Most interior designers work their rooms around where the light comes from, so if you’ve got a window, chances are  it’s a focal point. It is imperative, therefore, that you dress your windows properly, considering a number of factors before you make your final decision. Below is a short guide to help you make the right choice for your curtains.

Tone

The first consideration you might make is the overall formality or intended casualness of the room. A formal living or dining room with elegant furniture requires equally well-dressed windows. Classic drapes in silk damask or velvet with swags or tie-backs over sheer netting is appropriate for this level of formality, whereas a simple, natural, slouchy Tab-top would better suit more laid-back surroundings.

Detail, Coordination & Contrast

Silk fringe or rosettes, and other fancy trimmings are often used in living and dining rooms, but if you prefer a clean, simple line, then by all means use what you like. If you’re a minimalist, you won’t be happy living with fussy details.

For a more casual, but still sophisticated room, panels or drapes of natural silk in colors which coordinate with the floor coverings and upholstery make a nice statement. Wool blends and linen are also chic in this setting, and should meld with your chosen furnishings. For example,  a softly draped wool panel is superb with an overstuffed couch, and dark polished wood tables.

Materials

You’ll need to decide what fabrics and materials best suit the environment, tone and function of your room. For example, if you’re furnishing a bathroom window, it is wise to select a material that is fairly water resistant, like cotton, wool or hemp. If you’re decorating for a bedroom, consider a blackout lining and a heavier fabric to block out the light. Drafty hallway? Interline your draperies with thermal lining to lock in the heat and save on your energy bills. Think carefully about light too. Silk curtains, for example, fade easilly when exposed to harsh sunlight, so if you are going for the luxury look in a naturally illuminated area, be sure to line the material carefully.

Exhibition or Privacy?

A fourth factor to consider is the windows themselves. Think about how you plan to use the windows. Is there a beautiful view, and lots of natural light that you would like to make use of? Or do you live in a city with a view of an alley, and a need for privacy? Voiles and semi sheer fabrics are the chicest way to get the ‘net curtain effect’ with an element of style, allowing you to see out, but preventing others from seeing in.

Tastes, Preference & Fashion

A fifth factor is your own personal likes and dislikes. If you like an eclectic, or even eccentric, look, use the colors and fabrics that you like the best. If you choose colors in the same value, that is all pastels or all brights, and patterns in the same size range, you can mix and match fairly easily. Busy room? Go easy on the paterns and stick with block colour.

Since the beginning of time, mankind has endeavoured to add a sense of individuality to their living environment. Today, we have many spaces we call our own where we can express our personal taste. The interiors and exteriors of our homes are a great potential canvas for our personal creativity. Occasionally, however, we’re out of ideas. Mentally blocked. Completely stumped. While using the colour ‘black’ to perk up a room may seem like a daunting prospect, it’s actually far better decorating option than perhaps it seems. 

 Black is best used to add drama and contrast to a room, and is frequently the colour of mystery, sleekness, and elegance. While many shy away from using large amounts of the colour on walls and panels, it can be a great way to add a luxurious, modern touch to a room, providing it is well illuminated and in a large, open space; it is not advised for small, dark places as it will enhance that hemmed-in feeling.

Black also makes a great accent colour. Accent colours can be picked up in throw pillows, curtains, rugs, and other decorative accessories. Black shutters, accent trim, and front doors can also makes an excellent accent to your exterior paint colour, diffusing borders and highlighting show-off areas.

Black is frequently used in conjunction with white to make the ultimate monochrome contrast. The vibrant pop of primary colours used in contemporary styles aids a room by creating the impression of depth when used alongside black, just like the vivid hues of a sunset against a black landscape. Rugged black iron work can add a whimsical touch to an eclectic interior. Black also works great against any paint colour from soft pastels to jewel tones.

