Give your home a new spring in its step with colorful windows and doors that will draw the eye and boost curb appeal.
Replacing white window frames with colored ones, and a matching or contrasting door can make your home stand out from the crowd and give the impression that you have specifically chosen them to suit your property, rather than just sticking with what is currently in situ.
All of Evolution’s timber alternative windows and doors are highly energy-efficient and virtually maintenance-free.
Follow these tips if you are upgrading your windows or doors.
Color matching
Evolution offers 10 standard, timber-effect finishes (including white, black and three shades of gray) to complement traditional and contemporary properties. Alongside these colors, Evolution offers a bespoke color-matching service with over 200 RAL colors to choose from. Aside from the current trend for gray, homeowners often choose pale green or cream to give country cottages a classic look.
Fifty shades of gray
Gray doors and windows are leading the way in the popularity stakes and the trend doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of waning. There are infinite shades of gray, but Evolution’s most popular choices are olive-gray, agate gray and anthracite gray. The lighter olive and agate grays add an elegant feel to character properties, while anthracite creates a more contemporary finish.
Black or white?
Whilst white gives a clean, contemporary finish, black window frames are becoming more popular. Often thought a contemporary choice, black window frames can also enhance traditional properties, particularly those with leaded windows, such as Tudor-style homes.
Timber colors
Timber colors are still a popular choice for doors and windows. Timber colors, such as oak, natural wood or rosewood, can enhance traditional properties, but also look fabulous on contemporary homes.
Inside out
One of the advantages of Evolution’s timber alternative doors and windows is that you can choose to have a different color on the inside. While many love the idea of having colored frames or doors to enhance a property’s exterior, white is still the most popular choice internally to avoid clashing with interior décor.
Photos courtesy of Evolution Windows
It’s time to start thinking about resolutions. The new year is the perfect time to make changes and create a fresh perspective. Follow these 3 tips from Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture Choice, for more mindful living in the new year.
Everything is fast, easy and digital, yet natural instinct pushes us to disconnect and slow down to regain our sense and quality of life.
1. Start with a clean and calm neutral palette
Begin the year refreshed and rejuvenated with the help of a home environment that focuses on living well.
Start by introducing a quality of softness into the home, coupled with interior design that’s comforting and inviting. “Let the intention of creating a clean and soothing ambiance guide your design decisions,” advises Rebecca. “Ultimately, the goal is to create a personal haven you’ll love going home to relax in.”
Make it a priority to get plenty of good quality sleep. In the bedroom, an oatmeal fabric bed presents the perfect starting point in a space meant for restful slumber. Introduce neutrals in varying tones for interest and depth. Safe, perennial hues to try to include white, soft grey and the recently popular greige.
Select comfortable bedding with minimal prints to focus on creating an uncluttered, restful environment. Where possible, go with furniture that features curves and organic lines instead of sharp, straight edges.
2. Nature is nurturing
Nothing relaxes the mind more than being surrounded by nature; particularly, plants. Start the year on a green note by maximizing on the benefits of having indoor plants. Choose a mix of large and small greenery and varieties that help clean the air. Leafy, trailing plants also inject a little wildness to create a tropical-inspired ambiance.
Besides making the air fresher, their lush green color is soothing on the eyes after a long day of working with screens.
To continue the natural theme, pick furnishings made with materials like wood, rattan, or clay. “The warmth and rawness of their surfaces contribute to a design that has a soothing, back to nature vibe,” says Rebecca.
3. Dedicate a corner for conscious relaxation
As a reminder to make wellbeing a priority for the year ahead, allocate a corner that’s dedicated to relaxation. “A little nook will do; you’ll only need enough space to practice your preferred stretches,” says Rebecca. For meditation and stretching exercises, fit it out with a yoga mat or thick rug. “And if you have a work desk at home, it’s a good idea to carve out a zen zone within the same room for quick stretch breaks.”
