One of our favourite shots from the Living with Skinny laMinx Lookbook is this bedroom shot, where they have made up a headboard in the Breeze print, and teamed that concrete colourway with a squishy pile of pillows in restful greys and sages. It’s the perfect palette for unwinding and recharging, don’t you think?
Cushions from L-R: Breeze, in Concrete, Brancusi Stripe in Spruce, Simple Stripe, in Liquorice.
We’re not the only ones who love this peaceful bedroom palette: French magazine Coute Ouest featured their Breeze cushions in the ‘moonbeam’ colourway in this dreamy bedroom….
…as did Marie Claire Maison, using their Woodpile print in sage as the perfect tonal match with that delicious wallcolour.
On Remodelista, we found this room using a range of greens, with a touch of pink coming through from the other room. We love the cushions they used, but we could totally toss in a Brancusi Stripe in Shell and a Gridly in Mint too, to up the pattern quotient.
If this palette of sages and greys appeals, take a look at the other pattern options in the Skinny laMinx fabric book:
Contact Sue Hamilton on 082 950 3142 or sue@cainteriors.co.za to view all the fabric collections.
Having a high-end looking home can be difficult, especially if you have a tight decorating budget. Fortunately, there are ways – even on a budget – that you can get the high-end look you dream of.Interior designers have shared a few secrets over the years that have given homeowners some insight on how they can make their home look elegant without breaking the bank. From adding pillows and a fresh coat of paint to window treatments and hardwood floors, these are simple solutions you need to know about.
Here, you will discover some of the simplest and least expensive ways to make your home look elegant. Take the time to keep reading – you just might be surprised at these simple tricks to fooling your guests into thinking you live a high-end life.
Crown Molding – Details Matter
It’s all in the details. When it comes to decorating your home to look high-end and custom-made, details are key. In this instance, the detail is crown molding.
Crown molding has a way of making a room look complete or finished; it brings the ceiling and the walls together, giving them an elegant appearance. Without this finishing touch, rooms tend to look cheap or unfinished.
Fortunately, crown molding is relatively inexpensive (especially the plastic, paintable versions), making it affordable on almost any budget. There are many widths to choose from, but if you want a greater impact, chose the widest trim that your budget will allow. For the ultimate in glamour, try adding all types on molding to your home, i.e. crown, high baseboard, ceiling beams, columns, ceiling medallions, chair rails etc…
Paint – Color Matters
Paint color is perhaps one of the most difficult decisions to make when decorating a room, especially when the remaining décor will be based off the color palette. However, if elegance is what you are after, there are certain colors that add instant glamour to your home.
Choose one of these two color options—bold and dramatic OR soft, understated hues. These hues allow you to add instant elegance to your home. It simply depends on your color personality in terms of which option you choose.
Painting interior doors black is another great idea. It automatically creates an expensive feeling, without causing much damage to your wallet. If you choose this option, however, be sure to add some black accessories to the space to tie the overall design together.
Pillows – Comfort & Elegance
Pillows throughout your home serve two purposes. One, if they are chosen correctly, they can really punch-up the elegance factor. Two, they provide your guests with a little extra comfort on the couch, and offer a cozy, layered feeling to your rooms.
The comfort aspect speaks for itself, that is, if you choose pillows that are large enough to rest on, and soft. Speaking of size, you want to avoid the standard 12 to 18 inches for a throw pillow. Instead, choose something larger, such as a 22-inch pillow cover stuffed with 24-inch inserts.
Large, overstuffed pillows create a very plush, elegant appearance—and don’t skimp on the pillow inserts, down-filled is the only way to go.
Window Treatments – A Must-Have Accessory
It’s simple—a home without window treatmentswill look unfinished and cheap. Fortunately, window treatments are one of the most budget-friendly ways to add some elegance to your home, as well as much-needed privacy.
When selecting window treatments you want to make smart choices. For instance, choosing unlined flimsy materials look terribly cheap, even if they are the least expensive option. It is recommended that you avoid see-through materials. This does not mean that you can’t buy off-the-rack curtains. A lot of chain stores offer lined draperies that appear elegant and expensive —even though the price is right.When it comes to window treatments stick with elegant materials such as natural silk, linen and cotton (polyester or man-made fabrics usually look cheap). If draperies are not for you, then try woven bamboo shades or wood blinds. Just be sure to dress your windows—they ensure your home looks elegant and well-designed.
Featuring on-trend botanical and geometric
jacquards, this collection leads a new
generation of functional and beautiful
outdoor upholstery collections.
Spring Break is stain and water resistant,
has 30 000 Martindale rubs and offers the
highest grade of sun resistance. It’s suitable
for indoor and outdoor use.
Spring Break Collection of Hertex
Contact Sue on 082 950 3142 or email sue@cainteriors.co.za to view the collection.
Like many a times before, the trends of the past undeservedly gave velvet a somewhat poor and dusty image – very much at odds with a modern, trendy design.
Yet now, this fabric has made the biggest comeback since Britney and bold colours. Not only to the closet, but also to everything from a couch to a scatter cushion, and even curtains.
Hertex
One of the main reasons for its comeback is a phenomenon that one can call “cocooning”, which very basically translates to feeling cosy at home, surrounded by soft fabrics. We as humans long for texture, structure and warmth in our homes.
Velvet is a perfect fit for this trend. It complements all sorts of styles and lends a certain elegance to upholstered furnishings. Advances in digital printing have allowed for more elaborate patterns to be printed on velvet, and because velvet holds colour very well, this makes for bright, saturated and bold prints.
Hertex
Simple shapes can lend a contemporary makeover to this fabric, and it can look aesthetically pleasing in any colour – trendy in the berry hues of the season to modern in shades greys and other neutrals. If you’re feeling brave, choose mysterious, dark jewel shades like emeralds, dark blues, maroons or even ochre – which can add that striking wow factor.
Thanks to the pile, velvet makes any colour look luminous and vivid. Very much like during certain historical eras, the soft fabric is now being used for wall coverings, cushions, upholstery, bedspreads and more. And, if you’re not feeling the velvet vibe for all over your home, you can still add a touch of velvet magic with a scatter or a select upholstered item.
It’s amazing what a difference scatter cushions can make in a room. Here are three tips for decorating with scatter cushions…
Hertex Scatter Cushions
Carefully-chosen scatter cushions can add sophisticated interest to a neutral scheme or add a tongue-in-cheek twist to an elegantly chic space. You can use bright scatter cushions to warm up a cold room, lighten a dark one or take the edge off a very bright area in a home.
What’s more, scatter cushions are relatively inexpensive so you can change them with the season and your mood.
1. LOOK AT THE COLOUR OF THE ROOM
Identify the predominant colour in the room and choose scatter cushions that incorporate this colour, even if it’s a subtle touch of the shade within intricate patterned or floral prints.
2. BREAK RULE #1
If you believe rules are made to be broken, ignore the first rule and go for scatter cushions in completely different colours. The only trick is to make sure they are all of the same intensity, so they are all bright, all neutral or all pastel shades.
3. CONTRAST THE SOFA
Use scatter cushions in a complementary or contrasting colour to the sofa. You don’t want scatter cushions to blend into a sofa and match it perfectly.
