The less clutter to clean around, the more time you have to enjoy living in your home. Add a few decorative items to give your house character – even if they are antiques, the fresh modern setting will give them a contemporary vibe.

A fresh modern look for your home can be achieved with some clever use of colour. Colour can be functional too in that it helps to set the right mood for any given space. Don’t choose colours just to be on trend either – that isn’t what modern design is about. They should be inspiring to you and your family, creating a home that is comfortable to live in for all.

There is no doubt that a neutral palette is a fool proof start to decorating and can be used for flooring and furniture. Warmer neutrals will make a room more homely whereas cooler tones have a more contemporary and simple look. Then take your love of colour and add it in with wall art or paint, soft furnishings and lighting.

When choosing furniture such as sofas, dining tables and storage units – look for those that will stand the test of time and have simple lines to fit in with ever-changing trends. Again, neutral colour palettes and natural materials such as wood, metal and glass will always fit into a modern interior – timeless classics. With function being one of the key elements – keep an eye out for fresh ideas such as modular furniture and items that double up as storage solutions.

Modern fabrics are long-lasting and easy to clean but there is more and more of an emphasis on Eco-friendly materials. Organic cottons, linen and hemp blends can be bought and used to make slip-covers for sofas and dining chairs, lounge curtains and cushion covers. Modern fabric prints are fresh and use complimentary colours in either pastels or more punchy brights.

Classic patterns such as stripes or geometric will always fit into a modern interior and help to give it some interesting detail. Another approach to choosing fabrics is those that have a traditional print with a contemporary twist. Have a think about floral prints in zesty colours or any modern botanical print. Eyelet curtains in faux suede or silk are very modern and have a sleek appearance.

When adding finishing touches remember that less is more – go easy on accessories and try to choose decorative pieces that have a function such as trendy lighting or a funky wall clock. Mirrors, green house plants and a stunning canvas on the wall will let your personality shine through.

Cool contemporary is an ongoing interior design style and one that changes or progresses from time to time. Contemporary is all about the ‘right now’ in interior design and so by decorating with this style you can be sure that you will always be on trend. Add the word ‘cool’ to contemporary and your homes are updated with a look that is effortless, welcoming and full of calm. Let us take a look now at the main principles of this style, followed by some ideas to help you introduce cool contemporary into your own homes.

5 Principles Of Cool Contemporary:

• There is some integration with the ideals of minimalism – no cluttered spaces or excess furnishings.

• Open spaces and rooms that are full of light.

• Surfaces have a finished look and clean lines.

• Statement pieces or focal points are often used with a vibrant colour to contrast with a predominant neutral palette.
• Underlying focus on green-living and bringing nature indoors.

Get The Look:

One thing that cool contemporary is not – cold. Contemporary design has moved forward from interiors that worked with monochrome black and white and chrome accents. The new wave is more welcoming with warmer neutrals such as cream, beige and some greys. Wood is used to further enhance the warm and welcoming interior – with light woods being the most popular.

Green-living has had a big impact on this style in the last years and with it comes the use of colours such as green and blue – both cool and calming. Use a neutral palette throughout the home and pick up on some colour in accents such as coloured sofa cushions, curtains or wall art.

Materials such as metals, glass and stone are used frequently with wood and combined for a more interesting look. Clean lines are favoured over detailed shapes and carving. When choosing furniture such as dining tables and chairs, look for those that have clean lines and a polished finished to the wood or glass surfaces.

Fabrics tend to be void from pattern and depth is created by mixing textures such as leather, wool, cotton and suede. Block colour is acceptable and can be brought in via window treatments or bedding such as a pair of blue curtains that are calming and yet bring some life into the room.

Contemporary, traditional, streamlined, soft waves – there are a hundred or so looks you can achieve with a set of full length curtains. They can be made to act as the focal point in the room or to simply compliment the rest of your interiors. We will be taking a look at some of the different styles and how you can make the most of this beautiful addition to your homes.

• A contemporary room with a neutral colour palette of cream and brown can be enhanced with ceiling to floor curtains in bright white. Pick up on white with accessories around the room such as a white coffee table, glamorous chandelier and a collection of contemporary white vases. Full length curtains with pencil pleats will keep the room streamlined and ultra chic.