Maintaining the same neutral palette, style the space in light hues, and include plenty of plants. Another factor to consider is the accessibility of natural daylight, as it can help reset a confused circadian rhythm. A wellness-inspired space that embraces disconnecting and being present will likely become a favorite spot in the home.
Photos courtesy of Furniture Choice Ltd
New Ravenna, a designer and manufacturer for both residential and commercial installations, offers unforgettable collections of custom stone and glass mosaics that are envious and full of detail.
The handcrafted mosaics are fashioned into decorative borders, murals, fields, and medallions. Mosaic materials are polished, tumbled, honed and cut to create distinctive styles, subtle shade variations, and textures. The installations are custom works of art in mosaic tile, which often incorporate the designs of architects, interior designers, and their clients. Keep reading to learn more about their collections.
Bright Young Things™ is a collection of 26 mosaics in stone and glass with shell, brass, aluminum, and zinc accents. The collection was inspired by the exuberant and glamourous British aristocrats and socialites of the 1920s. It was a time that saw the emergence of art deco, jazz, and a bohemian spirit in literature, photography, and theatre. The collection introduces two new finishes; the leather-worn surface of Orpheus Black stone and hand-sanded metals, which create a velvet texture with brilliant shine.
By interior designer, Paul Schatz, the handmade mosaics are presented in a variety of colorways using natural stone, glass, and metal, with highlights of 24-karat gold glass, glazed Basalto, ceramic, and Serenity glass. The materials have been pillowed, tumbled, hand-chopped, and cut by hand or waterjet. In this expansion of his original Miraflores collection, Schatz has incorporated his study of classical architecture, extensive travels, and fascination with textiles inspired by indelible childhood memories.
Liliane is a collection designed by Paris-born Caroline Beaupère. The designer’s memories of summers spent on the French Riviera-inspired the nine mosaics, hand-crafted in natural stone and glass with metal accents. The enchanting gardens, architecture, and culture of the Côte d’Azur are represented in design, color, and texture. “Growing up in the South of France, I spent all my summers on the French Riviera: the Liliane collection is named after my grandmother who had a house in Cannes overlooking the Mediterranean. It is a journey through the French Riviera’s most beautiful gardens and an homage to its spectacular light and lush vegetation,” says Beaupère.
La Panthère Blanche and La Panthère Noire
The custom panels are inspired by Erté, the pseudonym of Romain de Tirtoff, the 20th-century artist and designer known for his glamorous art deco stage sets, jewelry, costumes, sculpture, and graphic design. The Russian born artist moved to Paris when he was 18 beginning his career as a fashion illustrator creating stylized sinuous women draped in elegant bejeweled clothing. In art deco iconography, the panther is symbolic of independent femininity, grace, and speed. The handcrafted panels are created in Absolute White, Obsidian, Champagne, Peridot, Emerald, and Mirror jewel glass, with a 24-karat gold glass background.
Photos courtesy of New Ravenna
Prepare for holiday festivities, dinners, parties and more with a fresh boost to your kitchen, such as these new, professional-grade appliances by Big Chill. These inspired palettes and finishes are the splash of color that your kitchen needs. Impress family and guests this time of year with Big Chill’s enviable kitchen additions.
Big Chill was founded by Orion Creamer and uncle Thom Vernon in 2001 and made a splash with its brightly colored, retro-styled fridges with modern amenities. The international manufacturer has unveiled two new tiers of finish offerings.
The new Standard and Premium paint finishes are designed to enhance the unique character and aesthetic of each collection and are offered across all three of the brand’s product lines — Classic, PRO, and Retro. Elevated in style, each finish selection was conceived to match marketplace preferences and highlight superior color options that are preferred by designers, decorators, and renovation enthusiasts alike.
“Since our conception, we’ve made colorful finish offerings our priority,” comments Big Chill Founder, Orion Creamer. “In offering two new tiers of paint finishes, in addition to our over 200 custom color options, we are aiming to assist in the design process, providing an accessible method for pairing each collection with paint finishes that make a mark.”
