Monthly Archives: June 2015

Oriental or exotic? How to do a home-makeover inspired by these styles

When we think of exotic destinations or calm oriental spots, we may feel a sense of bliss or relaxing vibes. Why not enjoy these sensations every day by giving your home a makeover inspired by these styles?

Here's how to achieve both styles in your interior design.

Oriental: Think Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Japan. 

First of all, embrace patterns. In an essay published by the Department of Asian Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the authors described the Japanese Rinpa style as "vibrant colours applied in a highly decorative and patterned manner" used to decorate not only paintings but also textiles, ceramics and lacquerwares. 

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Say Aloha to your Hawaii inspired home decor

"There's no place I'd rather be, then on my surfboard out at sea. Lingering in the ocean blue, and if I had one wish come true, I'd surf till the sun sets beyond the horizon … A wiki wiki mai lohi lohi, Lawe mai i ko papa he'e nalu," sang the cast of the Disney movie Lilo and Stitch for the song 'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride', describing the essence of this island. 

The blissful golden sands, sapphire seas and emerald green palm trees of Hawaii offer endless decorating inspiration for your home. So let's surf onto this roller coaster design ride and get started! 

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6 creative ways to make a headboard for your bed

Don't just give your bedroom a run-of-the-mill headboard. Get your DIY groove on and check out these ideas for inspiration for a unique, creative, one-of-a-kind headboard that will be the star of your bedside area. 

1) Old books 

Find a bunch of books that are of a similar size and with equal numbers of pages, preferably with soft covers and no jackets. Open each book to the centre page and lay them in rows as wide as you'd like your headboard to be. Using an old, thin wooden panel as the base, screw down on the spine so each book is attached to the wood. Hang it up behind your bed – bedtime reading just got a whole lot more inspiring! 

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How to create wall collages with prints, photographs and art

A great way to personalise a wall is by adding your own collages, curating a range of prints, photographs or artwork to show off your personality and interests in an artistic manner.

Those of you who love a vintage look can hang these collages in chunky gilt frames in a salon style by placing the prints, posters, photographs or postcards at odd angles, much like a scrapbook. On the other hand, homes with more of a contemporary design can benefit from collages carefully measured and hung in sleek straight lines.

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10 sky colours to try: Can you paint with all the colours of the wind?

In 2008, scientists designed the world's most relaxing room to advertise the University of Hertfordshire's Health and Human Sciences Research Institute Showcase.

One of the design choices used to create this ultimate soothing space was to get people to lie on lavender scented pillows and gaze up at a ceiling that looked like a clear, cloudless blue sky. watch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016 film now

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Help your children study or get creative with an inspiring desk

Your son or daughter is likely to spend many hours at his or her desk during the school years – and it's not always to study, either! Arts and crafts, reading a book for fun or playing games on a laptop all require a sturdy yet inviting desk space. 

Sometimes it can be hard for them to feel motivated to study before an exam or assignment, and in these cases a well-designed desk area can go a long way towards inspiring them to knuckle down and put in the hard yards. 

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Brushstroke of midnight: Bedroom decorating ideas inspired by fairy​ tales

"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales," said Albert Einstein. 

Considered one of the smartest human beings to ever walk the planet, Einstein's wise words shed light on the beauty and power of fairy​ tales.

Your paintbrush can swish like a magic wand as you transform your bedroom into a fairy tale inspired wonderland. They say in many of these mystical stories that dreams can come true, and a sweet way to bring such joy to your home is by making the room where you sleep and dream a relaxing space.

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3 funky wall pattern ideas using painter’s tape

Ahh, painter's tape. Ye old' friend of every tradie and any person with a creative bone in their body.

There is so much we can do to our walls using painter's tape, so grab your nearest roll, start peeling away and paint to your heart's content with one of these designs! Make sure you use the low tack version so it's nice and easy to remove once you've finished painting.

1) Cool chevron

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Have a pattern party in your lounge with one of these 6 curtains

You've put the coffee table in place, the couches have been set up and the shelves have been decked to the nines with family photographs. Now it's time for the curtains!watch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016 film now

Add some texture and pretty patterns to your lounge with one of these six curtains. Pssst … for those of you who love all things matchy-matchy, many of these have matching cushions to snuggle up with on the sofa. 

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