Family living-country

Country living room

Create a fresh and inviting living room by choosing white teamed with delicate florals. Chalk-white walls and oak flooring give the perfect backdrop for accessories in rose red, delicate pink and leafy green. Then add a sisal rug for a pretty country look.

First published in: Ideal Home, July 2008

Family Living

Bright accents living room

Use an accent colour with impact to give your living room a stunning finish full of energy. You don't need to add much, just a few accessories such as a throw or a stool and a few cushions. Even candles and flowers can be enough to give a room a really professional finish.

First published in: Ideal Home, July 2008

Warm And Cosy living

Warm and cosy living room

Pretty plates hung on hooks and framed by a painted border brighten up a plain wall in this living room. Knitted, crocheted and embroidered accessories give the sofa a homespun look. A woven rug breaks up the neutral carpet, adding visual interest and warmth. The rustic wicker basket is ideal for clearing clutter and can also double up as a side table.

First published in: Ideal Home, October 2008

Festival colours

Festive colours living room

Green and red furniture and accessories provide colourful accents in this living room. The bold print shade ties into the scheme, repeating its colours and cushions. The dark grey walls and white flooring creates a soft and subtle backdrop.

First published in: Ideal Home, November 2008

Classic living

Classic living room

Mirrored cabinets reflect the contemporary floral wallpaper here, creating a bold look without the need to paper every wall. A dusky pink sofa adds feminine appeal, while modern touches, such as a mirrored bird wall hanging and a glass-topped coffee table, give the room contemporary appeal.

First published in: Livingetc, November 2008

Warm Living

Warm living room

A floral curtain fabric sets off the colour scheme in this living room. Chalky off-white paint is used on the top half of the walls and is livened up with a heather purple on the bottom half. Chunky waxed oak furniture and a comfy sofa creates a timeless look. Accents of purple

complete the scheme

First published in: Ideal Home, January 2009

Living

Vibrant living room

A vibrant berry red wallpaper gives this classic-style living room a real lift. The colour is continued in the cushions and carpet pattern. Neutral upholstery prevents the scheme from becoming too busy, while golden curtains add a sense of grandeur.

First published in: 25 Beautiful Homes, December 2008

Relaxed Modern Childrens

Teenager's bedroom

Create a room that your teenager can personalise. Orange and raspberry goes perfectly with stylised floral curtain fabric from John Lewis and a floral duvet cover and pillowcases from Ikea. The colourful cushions really complete the look.

First published in: Ideal Home March 2006

Modern Country Childrens

Pretty country bedroom

A little girl's love of pink needn't mean garish walls and floors. Try subtle hints of pink in a floral bedspread and curtains or a feature wall covered in floral wallpaper. Bright pink accessories such as this cheerful rug and stool can always be swapped for alternative colours as their tastes change.

First published in: 25 Beautiful Homes, March 2008

Childrens

Girly pink bedroom

White painted furniture is brightened up with patterned bedding, curtains and accessories, giving this bedroom a distinctive girly feel, while a classic dressing table is a charming addition.

First published in: Ideal Home magazine, February 2009

Adult Contemporary Bedroom

Oriental-inspired bedroom

In this Oriental-inspired bedroom one wall is painted in bold red, which adds depth to this neutral scheme. Pale wooden furniture blends into the caramel-coloured walls and carefully placed accessories and the orchid bed linen from Next completes the look.


First published in: 25 Beautiful Homes, October 2005

Kitchen / dining Open-plan

Modern family kitchen/diner detail

A statement wall canvas in bright aqua and lime creates impact against plain walls in this kitchen/diner. A white Habitat sideboard provides streamlined storage for crockery and cutlery, while a Terence Conran refectory-style wooden table gives a casual feel. Matching benches can be pushed underneath when not in use. Accessories in shades that echo the wall panel and elegant glass pendant lights from Baileys Home & Garden complete the bright, modern look.

First published in: ,home & garden , may 2007

Kitchen / dining Open-plan

Black and white kitchen/diner

The John Lewis glass table and simple black-covered chairs make an elegant centrepiece in this kitchen's dining area, while the clock is a traditional Scandinavian design. Black and white photos printed on canvas are a fun, decorative element. Floral curtains provide contrast and a touch of colour.


First published in: Ideal Home, August 2005

Relaxed Modern Living / dining (Open-plan)

Glass-panelled doors

An open-plan layout with glass-panelled doors between the living room and dining room allows light to flow through this house creating a relaxed feel. The colours of the boldly patterned lampshade are continued through into the dining room, linking the spaces together.


First published in: Ideal Home magazine, February 2009

Contemporary Living / dining (Open-plan)

Open-plan dining and living area

Relaxing dining and living area that is given character by the prominent display of the owner's artwork, mounted on a canvas from Inside 35. The modern chunky wood dining table came from Academy Interiors, with dining chairs from Heal's. Facing the table is a modern sofa from Ikea.

First published in: Related Features

Open-Plan Living

Green & red living room

Bold red makes a statement against fresh green walls in this living room. Faux fur cushions and a textured rug keep the look cosy, while a glass coffee table creates a feeling of space, and its similarity to the dining table links the open-plan areas together.

First published in: Ideal Home, November 2008

Living room a floral

Fantastic florals

Bring summer inside with overblown floral designs in hot fuchsia teamed with neutral creams and duck egg blue. A strong accent colour like this deep pink ties the scheme together so you can use several different patterns in your soft furnishings, rugs and accessories and still achieve a coordinated effect.

www.allaboutyou.com/.../gallery

Sunny yellow living room

Opt for a mid-tone yellow if you're are going to use it on all the walls as it always looks darker on the walls than in the tin. Go for accessories in zesty yellows and lime greens and team with white furniture and a neutral floor for a light feel.

First published in: Ideal Home

Family Contemporary Living

First published in: Ideal Home, March 2008

First published in: Ideal Home, November 2008

Three Tips On Choosing Stylish Furniture

Stylish furniture is not just what is considered to be fashionable right now. If you browse through magazines devoted to home decorating you will see all the latest trends in furniture, but not all of these trends are stylish. A stylish piece of furniture is much more than a cool, trendy or modern piece. Stylish furniture should pass the test of time, should be of high quality and should also be comfortable to use.

Test No. 1

Styles come and go, but furniture shouldn't. A stylish piece of furniture should be an investment. As such, it should be designed so that it doesn't age and become unfashionable very quickly.
While it isn't always easy to tell if a piece of furniture will pass the time test, there are some basic rules to go by.
Stylish furniture should have a sleek and simple design. Something that is understated and pleasant to the eye will often pass the time test. Any design that is too odd, or sharp, or bold, runs the risk of "getting old" too soon.

Test No. 2

The quality of a piece of furniture is a sign of its stylishness. Always try to balance quality against budget choices. A better quality fabric or material (wood or metal) may cost more now, but will secure a longer lasting, and hence more stylish, piece of furniture.

Test No. 3

The third test for style is a practical one. Any truly stylish piece of furniture must also be useful, practical and comfortable to use. Today ergonomics (or the relationship between you and your environment) plays a vital role in choosing the furniture for your home and office. Ergonomics is a stylistic choice and the more comfortable you are with your furniture the longer life it will have.
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.stylish-furniture.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dakota_Caudilla