• A traditional home with a European country style will absolutely need full length curtains to dress it to perfection. Look for sculptured metal curtain poles that give way to goblet pleat curtains in a cream or beige fabric. More interesting would be an elegant print but keeping to two neutral shades so the that the look is soft and subtle.

• Love a shot of colour? Make your full lengths the focal point of a room by choosing brights in a sheer fabric. Keep the rest of the room fairly neutral and just pick up on the colour in accessories and finer details – a fresh flower arrangement or cushions for the sofa/bed/dining chairs.

• The right curtains can make a stale room warm and inviting. The country style room can receive a modern update – not by using full length curtains but by using full length curtains in a luxurious fabric such as silk. Look for subtle stripes in a feminine blue curtains and another neutral or in any classic blue and white print – think of blue and white Wedgwood China.

• For ambiance and tranquillity, a room with a colour palette of cool blues and greens will love the addition of full length curtains in a sheer fabric such as voile curtains. Left to fall in soft waves, they have a dram-like appearance and will let enough light trough without sacrificing your privacy.

• Eyelet curtains create deep, streamlined folds that never lose their shape. This will suit rooms with a minimalist approach or any contemporary style. Treat yourself to a little luxury by looking for faux suede or a fabric with a sheen.

Bay windows date back to the Victorian and Edwardian times so an interior décor style that comes from that era may be its perfect match. However, we have seen lots of evidence to prove that bay windows can work really well with contemporary interiors. Either way, make the most of them by having them compliment your existing décor. Here are a few ideas to dress them to perfection:

• Despite the fact that bay windows push out in a near semi-circular form, the individual windows are streamlined and can pull off a very contemporary window treatment. Roman blinds have neat horizontal folds that look great in modern interiors. The blinds will accentuate the shape of your bay window and have a very neat appearance.

• If you would to love to have some of the window nude and natural, but still need some privacy then you can go for half curtains or café-style curtains that just cover the bottom half of the window. Do make sure that the woodwork of the windows is kept looking in top form with a fresh lick of white or cream paint.

• Some houses may have a bay window seat which is a wonderful feature. There is nothing to stop you from making one yourself and later upholstering it with an attractive fabric. Add lots of cushions for a very warm and cosy room – great for young children to play by the window too! The window seat also doubles up as storage so you could even define this area as a children’s play area and store their toys in the seat.

• Bay windows in a kitchen or dining space could be incorporated into the room by having it as the dining nook. It might not fit a large table in front effectively – but a small round table for two to four people will fit perfectly a little in front of the bay. Coordinate colours from the dining chair cushions with your chosen window treatments – bright, cheery bay window curtains in a neutral shade or with soft stripes could be matched to upholstered chairs in the same colours and/or patterns.

• Kitchens need a makeover and a break from conformable neutral colour palettes. Break the rules and go for a shot of vibrant colour – we are not talking about a vase of Daffodils either. Make a lasting impression with gloss finished units in red, orange or pink for the ladies. Alternatively, do away with a white fridge and go with one in a vivid colour (those retro style fridges look really funky in a contemporary kitchen).

• Update your bathrooms with some new storage solutions with reflective surfaces. Look for free-standing cabinets or shelving units in stainless steel and glass. This will work especially well in smaller bathrooms that need a contemporary look and lots of light.

• Buy some new bedding and you have an instant lift in tired rooms. Crisp white duvet covers are the ultimate fresh look but for a contemporary twist choose those with a stitched detail in casual waves or geometric shapes.

• Graphic patterns are right on trend but if you want to have a sophisticated living room you should tone them down by having a primarily neutral room. Monochrome will work this trend best in a modern interior – think white sofa, light grey walls and black accessories with a large black and white graphic print rug on the floor and black and white lounge curtains to bring it all together.

• Neutral colour palettes are very chic but our dining rooms call for a splash of bright to achieve fresh and smart. Made to measure curtains in a vibrant colour such as red or even a small scale pattern in red and a white/cream curtains will give the dining room a pick me up in no time! Sheer fabrics will help to bounce the natural light from outside around the room and stop it looking dark and dingy.

