Decor & Design Inspiration

Living room remodel
Giving your living space a makeover it not just about slapping on a coat or two of paint. It's also about careful planning and putting together a budget that allows you to buy what you need, or put your DIY skills to good use and save a bit here and there to afford a few luxuries.
What does your home colour say about you?
There is more to colour than what you see; colour is also an experience, an emotion, a feeling or a desire that starts as a neural signal along the optic nerve of the eye. That's why decorating your home with personal or favourite colours makes you feel comfortable, or creates a setting that is designed to create a specific emotion or feeling.
Gorgeous designer homes
One of my passions is to take a peek into designer homes to see what trends are popping up. These gorgeous homes immediately caught my eye - not only for their modern or contemporary design, but also for the use of vibrant colours and stunning photography.
Beautiful home interiors
Known for mixing classic and modern elements with bold colours, Willey Design brings together an elegant blend of sophistication and irreverence to interiors. Using modern, custom-made furniture mixed with vintage pieces he adds texture and visual appeal to all his design work. An affinity for modern art gives further direction and provides an explosion of colour or emotion.
Introduce colour to your home
So many homeowners are afraid to add bold, bright colour to their home. You want to, but are too afraid to take the next step. There are many ways to overcome the fear of adding colour to your home and this article looks at various options for adding just a splash of colour here and there.
What is a mood board
Many home decorators have used a mood board when planning to decorate a room or home, but for those of you who don't know what a mood board is, this article will provide a bit more information and hopefully get you started on making your own mood board.
Decorate a home with neutral colours
A neutral backdrop of colour allows you to decorate a home in so many ways. Neutrals create an atmosphere that is calm and soothing, with a timeless sophistication that only these shades can achieve. Lift up the mood with bold splashes of rich neutrals in chocolate brown and deep gold, or go for a more subtle look with tone-on-tone taupe, and then add pattern and texture via fabrics and accessories.
Christmas with Swedish flair
I love how the Swedes transform the most basic furnishings into a glamorous affair. They are the masters of living simple with flair. While the French love to add a touch of guilding here and there, only the Swedes can make basic look beautiful.
A home decorated in white
It might not be practical for me to decorate my home in white, but I long for the day when there's no more dust and the kids have moved out...! This beautiful home is decorated in white from top to bottom, showing that it is possble to have a beautiful white home.
Emerald - Patone colour of the year for 2013
Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the colour of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. Also the colour of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other colour conveys regeneration more than green.
Fresh, cool mint green decor
The name alone is enough to conjure up images of freshness. This is one colour that definitely cools down hot interior spaces and add a new level of cool as mint Green provides a refreshing space that is welcomed in the hot summer months.
Beautiful Shabby Chic style
Timeless. Romantic. Comfortable. Nostalgic. All these and more describe Shabby Chic style - a style that continues to be a trendy and affordable way of decorating your home.
Reclaimed materials an integral part of design
Reclaimed materials, particularly lumber products, are definitely becoming the material of choice for many architects and designers around the world. I wanted to show how reclaimed materials are incorporated into modern home design, without having a 'log cabin' look.
Vintage modern decorating style
If there is one decorating style that is becoming increasingly popular at the moment, it's vintage modern. It's a decorating style with a fondness for yesteryear, a love of collecting items that have an aged appeal and history of their own, and combining these with a modern approach.
Decor is looking up
While pressed ceilings might not be making a dramatic comeback, there's no denying that some homes look gorgeous with pressed ceilings. Tin ceiling tiles, whether plain or painted, transform boring ceilings into something to talk about and show that looking up can be quite remarkable.
Laid back living
Transport yourself to a place where living is simple and laid back is just a way of life. A visual tapestry of a home that is comfortable and relaxed, where nature is embraced and natural materials define the pace.
Give any room a makeover
I receive numerous requests about room makeovers and where you would start if you wanted to give a room a makeover. The easiest way to start any room makeover is to remove all the furniture and work with a blank slate - or empty room.
Decorating with denim
Add denim decor to your decorating scheme for a touch of playfulness and to introduce texture into a room setting. Denim walls add instant fun to a coastal retreat or urban loft. Grab a friend and transform a wall in your home!
Be inspired by designer rooms
Jeffers Design Group creates luxurious but livable homes. Spaces with soul and atmosphere. Rooms that feel collected over time. JDG seamlessly marries interior architecture and design, and works in close collaboration with clients' architects to achieve a cohesive vision of home.
Design by Vanessa De Vargas
Energetic and ingenious Vanessa De Vargas is a furniture designer and interior decorator, specializing in the restoration of heirloom and vintage furniture pieces. Her design label and interior design firm, Turquoise, is a reflection of the chic innovation that makes her work so unique within the market.
Design that is clean and fresh
It's so nice to come across a designer that likes to keep rooms clean and fresh. So often interior designers tend to go over the top in an effort to impress clients, with an overall results that can appear overdone.
