Friday, April 17, 2015

Four Decorating Ideas for a Modern Attic Room

With the rising cost of London homes, more people are choosing to enlarge their property, rather than move house. And, one of the top ways of extending a property is an attic conversion, which will also add value to your house when you come to sell. According to BBC Homes, Victorian or 1930’s houses are best for loft conversions because of the large amount of roof space they have. Here, we look at how to decorate a contemporary attic room with shutters.

Bespoke Shutters, London, design and fit window coverings for all shapes and sizes of windows including loft style, round, half round and hexagonal windows. Click here to find out more.

Shabby Chic Attic

The shabby chic look has been topping the fashion stakes for some time and because it is light, airy, and eclectic, where almost anything goes. Distressed finished wooden furnishings on stripped wooden flooring, or white painted floors, are a great choice for a shabby chic attic. And if you are the creative type with time on your hands, you can even buy second hand furniture and customise it yourself using stencils or have a go at the distressed look.

This type of decor has an air of romance; so French metal beds, decorative white framed mirrors, lace bedspreads and lots of cushions complete the look…not forgetting a cosy rug to sink your feet into on a cold night. It’s a great choice for a guest room, and for extra comfort, you can even go all out and place a Victorian bath in the centre of the room. Finish the décor with white wooden shutters which is ideal for this space as you can adjust the slats to make full use of natural light.

Industrial Style Attic 

Industrial style furniture is all the rage at the moment, with factory-inspired furniture – such as apothecary chests, industrial cart coffee tables, school blackboard coat hangers, pallet tables, benches and stools with adjustable screws – taking pride of place in attic style apartments and homes across the country. Although original factory style furniture is hard to find, many furniture companies are recreating vintage furniture.

This type of furniture, which has its roots in yesteryear, is an ideal choice for a minimalist style attic. The mix of steel and solid wood is not only interesting and appealing, it looks fantastic in an attic rooms with exposed beams and brickwork. Timeless shutters fit perfectly with this sleek London style, which includes clean lines and fuss free designs. It is an ideal choice for an attic that doubles as a bedroom/home office.

Light Wood Attic Room 

If you prefer a room with natural wood furnishings, light wood is a great choice because it gives the illusion of space, making the room appear roomy and welcoming. Sleek modern wooden bed frames with white bedspreads, reclaimed wooden chests of drawers and wardrobes, a cosy rug and a comfy chair is one way to decorate this space.

You can also add finishing touches such as picture frames in natural materials, a driftwood mirror, large vase containing twigs wrapped in fairy lights, and contemporary lighting. Shutters are a flexible choice of window covering, and if your window is too high to reach, motorised shutters are available through Bespoke Shutters.

Retro Attic Room 

A retro attic room is a fun choice for this space – bright colours, bold, geometric shapes and eclectic drawer fronts. To make the look work, it’s always best to choose a few colours and use this theme throughout (not too many as the look will appear too cluttered). A chair in a vibrant colour, accessorised by a rug or print which picks out this accent colour, is ideal and you can highlight this furniture piece with a photographer’s floor lamp.

This look is ideal for an attic space that is used as a bedroom as well as a sitting room. If you prefer to go for natural materials rather than bold colours, leather chairs and cow hide rocking chairs also fit the retro trend, creating a cosy but spacious look. Shutters that match the wall paint will help draw the eye to your favourite furniture pieces.

Shutters London – Click here to see our full range of made-to-measure shutters and blinds.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Create a Stylish Conservatory with Shutters

Want to create a stylish conservatory with shutters for your London home? This article shows you how.

Spring is the time that most people draw their attention to the garden area. If you are lucky enough to have a beautiful view: over a pond, river, open countryside, or even over a pretty courtyard or decked terrace, you will want to make the most of it…and a conservatory does just that.

Used most in the spring and summer, when your outdoor space is at its best, a conservatory adds beauty, vital extra space, and helps bring light into your home. However, the constant stream of sunlight in the warmer months can be overpowering at certain times of the day, making the room uncomfortably hot and bright.

A cost-effective solution is to install plantation shutters in your conservatory. This will reduce the glare of the sun, while also making the most of the natural light during the day. This article looks at the benefits of shutters for your conservatory and gives two ideas for decorating this room.

Shutters London – Click here to see our full range of conservatory shutters.

Conservatory Shutters

A conservatory is one of the top home improvements in Britain, and, according to Phil Spencer, presenter of ‘Location, Location, Location’, it can add as much as 7 per cent onto the value of your property.

One of the reasons for its popularity is that a conservatory is so versatile: it can be used as a breakfast room or dining area, children’s play area, for entertaining friends, or as a quiet retreat – to read a book, wind down with yoga, or simply to sit and enjoy the view over your garden. However, regardless of what your conservatory is used for, it is essential to choose window coverings that will provide privacy, make the most of daylight, and can be closed simply and easily.

Plantation shutters are the best choice for a London home because they are so sleek and stylish, and are designed to suit all types of conservatories. As Bespoke Shutters install conservatory shutters to exact specifications, your window coverings are made to neatly match any shape or style of glass panels, so they will guard against dazzling light coming from any angle. Just alter the slats to adjust the light levels – so you can let the morning sunlight stream in – and close the slats in the afternoon, when the room starts overheating.

It is also easy to keep the glass clean as the conservatory shutters can be moved to the side when they are not in use.

Conservatory Style Guide

If you are thinking of installing a conservatory, here are a few ideas for how to decorate it, using solid wood shutters for your London home.

The Natural Conservatory

A conservatory decorated with natural materials, such as stripped wooden floors and rattan or painted furniture, creates an easy transition between your interior and outdoor environment.

Decorate with colours such as beige, brown, white, cream, taupe, grey, blue and green, so your conservatory blends easily with your garden. Lots of plants will brighten this space and helps bring the outdoors, indoors. Adding cushions and throws will also add a homely feel.

If this is your preferred interior, consider installing natural wood rather than painted shutters for your conservatory.

The Contemporary Conservatory 

Industrial style furniture, white lacquered oriental furnishings, bright, comfy statement chairs, sofas, and vases, or dramatic sculptures…almost anything goes in a contemporary conservatory. Think clean, sleek lines and bold geometric shapes to create a room that adds interest and impact.

Consider installing white painted conservatory shutters for your interior as this will fit with almost any colour scheme, while maintaining a light, contemporary feel.

Bespoke Shutters are specialists in made-to-measure shutters and blinds in the London area. Click on the link to find out how we can help you find the perfect window coverings for your interior.