Retro Collection: The collection that started it all, the Retro Collection offers crave-worthy details like a stamped metal body, chrome trim, and a pivoting handle to add charismatic charm reminiscent of the period which inspired its design. The Standard offering plays to this time period, with vibrant pastels available to cheer up kitchens of all shapes and sizes.
PRO Collection: The collection combines the best in present-day performance and contemporary design using crisp lines and an array of colors for an elevated, modern aesthetic.
Classic Collection: Traditionally inspired, the collection’s appliances offer an aesthetic that asserts timeliness and luxury in the kitchen space curated with artfully worn and textured metals, sculpted handles, and turn-of-the-century knobs.
Photos courtesy of Big Chill
As family and friends gather around, set an unforgettable spread this holiday season with these tips.
Photo courtesy of Canva
Patterns and More
Mix and match prints for a festive and comfortable look. There is a time for pristine white table cloths and identical table settings. If you’re looking for a slightly more cozy feeling, try mixing and matching various prints and textures to create a one-of-a-kind look. A vibrant table cloth will pair nicely with a neutral or complementary napkin. Your colorful salad bowls or bread plates can shine against a muted dinner plate. Explore new prints and patterns this season!
Photo courtesy of Canva
Greenery is Key
Whether it’s a sprig of holly on dishes, a bowl of multicolored gourds or a towering vase of flowers, even the smallest touch of nature can go a long way. Garlands of pine or other greenery can make the perfect runner for your table. Allow fresh flowers and plants to complement colorful tones in your table cloth and other fabrics.
Photo courtesy of Garden Trading
Decorate the Bar
Don’t neglect your bar area, buffet table or side tables. The dinner table is the main show but side tables can be as festive as they are functional. Add small lights to your drinks cart. The lights will reflect in the glasses and bottles to create a magical setting. Add a runner or exiting table cloth to your buffet table to keep the merriment going.
Photo courtesy of AUDENZA
Consider a Treat
A small favor is a great way to begin your meal! Consider incorporating a small treat into each setting or amongst the table for guests to enjoy. A sweet treat can be placed on the dish alongside a touch of greenery. The table can be spattered with ornaments or small trinkets for guests to take with them. Fresh whole fruit or a small dish of berries can serve as a hint of color in your decor as well as an appetizer. A tiny wreath or potted plant will also welcome guests!
Phot courtesy of Canva
A Centerpiece with Pieces
The centerpiece should attract attention but not overwhelm the table. Keep your centerpiece at a reasonable height so as not to block guests but still draw the eye. The center of your table can be made up of several components that work together to create a warm and welcoming scene. Try a collection of small vases, bowls, mixed with greenery, fruit, or traditional candles. Be creative when bringing your table together this season.
Photo courtesy of Lights4fun
Featured image by buffetcrush
Tropical decor is a bold statement that can be difficult to balance. Avoid over-the-top details and learn how to embrace muted accents and elements that elevate a space without making it too whimsical.
If tropical brings to mind luxurious retreats and dream vacations, you may want to incorporate the look into your home. Here are a few tips for bringing tropical to a high-end level that you’ll love throughout the seasons.
Photo courtesy of English Blinds
Bold Wallpaper
Most tropical decor involves a playful wallpaper or large piece of art. There are a variety of quality wallpaper brands that can help create an oasis of color and charm for your space. Have fun with your wallpaper, there are many to choose from and it is the quickest way to transform a space.
Photo courtesy of Wallsauce.com
Add Foliage
Tropical prints are just the beginning. If you are looking for an authentic feel and want to avoid a staged look, incorporate real tropical greenery that will play off accents, prints and other details in your decor. A snake plant or peace lily truly capture the tropical feel, yet they are low maintenance and easy to care for. Greenery can also bring out muted tones that might appear in prints.
Photo courtesy of Mindthegap
Try Traditional
Fun details can be luxurious. Black and white, monochromatic, or muted prints can still embrace tropical imagery. A palm tree wallpaper or a pink flamingo statute can be toned down in terms of color, allowing more flexibility in your decor. Don’t shy away from traditional items but the balance between just enough and too much is delicate.
