Photo courtesy of Alexander Jospeph
It seemed as if the interior designing industry has exhausted all of the various designs used in kitchens — until the new trend of all-black kitchens became the new fad and shifted the paradigm. Here’s how designers are getting into the trend and making blacked-out kitchens feel warm and inviting at the same time.
Dark cabinets and countertops not only add a beautiful composition to the space, but they actually make the room feel less blank and minimalistic. Ironically, the dark colors add a certain vibrance and texture to the space rather than washing it out. Utilize natural light with large floor-to-ceiling windows to give the black cabinets a hint of blue dark blue for a more colorful style. The sunlight on these cabinets keep they style modern and sleek without making it bland and boring.
Photo courtesy of Original BTC
Photo courtesy of Viva Lagoon
Another perfect way of styling blacked-out kitchens is adding gold accents. Not only do they add the perfect contrast, but they vary the textures used, making a refined and finished look. The reflective material of the gold cabinets create an open and war atmosphere.
Regardless, if a completely blacked-out kitchen isn’t your style, then look toward making a stark contrast between black and white. Not only does it create a striking composition, but it brings a unique flair that’s sure to be a conversation piece. The blacked-out island at the forefront of this otherwise white kitchen is a perfect example, and will make sure to invite people in.
Photo courtesy of PullCast
Brick walls, although historically having a more industrial style, have become a trend in luxury apartments and homes. The rustic appearance, regardless of the colors, shapes or textures, can add a beautiful backdrop to any room.
For a more rustic and historical appeal, look toward bricks with unconventional shapes. The individual stones create a unique composition, while the neutral colors add to the realistic style. Pair it with metal counters like the one in this space, or with more wooden finishes for a softer and less industrial design.
Photo courtesy of LisaSarah
Photo courtesy of Chaplins Furniture
When it comes to the industrial design, however, balance is key. This style can be either perfected or overdone with brick walls. Soft fabrics on the furniture, found in this apartment, create the perfect confluence of style and comfort. If the bricks are only on one wall of the room, pair the other walls with large and industrial-style windows. They not only bring in a flood of natural light, but add the finishing touch to the trendy style.
For a softer look that’s still on-trend, look toward colored brick walls. Paint them white or a color that complements the furniture in the room to achieve the perfect design. The white backdrop behind the strikingly blue couch adds a unique touch that isn’t too overbearing. Meanwhile, the green colored brick walls that perfectly match the couch create a unique and eccentric style sure to turn heads.
Photo courtesy of Woodchip and Magnolia
Photo courtesy of Wallsauce
Slanted ceilings have made their way outside of the attic, now in living, dining and bedrooms. Designing under these slopes can be tricky, but there are ways to get around it — and even use them to make the room more elegant and spacious. Here’s how:
1. Light and Airy
Whenever you’re tight on space, adding a coat of white paint to the ceilings and walls can make all the difference. Not only does it add a simple and natural tone, but it’s malleable to design the room to your style.
Photo courtesy of English Blinds
Photo courtesy of Oak Furnitureland
The blank canvas that comes with white walls and ceilings allows for limitless creativity. Create a nautical look for a more relaxed vibe, or add bold colors to make the space stand out. With a white canvas, slanted ceilings can do no harm.
Photo courtesy of Melody Maison
2. Lighting the Room
Lighting a room can be the most difficult challenge when designing a space under slanted ceilings. Many don’t think they can use any overhead lighting, since the ceiling is on a slope. In reality, however, it isn’t impossible — it’s all a matter of picking the right light fixtures.
This is a simple yet elegant style for light fixtures that work perfectly on slanted ceilings. The wires can slightly slightly bend, so that they hang naturally.
Another great way to add natural light under slanted ceilings is with skylights. They flood the room with natural light in the daytime and add a unique and stylish look to the space.
3. A More Natural Look
Sometimes, however, it’s better to let the slanted ceilings add a unique design to the room, rather than hide them with an all-white hue. Adding wooden beams can do just the trick. When the ceilings aren’t too low, wooden beams won’t emphasize the height, but add a beautiful finish to the room instead. Light or dark browns for the wooden beams create a beautiful, natural look that goes with any style.
