Fine dining

"Even in a formal dining room you don't want to be ponderous or gloomy. Eating is really one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day, and it's well worthwhile to make the game as pleasant as possible."

Dorothy Draper, Decorating is Fun

Dining rooms are one of those very important rooms in the house that are often overlooked. It is a place to sit and relax and have your meal. That being said, whether your dining room is being used for formal dinners or for family dinners, you should make the dining room comfortable.

Dining chairs can so easily be very hard and ill fomed for your body. It is essential to be able to sit and enjoy your meal rather than wanting to finish as soon as possible to get off the chair.

Dining rooms are also frequently where we continue sitting after a meal as it is a place to have a good chat with friends; some people almost never move to the lounge after a meal.

Dining rooms are also the easiest rooms to decorate, nice table, chairs, end chairs and a carpet and you're set.

To create interest in your dining room it is always quite striking to have different chairs as your end chairs. They can be much bigger, with a different design and completely contrasting fabric to the rest of the dining chairs. To look at an example of these chairs click HERE and the link will take you to the dining room of one of my recent clients.

So when it comes to your dining room, don't let it be the last room you look at, make it comfortable and eye-catching and you will be amazed at how much time you spend there.

Opulently occasional

Occasional chairs can be stunning pieces of furniture that can bring a whole room together. Often when you have a sofa, two chairs, an ottoman and end tables the room still looks like it needs something. Just adding one occasional chair to the setup can finish offf the room beautifully.

You can also accentuate colour with an occasional chair. For example, if your furniture is covered in neutral colours and the scatters on your sofa are in defferent shades of blue, upholster the occasional chair in a toned-down blue.

Another stunning look with an occasional chair covered in a neutral fabric, is simply placing a folded throw, vertically underneath the seat cushion and over the back part of the seat.

It also works quite well to have two occasional chairs in your dining room, that, when looked at, is a nice little seating area, but functions as extra seating if needed. This little seating area can also be used by you and your partner for having coffee or a glass of wine after dinner. Small seating areas also work beautifully if you have a symmetrical room, where you can then have a seating area at both ends of your dining table, for example.

There are hundreds of different designs of occasional chairs, which makes it ideal for any themed interior. And by upholstering an occasional chair in your choice of fabric, also makes it a very personal and unique piece.

So if you have a problem with a room that does not feel finished, add an occasional chair and see the magnificent difference it will make.

A magic carpet ride

"Carpets are the shoes of a room, if the shoes don't work the outfit is ruined"

Carpets can make a very bold statement or blend into a room unnoticed - it all depends on what story you want to tell with your carpet. An all-white room can, all of a sudden, have an extreme personality with an in-your-face contemporary geometrical carpet, whereas a classic room can be made to feel more inviting with a toned-down, faded Persian carpet.

There is such an amazing variety of carpets out there. You can literally go crazy with carpets. Here are some guidelines to work around when looking for a specific carpet.

When looking for a carpet for a bedroom, it is very important to look at texture, it is absolutely dreamy to take off your shoes and step onto a carpet that feels like you're walking on clouds. For bedrooms, look at soft, luscious carpets as these will make the room more inviting.

When searching for a carpet for living areas you should always consider wear and tear, carpets aren't cheap and having to replace a beautiful carpet after a year can really break the bank. Ask the retailer about easily washable carpets and carpets suitable for high traffic areas.

The carpet supplier I regularly use for my clients has most of their carpet designs in different qualities, this not only works for people on tight budgets but also works for the purpose of having a carpet that is easily cleanable.

When looking from a design point of view, get a feel for the room you want to buy the carpet for, decide whether you want the carpet to disappear and just add a soft touch, or whether you want the carpet to be a focal point. Also keep in mind that classical architecture does not necessarily mean that all the rooms should be decorated to be classical. The same goes for modern or contemporary homes. You can also go for the opposite, a classic room can be very interesting with a contemporary carpet and a modern room can be very interesting with a soft toned-down Chobi.