Photo courtesy of Brabbu Design Forces
Keep it Neutral
Neutral tones help to balance bright colors and bold shapes that appear in tropical wallpapers and prints. If you’ve decided on a statement wallpaper and you’re worried about overwhelming your senses, it helps to choose natural accents such as wood furniture and flooring. Light grays and white also tone down the intensity of a space.
Photo courtesy of Essential Home
Mix and Match
If you want to truly embrace the tropical sentiment, be bold and confident with your choices. For an earthy tropical feel, mixing a variety of prints that play off of each other with color palettes that work together will bring your space to life. Mixing and matching prints, designs and elements can come together to create a luxurious balance.
Photo courtesy of Essential Home
Check out these articles with simialr content; Bold Wallpaper, Wallpaper That Will Stick Around, How To Weather The Decor Dilemmas of Modern Farmhouse, Tropical Modernism Makes a Comeback in Hawaii.
Spooky styling for homes doesn’t have to be reserved for the Halloween season. Gothic Victorian trends can be achieved in a tasteful, modern way. Here are some ways you can incorporate the elegance of this classic look.
When it comes to using color in a home, black is an obvious choice, but it doesn’t have to only be for the walls. Black furniture or accents can subtly incorporate this bold color into any space. If too much black causes eerie vibes then try other rich and vibrant shades. Ocean blue, ruby red and emerald green provide the Gothic opulence without being too harsh. And to balance out the room, add other earthy, warm tones such as tans and muted browns.
Achieving a Gothic Victorian look means adding drama into your home. Moldings and a mix of materials structurally helps to accomplish this dramatic feeling. Wood paneling on the wall or wood moldings to the ceiling add Gothic charm.
Photo courtesy of AUDENZA.
Photo courtesy of Covet House.
Photo courtesy of Brabbu Design Forces.
A black, smokey shower door is an unique and stylish way to add allure to your bathroom. Other ways you can create drama is to mix stone walls with a wood floor, or install a clawfoot bathtub for additional luxury.
Photo courtesy of Merlyn Showering.
Little touches like Gothic-style light fixtures give any space old-world sophistication. A hand-finished chandelier or brass candle holder bring a stunning effect.
British lighting company Besselink & Jones recently introduced a new line of Gothic light fixtures. Their Empire lamp shade, pictured below, features Gothic-style pleating and Ecru silk fabric which together produce a glamorous effect.
Photo courtesy Besselink & Jones.
This trend isn’t exclusive for Middle Age castles — investing in one or two pieces will bring the style’s lavishness to your living space.
Photo courtesy of The French Bedroom Co.
Transform your space with the perfect area rug. Trust stylish finished designs or customize your space with a tailored project.
Customize Until You’re Content
Rug’Society offers a bespoke customization service that is flexible and fun. Customers choose from a variety of colors, shapes, patterns, and textures to create a rug they can enjoy for years to come. The company also offers the help of a brand expert to guide you through the process.
Complete any room in your home with a rug that is uniquely you. Whether you’re looking for warm colors and plush textures, or an elegant neutral rug, there’s plenty from which to choose.
Choose the Right Rug for You
Bare floors are the perfect canvas for an inspiring, conversation-starting area rug and they are often a focal point in a room. Choose a larger area rug to create a gathering space in your living room.
For the bedroom, create a cozy domain by placing a rug under your bed allowing it to extend forward. This can give the appearance of a bigger space full of comfort.
Consider what type of traffic a rug will endure before purchasing. If you need a rug for your living room, remember to choose something that can withstand the occasional coffee spill or stray crumb.
Darker colors, whether they are on your walls or your floor tend to make a space feel smaller, while lighter shades can open a room up, making it feel larger.
Place you’re furniture along the edges of a beautiful rug making it visible for you and your guests to fully enjoy. This also helps create a more spacious feel.