Each room of the house can benefit from a black decorative piece. Black curtains in a bedroom can add a sexy richness to the room. Black curtains also have the added benefit of letting less light in for the late sleepers. Really, black curtains can be used to great effect in any room. The bathroom can be updated with black towels and toiletries. Black appliances give a kitchen a clean, modern look. Lamps with black bases or black shades make excellent accent pieces in any room of the house. A black blown-glass bowl set on a side table can be a great conversation piece.

Searching for the perfect black focal piece can be an adventure in itself.  The Internet provides a great variety of choices, and you can also shop for the best price. Other great places to look are interior decoration stores, home improvement stores and department stores. If you are looking for a deal, try flea markets and garage sales. Hunting for a find at these venues can be like treasure hunting; a productive and exciting way to spend a Saturday morning.

Try decorating with black. Don’t be scared of it. Adding small black accents to update your style, or think ‘big and bold’ to really create a statement. After all, it does go with everything.

Everyone knows that kids are notorious for putting things in their mouths. And, if your child suffers from allergies, you know just how challenging it can be to protect them from the various environmental hazards that constantly crop up from nowhere. Your child spends a lot of time in their own bedroom. It is where they sleep, dress and play. Finding hygienic and safe fabrics and furnishings for decorating children’s bedrooms is an important, but often challenging task. Just knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Panic not. With a bit of know-how you can transform your child’s bedroom into something that is not only aesthetically appealing, but also good for their health.

Flooring

If hygiene is a priority for your child’s bedroom, then flooring should be your first port of call. Most homes come furnished with carpeting. However, it is the least favourable floor covering, and is excellent at trapping and hiding allergens. Dirt, dust mites and germs can live in the pile and padding for a very long time, so the best thing to do is get rid of your carpet altogether.

Other healthier and more affordable options are available. Choose a nonporous flooring material such as tile, wood or bamboo. Bamboo is also a highly sustainable material, making it environmentally friendly and an added eco bonus for the ethically minded. Pay attention to the installation process with all types of flooring. For example, wood flooring can be installed using various methods, including toxic glues. Instead, choose a product that floats on the subfloor and snaps tightly together with no additional adhesive to irritate sensitive lungs.

Cork is another material that is ideal for children’s rooms. It is not only hypoallergenic, but also soft and easy to walk on. Surprisingly, despite the spongy nature of the material, it doesn’t harbour dirt, dust mites or allergens. It is one of the most hygienic options for decorating your children’s bedrooms.

While using hard flooring material is better for keeping things clean, they can be boring to look at. One of the best ways to freshen the space is to add a throw rug. Choose the material carefully. You want the rug to be able to take the abuse that the kids will surely give it, but also be able to be laundered easily so that little nasty things aren’t trapped inside. The best choices are natural cotton or linen. They are both durable and easy to clean. Cotton rugs can be thrown into a washing machine, whereas linen is hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to germs, hence why linen sheets are used so frequently in hospitals, and linen is one of the only natural materials used in the human body during operations.

Furnishings and Bedding

Once you have taken care of the flooring, it’s time to think about furnishings. Again, natural materials shine in this area. It is possible to buy dressers, beds and other furniture that is either unfinished or naturally finished with things like mineral oil. This type of furniture can be harder to clean than a varnished product, however, so keep plenty of Magic Erasers on hand if your child is a budding interior designer himself. You also may want to look into metal. Metal is an easier to clean choice and doesn’t hold dirt. However, be sure that all edges are rounded and that there is no possibility of the piece coming apart and exposing the child to sharp corners.

The bedding in your child’s room is probably the biggest culprit when it comes to matters of hygiene. Your child is in contact with the bedding every day. Dirt, dust mites and allergens thrive and multiply in the warm, moist environment. Choose only natural, hypoallergenic bedding materials, such as silk, bamboo, cotton or linen. Linen, bamboo and silk naturally kill most common allergens and can be mixed with other fibres, such as cotton, to make a more comfortable and durable bedding material. Cotton is ideal because it is easy to launder and is naturally free from allergens when processed properly. It is also available in dozens of styles, colours and patterns, making it the ideal choice for children’s bedding. These fabrics are also perfect for other applications in your child’s room, such as curtains and pillows.

