Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Loft Apartments - Creating the Perfect Contemporary Interior with Plantation Shutters London

Loft and warehouse apartments appeal to flat hunters wanting something individual and unique. After you have moved in, furnishings are a way to put your own stamp on your new home. One of the first things that you will want to think about is the window coverings – and shutters for a London apartment are a fantastic choice, for several reasons.

If you are looking for plantation shutters for your new apartment, Bespoke Shutters is bound to have a design which will create the right impression, giving a feeling of modern elegance and warmth. Plantation shutters are a great choice because:
  • Noise levels are cut by up to 50 per cent, which is a real bonus in an older or listed property where it isn't practical to fit double-glazing.
  • They can let the light stream in, without affecting privacy, as slats can be adjusted to suit your requirements.
  • They allow you to block out harmful UV light.
  • This type of window covering will boost your security, as shutters stop passers-by being able to see in.
  • They are also good for insulation, keeping the flat warm and cosy in winter and cool in summer.
  • Shutters will complement your décor, as the clean lines fit in well with a contemporary interior.

The contemporary look of plantation shutters is one of the main reasons for choosing them in a London home. Loft apartments are often in attractive and unusual old buildings such as converted factories, which benefit from certain features, such as piping, exposed brickwork, or ironwork. Shutters will help to make the most of these features rather than getting in the way as curtains might do.

Also, in a building like this you may have a spectacular view that you don't want to block. Using shutters, you can alter the slats to keep the view, but tilt them slightly so no-one can look up and see through to your living room or bedroom.

Shutters London – click here for details about our products.

Decorating Your Loft Apartment
Industrial Look – If your loft apartment is in a converted factory, then choosing industrial furniture will help to give a flavour of the building's heritage. Coffee tables and shelving made from metal and wood, perhaps using reclaimed materials such as industrial pine, are among the items to consider here. Choosing wooden shutters rather than curtains will tone in well with the industrial furniture and help to create a complete look. You could also use office-style shelving and dining chairs in metallic orange or blue for a splash of colour, or maybe have a really unusual centrepiece such as a table made from an old clock.

White Furnishings – One of the main attractions of loft living is that your apartment is likely to be full of light, and choosing white paintwork and furniture will emphasise this. White bedspreads, sofas and chairs all help to give a feeling of space. If you don't think a white carpet is practical for everyday use, you could choose wooden flooring, which goes well with white, or maybe rush matting. Coloured shutters will make your windows into eye-catching features, or you might want to keep everything white, including the shutters, with just a few coloured accessories standing out.

Monochrome – Black and white make a dramatic combination which can help to give a loft apartment a clean, modern and minimalist atmosphere. Metal and glass furniture, such as coffee tables and angle lamps, can contribute to the stark, pared down look. You may also want to consider futons or modular chairs and sofas. Jazzy black and white wallpapers are a popular choice, or go for plain white walls with a few framed photographs or abstract paintings. Painted white shutters for a London loft decorated in this style will be the perfect finishing touch. Alternatively, choose a single bright colour, such as red or yellow, to create a sharp contrast.

Retro – Perhaps ultra-modern looks are not for you and you prefer older styles of furniture. You might want to furnish your loft with antiques, reproduction pieces and period style soft furnishings, working together to create a warm and welcoming feeling. Or perhaps you are a fan of an era such as the 1950s and enjoy scouring second-hand shops and fairs for items which fit your own personal style, such as quirky individual chairs or even a jukebox. Plain wooden plantation shutters will help to create a retro and alternative atmosphere. If you would prefer coloured shutters, Bespoke Shutters can come up with shades to match your apartment's paintwork, including Farrow and Ball colours.

About Bespoke Shutters

Bespoke Shutters are specialists in fitting shutters in the London area, with a wide range of plantation and solid shutters to choose from. We are highly experienced and have designs to suit all styles of interior.

Bespoke Shutters  – to see our range of plantation shutters click here.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Home Decorating: Beautifying Your Kitchen with Plantation Shutters London

As most of us spend a lot of time in the kitchen, it is essential to keep it looking good – and  installing plantation shutters from London-based Bespoke Shutters will enhance the room. When entertaining, you might want to keep guests out of the kitchen, but in practice they will often end up coming in to talk to you while you are cooking, or even to help with washing up. So the appearance of this room is just as important as that of areas like the living room.

As well as looking good, it is also obviously vital that your kitchen functions well and is logically laid out, so that you don't lose a lot of time when preparing food. Whether your kitchen is contemporary or traditional, plantation shutters are a great choice, and London firm Bespoke Shutters has a range of styles to suit your interior.

Café-style louvre shutters are especially popular for kitchens, as a stylish and practical alternative to net curtains. The shutters are very versatile and give privacy, as you can open a window to air the room and get rid of cooking smells while still having the slats closed so people can't see in from outside. Also, shutters will not absorb odours as curtains do, and will prove much easier to keep clean, which is especially vital in a kitchen area.

Plantation Shutters London  – click here to browse our range.

Getting the Right Look for Your Kitchen

If you are designing a kitchen from scratch, then you will plan the space and ensure that all the elements work together well. Equally, if you are adding to or enhancing an existing kitchen, then you will want to make sure that the items you are adding improve the look and functionality of the whole. Installing shutters will work well either way, providing privacy while helping to give the whole room a lift and toning with your décor. Plantation shutters from our range are the ideal choice, whether you are having a whole new kitchen installed or just making some alterations to an existing one, such as installing new fronts or worktops for existing units.

Traditional Kitchen

You don't have to live in a farmhouse, or even in the country, to hanker for a traditional rustic kitchen. Many people in towns and cities are equally keen on this type of design, which could include distressed pine or oak units and perhaps even an antique style dresser, as well as tiled or brick floors. Shutters at the window are all part of the effect.

You could either opt for a natural wood finish or for painted units, while including finishing touches like cast iron handles will give an extra touch of class. Window shutters will also work well with this type of look. For instance, you might decide on shutters in a natural wood finish if you have a lot of wood in your kitchen, or you might prefer painted shutters with a shade to match your walls, tiles and worktops. We have a wide choice of colours in our range and can match any shade of paintwork.

Contemporary Kitchen

Clean lines are key to a modern kitchen's look, and installing plantation shutters can contribute to this. A room of this type will often be fitted out with gleaming white or grey units and a lot of steel and glass to add to the hi-tech appearance. You might also want to include a white breakfast bar complete with black stools.

A single bright colour could also be used to add interest to the room, perhaps with some units or tiling in green, red or orange to contrast with the stark monochrome. Modern industrial-style lighting is another feature which can add to the look, along with a black, white or grey tiled floor. Island units are another popular item to include.

Unlike net curtains, shutters will go perfectly with this type of kitchen, as their streamlined style is in perfect keeping with a contemporary theme. We have a wide range of options, so you could choose shutters painted in black or white or a bright colour, or select natural wood, which will go well with modern as well as traditional design themes.

Kitchen-Diner

Some houses have a larger kitchen, with an open-plan area also including a dining section If your house is laid out like this, you may want to have a different type of look for the kitchen and diner, but at the same time it is important that they go well together. So, for instance, you might have a wooden dining table in the same shade as the wood of your kitchen units. You could either choose the same type of shutters throughout, or have different ones in the different areas of the room, such as louvred café shutters in the kitchen section and full-length shutters if there is a large window in the diner area.

About Bespoke Shutters

If you are looking for plantation shutters in the London area, then Bespoke Shutters have a wide selection which is bound to meet your requirements. Get in touch now to find out more about our range, which includes solid and bathroom shutters and will suit all shapes and sizes of window.

Shutters London  – get in touch now to find out more.