Many elements of home decor will bring this sense of warmth and well being to a room. The most obvious thing we associate with a log cabin is wood. A stunning wooden floor covered in faux animal skin rugs or having wood panelling on the walls will make the space feel cosy and protected from the cold outside. Low level lighting needs to be considered . A warm glow for bedside lights with a gentle pendant above is enough. The fabrics of the lampshade should speak of natural fibres, linens and cotton. Plain colours in creams, browns or pale lemon. Look for a hanging pendant in wood as in a Tom Radfield light or in a gentle woven material such as rattan.

Crisp white linen should be topped with a dark navy or brown thick blanket with simple matching cushions. Then on top of that a faux thick throw at the end of the bed should lend itself to this snuggly environment.

Distressed wooden furniture as bedside cupboards will lend a touch of authenticity to the rustic look. Maisons du Monde have a number of suitable bedside tables and other pieces to complement this style.

Lastly an old small sofa in a cotton tickling fabric or a chair in a faded mustard velvet will finish you scheme off. Then you are ready to hibernate January and February waiting for the arrival of Spring in March.

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In Chinese culture of the Imperial Court, yellow was the colour of power wealth and prosperity. In Chinese Buddhism the colour represents freedom and the monks wear yellow (saffron) robes. It is no surprise therefore that Paint and Paper Library have named their yellow paint Chinese Emperor. It is a glorious colour but has just enough brown in it to make it feel old and carry the patina of age. Its a good hallway choice as it sits well with antique furniture and is good in the light of several different floors. Also it suits art work displayed against it. In 2021 the Pantone colour of the year is a bright yellow. It invokes the solar power and energy, a very science based take on the shade.

The paint colour which best reflects this space age and futuristic feel is Little Greene’s Lemon Mivi. I like this as I think it is light and bright. The sharpness reminds us of the tartness of a lemon but has the radiant light of the sun.

Yellow does not exist in a vacuum and will look great when contrasted with a grey or a green.

A colour that will always enliven a room, bold but rewarding, it deserves its place in your designs for living.

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Very often it is associated with a coastal theme with the blue and white palette of the ocean a backdrop to interior design. In our rather darker and damper climate this look is harder to achieve and needs also to reference the older style houses of the Puritan settlers who used wood and woven upholstery to bring warmth and decorative craftsmanship to their houses.

The combination of navy and cream is a sophisticated starting point to decorate a living space. To bring some texture to the room, a cherry wood or oak floor can balance this stark palette. A carefully placed wing backed Colonial style chair covered in a blue and white fabric with a strong motif with a checked throw of softest wool again balances the blue and white theme. This works in a contemporary space as the addition of large areas and glass doors as often seen in a modern setting will enhance the brightness of this look. Rugs and candlesticks with a few paintings will complete the style and bring more varied colour and depth to the room.

The sea which brought the settlers to the shore and their ability to build, sew and create are threads of this style. By weaving them together we can bring New England to Old England in a modern way.

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The peacock feather was one of the main designs of the aesthetic movement. The most famous usage of this motif is on a printed cotton designed by Arthur Silver. The upholstery fabric Hera feather is a development of this design for the modern world.

One of the most enduring patterns that we still see today is Ianthe Tana lawn cotton. This was created for Liberty by R. Beauclair in 1900 and is still sold today. It’s very recognisable and graces many windows today.

Other influences on the designs of fabrics for liberty were from the adaptation of Persian and Indian images featuring dragons and floral motifs with swirling leaves and trees. If you are seeking this look today, the Marquess Garden offers a modern floral take with a 1970s feel thrown in.

The classic nature of the liberty print looks great when set against a contemporary space. One chair or a bundle of velvet cushions can add a timely reminder that good taste never goes out of fashion.

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Most notably fabric and wallpaper have taken the image of the bird in many variations to produce lovely colourful options for your room.

Whether is a gentle dove or a dramatic peacock there will be something to suit your taste.

The whimsical Chimney Swallows by Designers Guild is fabric with a strong image of the bird in flight . In the blue colourway is a gorgeous addition to a bedroom for curtains.

Birds aren’t always such a dominant feature in a fabric. The subtler usage of storks is used in the gentle Moss Bayou by Raoul textiles. This watery cotton linen has a faded feel reminiscent of French window dressings. A perfect choice for a sophisticated living area.