• For the entrance and hallway of your home – why not get some new lighting fixtures? Light, bright and contemporary fittings will make a great difference and its worth having something spectacular to greet you when you get home. A glass chandelier in a modern design should do the trick.

A statement piece that acted as a stylish rooms crowning glory. Dressing to perfection is all about turning heads and you can do it just as well with one or two statement pieces as you can with an entire room. Sometimes it is better to have just one or two pieces as any more and the space is at war to get attention from its inhabitants. Need some inspiration? Read on!

• Do it with wallpaper: With printed wallpaper climbing up the walls and the contemporary stakes, there isn’t a better time to bring it back in your home. Wallpaper can be a statement in its own right – but use it wisely for maximum effect. With the less is more attitude, doing up one wall with a head turning wallpaper print will be more effective than placing it around the entire room. Which wall? Try the chimney breast or on the wall behind your favourite piece of furniture.

• Pictures, pictures and more pictures: One picture in a modest frame will go unnoticed, try taking an undressed wall and displaying a grouping of pictures in different frames. A black and white colour scheme can be just as effective if not more so than coloured ensembles – its all down to the high contrast. Slip one metallic frame such as gold or a bright colour such as yellow into the mix and you have a powerful and unique statement with ease.
• Alternatively, one oversized and colourful canvas in a neutral living space will be a guaranteed head turner – go with contemporary abstracts with complimentary colours such as red and green or blue with orange.

• Even a modern lighting fixture can become the highlight of a room. Just like furniture, new designers have an intimate relationship with lighting and that can only be good news for us. Chandeliers have been updated with unusual colour accents and ceiling lamps have been dropped low over dining tables with some incredible shapes and designs.

• Lounge curtains don’t have to fade into the background. Make them the show-stopper by going with a floor to ceiling length in a daring pattern or an accent colour such as orange or blue curtains to compliment your room. If you prefer a block colour then look for luxurious fabrics and make sure they drop with perfect pleats.

• Impress guests from the moment they walk in the door by having a bold coloured floor runner and put an interesting piece of furniture or wall art directly at the other end of the room – pow!

• Black can give a sleek look to rooms even when used in small amounts. It can even work together with wood furniture if they have the same finish. For example, a black side table with a simple lamp on it or a black fabric covered Ottoman at the end of the bed for extra storage. Particularly beautiful when placed in a bedroom with a predominantly red and grey colour scheme.

• More feminine decorated rooms can be toned down from all the sweetness of pastels and neutrals by adding a touch of black. It will also be appreciated by the man in the house! A coffee table or side table should do the trick – just try to bring in pieces that are not too chunky and still have a delicate edge to them.

• We tend to be hesitant when using a bright colour on the wall in the fear that it might be too ‘play room’. The trick to making it a sophisticated choice is to dress it up with black silhouette prints or other black accessories – very modern chic.

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• Who said that black doesn’t go with brown? A neutral palette of brown and cream is very soft and lacks punch. Just by using black on accessories such as picture frames or a black and cream print on curtains and cushion fabrics will give that softness a sharper edge and a more distinct look – try it in sophisticated living spaces or formal dining rooms.

• When using black as an accent, try to add it in throughout the room and at different levels to keep everything together. Choose a large floor rug under a dining table with black and another chosen colour, as a trim to dining room or lounge curtains and with lighting from above – a black chandelier being the optimum choice!

• Glamorous girls need glamorous bedrooms! Choose a black and pink printed duvet colour as the focal point in your room and team it with black or pink curtains and a black night lamp. Too Gothic? Go with a white framed bed, white bedside tables and a pastel pink on the walls.

A home that has been inspired by natural environments and designed with an Eco-friendly attitude, will be magical in the sense that it shows you what good can be done with a few simple choices in design. The atmosphere that is created by using materials in their most natural form is laid-back and very homely – two things that we all hope to achieve! Going natural with colour palettes will instantly soothe the house and using sustainable materials is a great start in doing something good for our environment.