Trends You Don’t Want to Miss
Neutral Colors — discreet tones can add an elegant touch.
Asymmetrical — the trend breaks tradition with eye-catching designs.
New Vintage — classic themes mix perfectly with modern elements.
Neo-Cubism — geometric shapes and 20th-century avant-garde expressions.
Photos by Rug’Society
Trends and styles traditionally fade out of the limelight only to resurface a few generations later, usually with a few twists and fresh perspectives. But retro themes and designs remain popular and are now making an appearance in the realm of luxury.
Photo courtesy of DelightFULL
Photo courtesy of Essential Home
Incorporate Brass
Overall, brass contributes to a classical ambiance and can complete the vintage look you’ve been searching for.
A vintage floor lamp will fit perfectly in your mid-century modern living room or vintage retro design hallway. With a structure made in polished Estremoz marble and with multiple lampshades made in brass and aluminum, this floor light is a modern lamp full of grace and charm.
The Monocles Screen is a refined room divider. The folding brass structure holds three walnut panels with brass holes that let you glimpse into the other side. Stylish and functional like no other.
Photo courtesy of The French Bedroom Co
Photo courtesy of Smithers of Stamford
Rattan and Recycled is Retro
This Retro Rattan Console blends craftsmanship and texture with a little bit of artisan vintage into your space. Cane wickerwork and teak framework work perfectly together to reinvent the 70’s furniture trend into a more refined, elegant shape, styled more for modern homes.
Made from solid recycled boat hardwood, the satin hand-painted finish has been added to bring out the beauty of this retro speedway range. It’s retro, unique and a lifetime buy that will never go out of fashion.
Photo courtesy of Yellow Octopus
Photo courtesy of Lights4fun
Props that aren’t Played Out
The GPO 200 classic, British Rotary Telephone is a one-stop communication portal for all your conversation needs. Touch base with friends and family, then buzz, dial and connect with a classic design of modern technology. Bring a piece of iconic phone technology right back into the present.
Retro Cinema Lightbox is the perfect opportunity to customize your decor. Create a fun message that suits your mood and enjoy the classic element that will elevate your space.
Enjoy the fun of Bohemian details and the comfort of mountain inspiration with the addition of some clean lines and modern finishes to achieve Bohemia Mountain Chic. These perfectly blended concepts will transform any space, whether it’s a penthouse apartment or a vacation ski-home in Colorado. Color, textures, patterns, and more will help bring the colorful ease that can already be found in Residence 501 West in Snowmass Base Village.
This style is undeniable fun and full of surprises, including a mixture of patterns and textures, pops of unexpected color, greenery, and calming tomes. The addition of natural materials, such as the various wooden surfaces have a way or working together rather than competing with other elements in the space.
Start with a simple base that will support your accents.
A neutral wall color may feel like a bland move but it creates a canvas for creativity around the room. A lighter shade on the walls will also give the impression of open space. This will also help if the space begins to feel overcrowded or busy.
Botanicals are a big part of any Bohemian look.
Natural elements, such as greenery are a great way to tie the outdoors and indoors together without flooding the room with oversized plants that are difficult to care for. A few plants displayed in a glass vase bring that little bit of life into the room. If there are large windows in the room the spattering of the outside is highlighted to add the perfect touch.
Get creative with patterns and textures.
It’s okay to mix and match in this situation. This tactic will not take away from the modern feel if it is done properly. Trying new textiles and fabrics offer up and opportunity for creativity. It can be surprising what colors will actually work well together. If the room begins to feel a little disjointed or unorganized, try using a neutral color scheme but in a variety of textures.
Other Tips
— Mix bright colors with metalic accents. Nothing makes color pop like a smooth reflective surface or a shining accent. This sleek nature also adds to the modern feel.
— Natural elements, such as a wooden table and some greenery mesh well with classic Bohemian details.
— Be bold with colors!
— Don’t’ be afraid to layer fabrics and materials.
Photos by Gibeon Photography