A bolder take can be illustrated in the indigo colour-way of Pheasant by Christopher Moore. This is very clipped with the static bird resplendent in clear foliage. Good in a kitchen this fabric is traditional but timeless.

Almost any room can be adorned by these avarian creatures. Once you look you will discover your inner bird watcher .

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Suddenly a range of much more sculptural overhead lighting has been created and the chandelier become funky and artistic.

A good example of this modern industrial hanging pendant / chandelier is from Buster and Punch. It’s a mixture of bulb and shaded lights that would add some modernity to a Victorian hallway.

In a similar vein the glass globes of Fritz Henson will again be a far cry from the old school crystal drops . This bulb based chandelier gives discreet colour to a room without being overbearing.

Graham and Green go for a bit more glamour in their Deco Beatrice chandelier. Available in two sizes this will give a more modern room sophistication and ritz.

For something bright and statement look no further than Rockett St George starburst style spiky chandelier. This will be a taking point for all your visitors as well as lighting up your life.

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David Hall Kitchens work mainly in the East of England and they produce a wide range of options for their clients from sleek modern to traditional wooden.

A more well known company that has a bespoke tradition is Plain English. They can do the shaker style we are all so familiar with but they also do a more contemporary range that looks great in a country house setting as well as a London apartment.

A smaller company who are up and coming are Naked Kitchens. They produce an excellent standard of workmanship as well as an interesting approach to design with gives them a more individual edge.

All three of these companies do fabulous work. You just need an equally fabulous designer to pull these ideas together !!!

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Taking a white as a staring point, fill the room and inject colour through exciting pieces of furniture and fabrics. A long sleek cream sofa can lounge in the space adorned with pastel shades of cool patterns. Choose pinks and aquas as your accent points in the cushions and lamp fittings. Using the neutral tones of cream, white and pale grey, build up a strong design base to carry the weight of the vibrant palette of the sun.

Bring nature indoors with wonderful plants, palms and ferns dotted around the space. This modern look is not bare and minimal but vibrant and sleek.,The addition of deep thick pile rugs onto a wooden floor gives the room the glamour associated with this genre.

To do this in dank Britain is a challenge but can be achieved by getting the tones right and allowing as much light into the space as possible. The end of a kitchen diner which leads onto a patio or garden would be perfect for this treatment. Billowing voile curtains in a light material will bring the essence of a beach breeze. The use of the pastel palette will remind you of the sky and sea in Miami. The fittings in rattan and wicker also will add the sense of warmth and sun. Drinking your cocktail in the lounge, you will feel uplifted and very sophisticated revelling in this style.

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As for fabrics, there is a range of amazing velvets you can use to give your room this imperial look. Zoffany do a cross piled velvet called Tespi which would grace any home. The dual motifs give it a dynamic quality that stops it from being too flat and dense. This can be enhanced by some lovely passementerie, tassels and bobbles perhaps in a rich metallic thread to further give the fabric charm and movement.

This richness of tone means it is a great choice as a sofa finish. It can be both exciting in a flat weave or be intriguing when used as a herringbone tweed pattern or a floral pattern with a lighter background. In this way, aubergine is surprisingly versatile.

However, using it as a woodwork finish can be a brave but exciting choice. In a boot room or a kitchen, some of the furniture can take this strong colour as long as its framed by a lighter one elsewhere in the room. I prefer it painted on tongue and groove or panels rather than just a very plain surface.

Aubergine has a sense of occasion and place and is therefore suitable for an entrance hall. Here it can look well set against a wooden floor and is a wonderful background for paintings and antiques. In a study, it will bring warmth and privacy and is a welcome change from the usual reds and greens so often used in this room.

A colour for all seasons and rooms bringing drama and majesty to all that goes before it.

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The shelves themselves can be made from contrasting materials to the main units. You can have glass, metal, wood or marble. They can be lit for ambience at night, floating or fixed. There is so much choice that you can see how this brings entirely new elements into your kitchen design fairly economically.

If you have a spare wall in the kitchen, shelving can be used as a display area for ceramics that you use, such as salad dishes or more decorative glass or plants to brighten up your working space. It is possible to mix up all these elements in a display on the shelves and change it whenever you feel the mood take you. Open shelves are for the imaginative and artistic to fill and arrange with pride.

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