These are guidelines to follow. Play around with carpets - most retailers let carpets go on appro, so you can really get a feel for a carpet over a weekend, and see what it does to your room.

Conversations through collections

"If you are a collector, let other people share your pride and joy. Don't sprinkle your collections out of sight in a meaningless jumble. Notice how groups off small objects, when they are well arranged, become important and effective. Remember that repetition is a form of emphasis. Collect what you will, but see to it that you arrange your hobby to its best advantage"

Dorothy Draper, Good Housekeeping

Many collectors have stunning collections, but they generally have them hidden. Displaying your collections (whatever they may be) creates focal points and conversations, and will, ultimately, make you smile and feel proud of what you have accomplished.

There is no point in having these magnificent collections that are so dear to you, without being able to appreciate them every day.

There are a myriad of ways to display valuable collections, whether monetary or sentimental, but many people are afraid that their collections might get damaged. Stamp collections, for example, can be beautifully displayed in a simple yet elegant perspex box.

If you have a vast amount of sports memorablilia and would like to display it on or close to your bar area, why not have a unit custom-made to fit with the theme of your bar or surrounding area?

Special works of art can be hung over a fireplace, or you could create a feature wall by either painting the wall a darker shade of the existing colour on your walls, or simply wallpapering that one wall. When looking at wallpaper, make sure to choose something simple, like a stripe, as this will not divert attention from the artwork, but will still enhance the effect of the wall.

There are many ways to display and appreciate your collections, and as I mentioned in my previous blog about accessories, Personality through accessories, they make your home your own and gives a personal touch to any room in which you choose to display them.

Quick office tips

Quick tips to improve your office experience:

• Hang or display on a stand, a painting you really like. It helps to make you feel calm and think clearly.

• Display a plant in a beautiful pot, it brings the outside in and green creates a tranquil atmosphere for optimising the mental functions of focus, concentration and clarity.

• Have warm colours in your office: shades and tones, or splashes of red, burgundy, bright orange, burnt orange, bright yellow and yellow ochre. All these colours improve focus, attention, clear thinking and effective action, which in turn improves productivity.

• Place a beautiful vase on your desk with fresh cut sunflowers, this will not only improve your focus, but will look beautiful and make you feel optimistic as well!

All these tips are easy to apply and will make a major difference to your office experience.

Quick bedroom tips

A few tips to improve your bedroom and sleep experience:

• After a hard day’s work, and the evening with family, friends or chores that have to be finished, you have to look forward to a good night’s rest. This should be the goal in your bedroom. Everything should invite you to slow down, become calm and completely relaxed!

• Use cool colours, such as hues of blue or green, turquoise and lilac: these are colours that can form stunning blends, and will make your bedroom more relaxed and comfortable. These colours work well for men and women!

• Using warm colours like reds, browns, yellow and orange in your bedroom can create a very uneasy atmosphere, making it difficult to fall and stay asleep. Therefore, steer clear of these colours in your sleep space!

• Make sure you have soft, really comfortable chairs, where you can simply curl up, with a glass of wine after a hectic day at work, to chat with your partner, or to read a good book before bedtime.

These tips are easy to apply and can make a major difference to your lifestyle!

Dog on the couch

"Dogs' lives are too short.  Their only fault, really" 

Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Working from home has granted me the joy of being around my dogs a lot. Most people who “own” dogs know that they possess the most amazing form of unconditional love. Having said that, also the most amazing skills of manipulation for that matter.

I am absolutely crazy about my dogs, and it is extremely important for me to feel that I give them the most comfortable and joyful life they can possibly have. They are always around me, and because of that, when I lie on my bed or sit on the sofa I always allow them to lie or sit with me.

This can be quite calamitous when it comes to dogs that love mud etc. This does not have to be a problem, as there are wonderful ranges of beautiful fabrics at most fabric houses that are specifically made for children and pets that like dirt. They are incredibly easy to clean, very inexpensive and will work with any interior scheme you have.

So when it comes to your four legged friends, have a sofa where they are also allowed to sit, with one of these incredible fabrics and you will never worry about the dirty paws again.