Feel The Magic Of Nature’s Elements:

Nature itself is the biggest influence on our choices of colour. Light neutrals that represent light such as white, cream or beige will be the dominant colour scheme throughout the home. Not absent of colour, natural shades of green are abundant outdoors and you should definitely bring it in either with a light shade on walls or with accents, curtains, fabrics and décor pieces (especially potted plants). Neutrals don’t have to be just white or cream either. Warm neutrals and cool neutrals can be used in the home and they cover everything from browns to greys too.

Now that you have your main colour palette, it is time to think of fabrics and materials that are in tune with nature’s elements. Use cotton and linen for bedding or as slip covers for sofas and chairs, use lots of wood in both furniture, decorative pieces or even wooden blinds. Woollen rugs to dress up wooden floorboards and for more interest choose ready made curtains that have a natural pattern to them such as a simple leaf or floral print.

Some materials you should look out for are reclaimed woods, copper and bronze, wicker furnitures or baskets, natural stone and glass. Raw silk and wool are perfect when you want to go natural and they can be very luxurious too! Bamboo window blinds or a set of cream curtains would be the best options for dressing up your window and letting plenty of natural light flood in.

Unfinished Against Polished:

To stay within the theme of a natural and Eco-loving home, it is best when you can leave materials such as wood in their most natural state. Let them show their grain and worn areas, don’t stain or polish them. You might think about how organic living uses items from the past rather than having everything brand spanking new.

Want to find out more? Enjoy reading some of our best design advice on updating miserable living rooms and giving them something special to be proud of!

Sometimes too much of everything can be chaotic in lounges – especially in those that already have a lot of human activity going on. If you want something more specific you can explore your options for going with a theme. Themes are great when you need a simple transition and all it takes is a few items to achieve a fresh and inspiring look. You can have an African theme by buying some leopard print cushions or a zebra floor rug. Oriental themes are made easy with the addition of oriental lanterns as lighting solutions and cushions decorated with pink cherry blossom.

Larger rooms call for some definition and a great way to it is by creating a feature wall. A feature wall needs to show a significant difference to the other three or more walls for it to work. Consider the latest trend for dressing up walls by choosing patterned wall paper over paint. There are many patterns ranging from simple geometric shapes in a sheer finish to designs that are intricate and totally unique.

Bright colour paints such as hot pink or turquoise will also give your room a fresh look without changing the whole concept. Be careful with which wall you choose to dress up – those with an existing architectural feature such as period fireplace or bay window will have more impact.

Change your lounge curtains for a fresh new look without breaking into the piggy bank. Try something that is completely opposite to what you already have. If, for example you have café style curtains that hang at sill-length, buy luxurious looking ready made curtains that are long enough to fall and break at the floor. The extra length will also make a budget room appear more opulent and lavish.

The full effect of this colour can be used to create focal points, turn budget rooms into luxury, knock the socks off from your guests and add warmth to the coolest of spots – red will add a touch of magic to your home.

Re-Ignite The Passion In Your Bedroom:

Using red in the bedroom can dramatically change its appearance and provide you with a warm and passionate space. You don’t need even need to use much of this colour to get the desired look, just adding it in as an accent colour can make all the difference. Try some of the following design ideas to get you started:

• Having red furniture in the bedroom may have been your last option, but the good thing about red furniture is the possibility of moving it to another room should you fancy a different look later down the line. Choose a red set of drawers and place it against a neutral wall for optimum ‘wow’ factor.

• Red can be a challenging for those who usually shy from bold colours. If you want to sample red without letting it be overpowering, choose white or neutral bedding with some red detailing and pick it up with a simple wall hanging with a red frame.

• Don’t concern yourself with using red in a smaller bedroom. Eliminate the problem of closing in space by purchasing a wardrobe unit in this season’s hottest trend – high gloss red.

• Red bedroom curtains are an ideal way to bring the colour in without re-designing the whole bedroom. They will draw attention to a beautiful window and give more drama to a neutral room.

Re-Ignite The Passion In Your Living Room:

Where red can be passionate in the bedroom, it can add warmth and comfort to your lounge. Try some of our suggestions to get it right first time around:

• A bold red sofa will be visually stunning, but all the more so if you let it dominate over a cooler tone of pale green on walls or floor coverings.

• Kill two birds with one stone – achieve a dramatic red colour and the latest floral print trends with the addition of patterned curtains, cushions or slip covers in red and white or cream.