Photo courtesy of Covet Valley
Photo courtesy of Covet Valley
Adding yellow accents to a room can be tricky: while it can transform a dull design to a bright and airy space, anything too harsh can cause the opposite effect. Luckily, there’s a foolproof way to designing a space with the color, and it can be a breath of fresh air whenever you walk into the room.
Photo courtesy of The French Bedroom Co.
Photo courtesy of The French Bedroom Co.
When it comes to bedrooms, it can be difficult to choose the palette. While yellow walls may be too overbearing, yellow anywhere else may not be enough to do the trick. That’s why these two bedrooms have designed their spaces with two main categories: a bright yellow and a neutral color, such as grey, white or brown. They both balance each other out perfectly, with the yellow still adding that pop without being too harsh. The combination of hues adds to the comfortable and stylish decor, creating a space that’ll both brighten you up in the morning and be a calm retreat at the end of the day.
Photo courtesy of DelightFULL
Creating a living room with just a hint of yellow can add the perfect accent. This room that’s almost completely blue has a beautiful addition found with the bright yellow chair. It creates the perfect balance between the colors, creating a space with a unique and alluring charm.
The main trick with designing a room around the color yellow is to pick the right tones. The yellows shouldn’t be too harsh or overbearing, otherwise it will bring an unappealing style to the space. Meanwhile, the main colors of the room should be more neutral yet distinct from the yellow. Clear whites and dark browns and neutral grays play well here.
Photo courtesy of English Blinds
Photo courtesy of Orchid Furniture
Incorporate fresh plants to add another hint of color without making the space look disorganized or messy, and you’re on your way to creating the perfect space that’ll brighten up your day the moment you walk in.
Over the past few years, stained glass has gone from a dusty antique item in an old home to modern works of art. With the industry making a comeback into the luxury scene, interior designers are challenging themselves to design a space around the ornate glass. Here are a few different ideas:
Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass
Photo courtesy of Florence Broadhurst Fabrics
Stained glass can add a pop of color and make your space feel both cozy and modern. The green colors on this partition add a bright finish to the room, making it the centerpiece for all the other furniture to gather around it. While still looking modern, it brings back an old-school style to provide a sense of comfort as well. Nowadays, adding a piece of stained glass to a home brings a unique style unlike any other — one that brings you back in time, while also staying ahead of the times, too.
Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the Blake Hotel adds a unique style to the space by featuring the work of Bespoke Glass, a studio-based business in Brooklyn, New York. The different shades of blue colors and the glimmer of the glass adding a retro look that transports you to a different time in the past, while also staying current and on-trend. The placement of the blue pieces adds an edgy and one-of-a-kind appearance. Not only is it a partition, but it’s a work of art in its own right.
Photo courtesy of Reed McKendree
Photo courtesy of Bespoke Glass
By changing the designs stained glass was normally confined to in the past, studios and interior designers around the globe are beginning to take out the dusty antiques from their storage bins and create works of art instead. With so many different styles and colors, the possibilities are endless.
An often underrated way to style a room with is the flooring, which often ends up as a simple hardwood or tile design. While adding neutral tones to floors can allow other statement pieces in a room to pop, sometimes a bold flooring can be just what the space needs.
With that, here are some tips and tricks to designing a room around a bold floor or rug:
Photo courtesy of Lithos Design
Photo courtesy of Chaplins Furniture
1. Matching Colors
When wanting to design a room with a statement piece, it’s always important to choose the piece that will pop before designing anything else. This way, you’ll know the colors and fabrics involved with the statement piece, and can design around that. In terms of flooring, a bold rug can make or break a room. Choosing the bold rug before anything else can ensure whatever you choose for the rest of the room will complement it.
With this space, the bold rug has two main colors, with gold being its secondary color. Instead of choosing another blue for the chairs, the designer chose to use the rug’s secondary color. This way, the blue rug still adds a pop, rather than being one of pieces with a similar color in the room. By using one of the more minor colors on the floor, there is still a wide variety of hues to have a creative and comfortable style.
Photo courtesy of RugSociety
Photo courtesy of WOW Design
2. Sleek and Airy
By allowing the bold floor pattern to be the centerpiece of the room, the designer creates a light and airy atmosphere. Instead of cluttering the room with more designs and colors, the simple designs allow for the bold floor to stand out. The minimalist look along with various plants adds a sleek and refined style to the room while also adding just enough color to keep it vibrant.
