs, lamps etc. Take note of how the room is being gradually transformed. You do not have to use all your collection of accessories at once. You can keep the rest in a store while you change them seasonally or from time to time.

Avoid cluttering the room again. After sorting all the items, you could keep the useful ones in a store, the broken and useless ones, close your eyes and throw them away. Also you could give items away to charity or put them up for sale.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Exquisite Lighting Designs for Your Kitchen

The right lighting design can go a long way towards opening up a small space, not to mention making it a much more attractive and efficient place to cook, clean and converse. To create a kitchen lighting that is both attractive and effective, you will want to focus on three types of lighting: ambient lighting, accent lighting and task lighting.

The first is ambient lighting which will illuminate the entire kitchen space and scare away any of the shadows that can often plague any small, enclosed space; which are particularly discouraging for anyone trying to prepare a meal.  Ambient lighting focuses on the main lighting for your space and it usually starts with ceiling lighting. Ceiling lights that run the entire length of the spaces are usually a good investment; a single light source may not necessarily reach the various nooks and crannies of your space.

Track lighting may be a good solution here, particularly for contemporary or modern designs which covers the kitchen’s work area and makes cooking, cleaning and food preparation easier and safer.

Accent lighting on the other hand adds tremendous ambience to the kitchen, and it can further brighten and visually expand your space. Accent lightings are fixtures on top of wall cabinets that serve to illuminate the ceiling, heightening your space or at the base of your cabinets, adding depth and giving the entire atmosphere a comfortable feel.  

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Lighting Tips for Living Rooms

House owners spend a lot of time and energy choosing sofas, drapes and other household collectibles but often forget about the importance of proper lighting. In the space where you watch television, read books, play games and entertain guests, lighting serves an important purpose in both the function and look of the room.

A good living room lighting plan uses different kinds of light, set at different heights, that work together to make the space warm and attractive.  Many years ago, halogens fixtures were not common as we see them today, and LEDs are definitely one of the newest options. So take advantage of the newer and more energy efficient lighting solutions for residential use. You can go online or visit local lighting showrooms and learn about the new light sources now available. Let’s take a look at some popular lighting procedure and how they work in your living room.

Accent: When you want to highlight certain features in your living room, accent lighting is the way to go. Recessed, adjustable lights directed to points of interest or under-cabinet lighting in a display case that highlights selected objects are examples of accent lighting. Accent lighting adds a pleasing variation of brightness; drawing attention and putting more light on an architectural feature. For effectiveness, accent lighting needs to supply about five times as much as light on the focal point as the surrounding general light.

Ambient: Stylish chandeliers, ceiling lights, wall-mounted fixtures or portable lamps can provide the ambiance that casts a warm glow in your living room. It controls glare and provides the general illumination that makes the living room feel comfortable and inviting. Since this type of lighting affects the overall quality of light in the room and tends to be used the most, this is where you want to use your energy-efficient solutions.

Decorative: When you want to create interest and add sparkle to your living room, table lamps, hanging pendants and chandeliers can provide the decorative light that adds coziness and intimacy, it personalizes your space.

Task: When you want to read a book or need to write at the desk, good task lighting helps you get things done. This brighter light can be a floor lamp with a swinging arm next to a comfortable chair, or a directed light source over a desk. Portable table lamps allow for flexibility, these are not the lights you use all the time, they are only to be used when you are doing a task; like reading or writing.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Ingenious Designs for Your Living Room

Need a little living room inspiration? From color ideas to living room design, we have fabulous and stylish living room ideas to inspire. Do remember that living room decorating doesn't have to be grand. A simple feature wall, new living room lighting or even rugs can transform your space completely. So get inspired and dive into all our living room design ideas below. 

1. You could make your living room colorful yet casual at the same time. With colorful curtains accentuated with plain colored couches, while the surrounding walls are painted in white. This way, it would come out simple, clean-lined and inviting with a little bit of finesse and a lot of comfort.
2. There is never such a thing as too much blue; you can create a glamorous living room with layers of pale blue stones. For a hazy and serene look, your walls should be plastered in powder blue. A blue thread connects every room be it in form of a flower vase, around the window seal, a wicker chair or favorite couch.
3. Turn on the Brights with green walls paired with cotton covered armchairs and glam garden stools which creates a vivacious living room.
4. Create electric sophistication with antiques and a mix of floral and striped patterns in your living room. The home maker’s collection of contemporary art is integral to the overall style, including series of exquisite drawings on the living room walls.
5. Black and white in your living room is a case of antique meets modern. Create a unique result with black and white palette, softened with neutrals and natural textures. You could add a cozy spot for two with a pair of the owner’s favorite chairs and a coffee table. 