Whichever material you choose for your child’s bedding, it is important to launder it regularly. Aim for once a week as a minimum. If your child has more severe allergies, you may even consider laundering or airing it out several times a week.

Toys and Accessories

Making sure your child’s toys are safe is extremely important. Toy manufacturers often neglect to make their products hypoallergenic and germ-resistant. Luckily, after care products are readilly available to help you manage the muck. Soft toys like teddy bears can be laundered with solutions to make them less likely to hold allergens. Hard objects can be regularly soaked or wiped down with an antibacterial wipe. While more and more companies are tapping into this niche cleaning market, wood toys are making a comeback. Also, keep an eye out for items that are made with natural materials or pre-treated to repel allergens. Certainly worth a google-search!

PART TWO

It’s no secret that the colour of a room has an incredible affect on the way we perceive our interior surroundings. Equip with paint and brush alone, we have the power to manipulate the size of a space, artificially create the appearance of sunlight, conceal flaws and accentuate stand-out features. But have you ever thought of the psychological impact the hue of your home has on your overall well-being?

From lurid yellow, to not-so-grisly grey, here is Part 2 continued from ‘Shades To Suit Your Mood’

Yellow
The colour of natural warmth, cheeriness and optimism, yellow can create the natural impression of sunshine, even where it doesn’t exist. Fantastic for use in an office, study, or, indeed, in the kitchen, research indicates that yellow can increase the metabolism and enhance concentration. However, it is one of the more difficult colours for the eye to take in, and can be overpowering if overused. Subtle furnishings and decor in this shade is advised. A bunch of sunflowers, a yellow-hued painting, or a single wall can really work to your biological advantage. Think saffrons, golds, ocres and creams if the thought of lurid lemon scares you. However, beware. According to science, people lose their tempers more easily in yellow rooms, and babies have been shown to cry more. Avoid in the bedroom.

Orange
Much like yellow, orange can cheer up the darkest room, and provide a welcoming sense of warmth and vivacity in a dull interior. Symbolic of wealth and joy, splashes of apricot and rich terracotta goes fantastically in the kitchen and dining areas. Chance in any north-facing room to cosey-up the walls with a Mediterranean twist.
Green

Symbolically the colour of nature, green is calming and refreshing, and great when used as a relaxant in bright, large spaces. People waiting to go on TV often wind down in the ‘Green Room’ before making their on-screen entrance, while hospitals frequently use the colour to calm patients down. Green is the easiest on the eye, and opticians even suggest that green environments can improve overall vision. Jades, limes, willows and forest, greens are ideal for lounge rooms and living areas.
Purple
Purple denotes luxury, wealth and sophistication. As it is rare in nature, purple can often appear artificial to the eye, so when choosing for the home, it is best to select subtle hues of heather or deep, iris shades. Avoid deep violets and purples in the kitchen, office and living areas, as studies have shown the colour to induce feelings of fatigue. Use deep rich flashes to accent and luxuriate a cream backdrop. Why not a try a panel in the hallway, or a sumptuous throw over a natural cotton bed spread?
Brown
Solid, reliable and abundant in nature, brown can be used anywhere and with any colour. Light shades can imply genuineness and honesty, and thus oats, flaxes and foals are very good for furnishing an office environment, or calming down the busy colours of a jam-packed room.
Grey
Grey, like brown, has the power to harmonise with all colours, and is a great background to use in a richly saturated environment. It has a calming, neutralising effect on the mind and is a designer’s favourite for use in bedrooms and living areas. Best used in combinations however, as grey alone can appear cold and dull the atmosphere. Warm up subtle silvers with with deep greens, ocre yellows, and rich purples.

Embrace your inner Bill Gates with these curtains…

1) For the Internet Obsessed…

If the internet is like your second shadow, your Siamese twin, your Ying and your Yang.