The chevron floor interlocking tile and hardwood floors adds a one-of-a-kind design for the individual to enjoy. With the only other colors in the room being a hint of black and green, the minimalist design keeps the style interesting while also comforting in its simplicity. Keep this design in mind if you’re looking for a minimalist style with an added statement piece.
3. Eclectic Style
Don’t be afraid of flooring that gets colorful and different. When styled correctly, this can be the selling-point of the home. Its uniqueness never fails to impress those who are looking for something different yet clean and airy.
While this tile may look busy and complicated close up, take a step back and see the beauty it adds to the home. The mid-century modern design adds a flair unlike any other, while also staying sleek and refined.
Photo courtesy of Lithos Design
Alexander James Interior Design Team shares the secrets behind this season’s most stylish Christmas homes.
“The 2017 Christmas style definitely has a playful edge — it’s about capturing the joy of Christmas and having fun in new ways, while also delivering an elegant overall look.”
UK households spend a staggering £2.3 billion each year on Christmas trees, decorations and trips to the pantomime, according to Go Compare. With so much being spent on Christmas décor, it’s no wonder that our festive displays seem to be getting more stylish each year.
Creating the perfect setting within the home is a wonderful way to bring alive the Christmas magic and get into the festive mood. As such, the expert team at Alexander James Interior Design have shared their top tips for making this Christmas the most stylish one yet.
“This Christmas, many are going against tradition for a tropical, contemporary look. No longer confined to the summer months, we’re seeing tropical touches being given a sophisticated twist for the winter season,” says Stacey Sibley, the creative director at Alexander James Interior Design. “The 2017 Christmas style definitely has a playful edge — it’s about capturing the joy of Christmas and having fun in new ways, while also delivering an elegant overall look.”
Stylish tropical touches this Christmas include beautifully woven peacock feather and palm leaf wreaths and stunning centerpieces featuring metallic pineapples and cream and white tropical flowers.
Light Style London – Gold Leaves Battery Style, Harrods
Mini Baubles – Copper, Cox & Cox
Metallics will also be big news this Christmas, with new twists added to the traditional bright silver and gold hues.
Stylish, contemporary touches include warm, soft, reflective metallics in copper, brass and rose gold, to provide a sophisticated glow and add an element of understated luxury.
Copper has been popular in interiors over the summer, thanks to its versatility. It can be teamed with a clock color or with organic materials such as wood to create a variety of feels, from Scandinavian luxury to mid-century cool.
Now, that versatility is being carried through to the festive season, with metallic baubles providing the perfect contrast the earthy, organic tones of Christmas trees.
“The finishing festive décor touch this Christmas is the wreath. No longer restricted to the front door, we’ll be seeing wreaths adorn the home in a variety of ways.”
Liberty has opted for a fan-tailed peacock offering. This year, decorating for the holidays is all about mixing vibrant colors tastefully with more traditional Christmas tones.
Candles, naturally, should also form part of the Christmas décor. Stunning glass and metallic lanterns add to the overall sophistication of this year’s style.
“The finishing festive décor touch this Christmas is the wreath. No longer restricted to the front door, we’ll be seeing wreaths adorn the home in a variety of ways,” says Robert Walker, the managing director at Alexander James Interior Design. “Contemporary elegance can come in the form of real branches interwoven with LED lights, or more modern wreaths made of twisted wire with tiny twinkles throughout. Once more, we’re seeing metallic come into play, bringing modern elegance to this Christmas tradition.”
With the home interior looking perfectly stylish, all that remains to be done is to give it the ideal festive scent. The White Company’s Winter Botanical Large Pillar Candle will help to capture the spirit and scent of the season.
Winter Botanical Large Pillar Candle, The White Company
Fan-Tail Peacock Decoration, Liberty London
Photos courtesy of Millgate Homes
As ever, the perfect lighting is also key to creating a magical Christmas ambience.
Far from being limited to the Christmas tree, this year lighting will feature throughout the home, from garlands to tumbling showers of LED lights to table centerpieces.
If it’s not sparkling delicately, it should be! Anything from a pile of gifts to a simple tree branch can be brought to life with the right lighting.
Understated twinkles spread throughout the home can create a truly stunning overall impact.
Decorating for Christmas is one of the most exciting parts of preparing for the festive season. With these styling tips in mind, every home can create a stunning, elegant Christmas ambience that brings the magic of the season alive.