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

10 Furniture Essentials for Small Spaces [2]

In a compact space, choosing just-right furnishings can make all the difference between your home feeling cramped or comfortable. From practically invisible acrylic chairs to shelving that flexes with the needs of your space, these 10 furniture pieces should be on any small-space-dweller’s must-have list.

6. Settee. A petite love seat or settee makes for cozy seating and gives you a place to stretch out when on your own, without the bulk of a full-size sofa. In a larger space, a settee can also work at the foot of a bed, in the entry or even pulled up to a dining table.

7. Mini Parsons desk. It can be a desk, but it also works as an oversize bedside table, bar, buffet or kitchen table. In fact, there’s not much this versatile table can’t do. The sleek shape makes it an especially good choice for studio apartments, where you need your table to pull double (or triple) duty.

8. Bench. A backless bench is a smart choice in a small dining area since it can be tucked under the table, as it is here, when not in use. A low bench also works well as a coffee table, and it can be called into service as extra seating when guests outnumber the chairs.

9. Acrylic chair. Like an invisibility cloak for your furniture, anything made of clear acrylic is an excellent choice for small spaces. An acrylic armchair is an especially useful piece to have, since it can tuck in just about anywhere, from the living room to the desk.

10. Poufs. Whether you choose Moroccan-style leather, rustic burlap or seagrass, poufs are a must for any small home. Use them as footstools, extra seats or side tables (just top with a tray).

10 Furniture Essentials for Small Spaces [1]

In a compact space, choosing just-right furnishings can make all the difference between your home feeling cramped or comfortable. From practically invisible acrylic chairs to shelving that flexes with the needs of your space, these 10 furniture pieces should be on any small-space-dweller’s must-have list.

1. Pedestal table. A round table with a slender pedestal base tucks into small spaces with ease. The round edge means no bumping into sharp corners, and the (nearly) leg-free base makes it easier to squeeze one more friend around the table.

2. Shelving that can go vertical or horizontal. Instead of choosing the largest possible shelving unit that will fit your space, consider picking up a few versatile cubby-like shelves that can stand upright or lie flat. A pair can stand side by side on a big wall; be separated for use in different rooms; or flank a sofa, as shown here. Positioned horizontally, a sturdy shelf can even do double duty as a bench.

3. Stack of stools. Just because you don’t have room for bulky armchairs and a giant sofa doesn’t mean you won’t have a need for ample seating. One solution is to tuck a stack of stools in a corner — when extra guests pop by, you can simply unstack the stools.

4. Big mirror. If you’re going to buy only a few items to make the most of your small space, a great, big mirror should definitely top the list. Hanging a large mirror instantly makes a small room feel bigger and brighter. Position it across from a window for maximum light-boosting power.

Budget tip: To get the look of a big mirror without spending a fortune, pick up two or three simple full-length mirrors and hang them side by side. Back-to-school is a good time to find full-length mirrors on sale; look for them in the dorm-decorating section.

5. Small-scale armchairs. Bulky armchairs may be cozy, but they also take up a ton of floor space. In a compact living room, you can pack more seating into the available space by choosing armless chairs, or armchairs with an upright profile like the barrel chairs shown here. And if you move into a larger space in the future, a pair of small-scale armchairs can round out a larger seating arrangement, or flank a console table in a spacious entry hall.

Great Bedsheets; Great Night's Sleep

Having good bed sheets is important for a good night’s sleep; bed sheets, together with other bed accessories provide warmth, insulation and comfort.

There are two types of bed sheets fitted and flat.

Fitted sheets lie directly on the mattress, have four corners sewn with elastic to hold the sheet in place.

A flat sheet is just a piece of cloth with a hem. Flat sheets generally go atop fitted sheets; they are also known as top sheets.

The quality of a sheet is determined by its thread count which is the number of threads per square inch of material. The higher the count, the softer the sheet; a minimum of 200 plus is recommended.