And if you can’t live without your YouTube, Google or Flickr and the mere thought of going a day without logging onto your Facebook account gives you the absolute jitters…

…. then this one’s for you, you beautiful crazy geeky person, you.

Apparently, someone had 9 wooden window blinds designed for them with a range of those logos printed on them including one for Digg, Flickr, Google, Facebook and Firefox.

Now that’s dedication.

(img src: nets2go.co.uk)

2) This One Produces Electricity…

You definitely can’t blow your nose with this one (or rather, you can, but it might be the last time you do).

The brainchild of Sheila Kennedy, this (prototype) curtain has thin flexi solar panels built into it. The idea is that any energy the curtain derives from the sun is stored and funnelled through to other electrical equipment throughout the home.

Really good (and cool) idea.

However, on a health and safety tip: how safe would it be around children?

And on a style tip: Would a range of different textiles be available? Or would a choice have to be made by the consumer between style and being environmentally friendly?

(img src: inhabitat.com)

3) Aaaand This One’s ‘Wiimotely’ Controlled…

It’s highly debatable as to whether this gadget’s really needed …unless ones room is SO big, the curtains are a 100 miles away but…anyway…

The ‘Wiimote’ is a remote that opens and closes your curtains for you. Looking at the video, it does look like a lot of wrist action just to do that. Wouldn’t it take the same amount of energy (or slightly more) to just get up and do it manually?

Hmm.

4) This One’s Made Out of Computer Punch cards…

Yep, you heard. Someone fashioned a blind out of a humble needle and thread plus the piers de resistance itself… computer punch cards.

Looking at the photo, they don’t look like punch cards at all. It looks more like some sort of calligraphy or creative pattern.

What an amazing way to use waste considering much of that was probably initially destined for the dumpster.

(img src: flickr.com/photos/jeffreygarman)

5) And This One’s a Tree…(but not as you know it)…

Aaaah, nature. It’s so, erm, natural, isn’t it?

I mean, look at that tree outside - and the way the curtain brings out its sheer beauty. All it needs is a couple of birds and voila, Mother Nature at her best.

Except that…ahem…the tree is inside not outside. And, erm, it’s not a real tree actually, but rather a profile of a tree …intricately printed on fabric…using ASCII characters.

Cool or what?!

Eat your heart out, Ikea.

(img src: nsybrandy.nl)

6) Don’t Walk Past This One if You’re, Erm, a Magnet…

The designer of this magnetic curtain, Florian Krautli, who is now my bestest friend in the whole world (but doesn’t know it), created it by incorporating itty bitty magnets to the fabric so that it could be bent/shaped any which way the user chooses.

Where do these designers get their ideas from? Did the Tooth Fairy give them more than a gold coin when they were little?

Not only is this design idea overly-fab, it’s such a simple idea in a “why-didn’t-I-think-of-that” way that it’s a tad frustrating (in a good way, of course).

(img src: nets2go.co.uk)

7) A Shower Curtain that Could Teach You a Thing or Two…

I personally prefer to sing my little tonsils out in the shower, but these shower curtains are pretty cool though. With lots of useful information printed on them, you can kick your sleepy brain into gear in the morning while lathering up in the bathroom.

A range of ‘educational’ shower curtains are available for your grey matter’s absorbing delight including Maths, French and Spanish Vocabulary, Geography and The Periodic Table.

Bathroom showers will never be the same (unless you don’t buy this particular shower curtain, that is. Ahem.)

(img src: nets2go.co.uk)

8) Plastic, Liquid-Crystal Curtain, Anyone?

If a curtain can be fashioned from magnets and computer punch-cards, then why not from plastic and liquid crystal?

This curtain consists of 2 pieces of plastic that switch from clear to opaque when the user presses a button. It’s made possible through the liquid-crystal that’s positioned between both pieces. As energy passes through it, it imbues an interesting dream-like impression onto the plastic.

(img src: nets2go.co.uk/)