There are variety of fabrics for bedsheets; these include cotton, flannel, satin, etc.  

Cotton Sheets

Cotton comes in various qualities which are determined by the length of their staple. The longer the staple, the higher quality the cotton.

The best cotton type is Egyptian cotton which is grown on the Nile river valley in Egypt. High thread count Egyptian cotton sheets are of very good quality; they are silky soft, breathable and durable, and enhance a good night’s sleep.

Cotton sheets usually crease a lot after washing and are difficult to iron. To get around this challenge, stretch the sheets on the bed after removing from the clothesline or the drier. Stretching them over the bed this way helps to flatten them out easily.

Flannel Sheets

Flannel sheets are soft, fluffy, luxuriously warm and are thus suitable for cold wintery nights. High quality flannel sheets are usually made from a blend of wool and cotton. The wool provides warmth and the cotton provides comfort with its ultra-soft fluffy feeling. Although flannel sheets are very warm, they are often not very breathable. For people who do not like this, the higher quality cotton together with a warm winter duvet is preferable.

Satin Sheets

Satin sheets have a silky feel; they are great for summer and are generally nice and cool. They are also breathable and are very light, so you feel as though you are sleeping with nothing on you. Satin sheets have a beautiful sheen that make them look great. Satin could be itchy and slippery for some people, it is therefore preferable to buy the highest thread.

Remember to buy the right size of sheets for your bed(s); you don’t want your sheets creeping off the bed in the middle of the night because they are too short!

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Feature Walls in Interior Decorating

Feature walls used to be a trend in interior decoration to the point that it almost became overused. It, however, remains a classic that can never go out of fashion. To make feature walls really grand, add some touch of pattern and texture.

Using wallpaper is a great way to add a feature wall into a home. It provides a feature and a definitive focal point for a room.

With the emergence of wallpaper in various designs, colour, texture and some fabric, creating unique feature walls has become easy.

Used simply on one wall in a dining room for example it can provide a focal point to form discussion at the table and creates an intimate space, without enclosing the room. Wallpapers can be used on small feature walls in order to cut cost.

Wallpapers can be used to a solid wall where other walls are sheer walls of glazed windows. This helps to create an outstanding feature wall and breaks the monotony of all white walls.

If you are not daring enough to take up the challenge of bold designs, then subtle textures still work well, they change the form of the space and create interest.

It is important that you restrain the use of feature walls; avoid using every available wall of a room as a feature wall.

Feature walls are great in entrance ways, they serve as an exquisite expression of style that people can have first contact with. The entrance way can accommodate dramatic designs since it is a transitional space.

It is better to tone down the design in places like the bedroom where you spend a lot of time. More texture with subtle colour changes in pattern usually work better in places like bedrooms and sitting rooms.

To create a seamless interior pattern for your home, add a touch of feature walls here and there; this will add interesting surprises to your space as guests come admire your house.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.

Innovative Ideas for Your Bathrooms

Trigger your creative abilities through some innovative bathroom ideas. The bathroom is one of the most neglected places in many homes. So, do not give room for a tacky, dark and outdated bathroom. If you have never paid attention to your bathroom, we have innovative and decorative ideas to guide you.

First thing to consider is to determine what your budget is for the bathroom decorating. It is not always about the money, there are simple ways to create a new look in your bathroom; such as getting a decorative toilet seat cover or just changing a shower curtain.

Painting your bathroom is considered an innovative idea. So if you have a small bathroom, go for bright colors like white. You can also go with white and blue, white and pink, or whiter and yellow, depending on your preference. If you have a large bathroom, feel free to explore darker colors.

Lighting plays a significant role when decorating your bathroom, so improve the bathroom lighting by adding some more light fixtures. To soften the light while taking a relaxing bath, install a dimmer switch. If you want to create a style that depicts elegance all you need to do is to install earl white tiles and paint your walls in same splendid white color.

If you want to create a seaside effect inside your bathroom, then you should install light blue colored tiles and paint the walls in the same color. Lastly, if you are considering changing your furniture, you could settle for floating zinc, or go with floating cabinets or shelves.

At Rosemary’s we delight in transforming your home and office into a haven even with a limited budget. We also offer consultancy and advisory services on all aspects of interior decoration.