Interiors by Melissa Collison
Australian interior designer, Melissa Collison, is recognised for her glamorous residential projects.  A trademark attention to detail, brave use of colour and texture, and penchant for mixing objects of different styles, eras and cultures are characteristic of her style. 
Iconic designers of the 20th century
Call it iconic furniture or cultural icons, there is no denying that there have been furniture designers from the late 19th and early 20th century that have taken furniture design to a level that elevates it from everything else that has gone before, or even after, and is still sought after in the 21st century.
Sustainable design for homes and interiors
The Hillside House is a statement of what is possible combining high design with sustainability. This modern home has received Platinum LEED certification.
Are you ready for pattern?
Many first-time decorators find the thought of using patterns in the home a little daunting. It's a bit like using bold colour for the first time. It can be scary because you're not sure if you are doing it right. But patterns play an important role in home decor, by adding interest and even texture to a plain room setting.
Focus on interior designer Samantha Pynn
View examples of room transformations that take place during her new show, as well as rooms that Sam has designed plus a few tips on the various projects done within the rooms.
Simple designs by Roberto Gil
Roberto Gil calls his designs 'practical minimalism'; a straightforward approach that places functionality and the efficient use of materials well above stylistic considerations. His pieces are more 'constructed' than 'designed', and like sawhorses or temporary scaffolding, they are simple and easy to make.
Man's guide to decorating
We tend to concentrate on a woman's point of view when it comes to decorating a home, but there are more than a few male readers who want to know how to go about decorating a home, flat or apartment. So this feature is for all the guys out there seeking advice on decorating their lair!
Why you love certain colours
There has been a lot of research into the psychology of colour and more and more studies conducted that reveal new information about how colour impacts our lives. 
Coastal decor for elegant homes
Jennifer Mabley has worked in the field of interior design for over 15 years. Her design projects range from high-end Manhattan apartments to estate homes and cottages in the Hamptons.
A home decorated with pastel shades
Ana Antunes has decorated her home in pastel shades, and while this might not be your cup of tea, and is definitely not a home for children, I really do think it looks absolutely gorgeous.
Designed to impress
As an architectural practice that is well renowned throughout the African continent, Nico van der Meulen Architects supplies creative solutions that are customised to suit each client’s personal requirements.
Luxurious design without compromise
The goal was to create a serene, luxurious retreat where the home owners can relax and unwind using healthy products that don't compromise luxurious design.
Interiors by Willey Design
Comfort and function are essential components of every design, with practical details carefully observed and orchestrated.
Designs by Katie Ridder
She is known for her striking balance between style and discretion, and her projects combine comfort, practicality, sophisticated colour, while taking architectural surroundings into consideration. Her work is feature in The New York Times, Elle Decor and House Beautiful.
The art of using accent colour
Think of accent colours as the finishing touch to a newly decorated room. Without them a room would be bland and uninspiring. The art of using accent colours in a room is to be inspired by your surroundings, or elements already within a room. Use accent colours for bold emphasis or to create an interesting contrast.
Add nailhead trim to furniture
One of the hottest design trends to appear this year, is the use of upholstery pins on upholstered furniture. By using nailheads - or upholstery pins - you can create a new dimension to your upholstered pieces.
What's your decor style
Never static, design styles are constantly changing. According to Diamond Baratta Design, "All the design rules we had 20 years ago are important; it's like learning the classics. But those design rules, basically, all have to get thrown in the garbage or you're not growing."
How to decorate a small home
When it comes to small spaces, smart storage is key. An uncluttered home is a spacious home and you will be amazed at some of the storage ideas we show below.
Diamond Baratta - Dynamic Duo
Over the past three decades, William Diamond and Anthony Baratta [Diamond Baratta Design] have designed hundreds of one-of-a-kind residences in the United States and abroad.
Make your floors a feature
If there is one element in every home that deserves a little more attention, it's floors. While walls, furniture and accessories are essential in decorating a room - without the right flooring you might as well not bother.
Not so shabby - but definitely chic
If you are looking to decorate your home in a style that is relaxed and comfortable, a style that welcome and makes you feel instantly at home, and one that is easily updated without spending a small fortune to achieve the look - then Shabby Chic is definitely a style that you will love.
Style tips for every home
So you've finally settled on a design style that you love. What now? The next step is to implement that style and make it a part of your home. But how do you do that? Here are some style tips to help you achieve that new look:
Add a touch of spring to your home
Whatever your decorating problem, there's an affordable answer. Why not live in a little luxury? Make up for what your rooms lack and refresh your place with a little thought, a little effort, and some of these budget-friendly ideas!
Decorate a home for the holidays
Looking for new ideas and inspiration to add a unique touch to your home this festive season? We've found plenty of craft and decor projects for you to try out:
It's all in the details
If it's time to give your home a new look, or restore an older home - on a small budget - a fresh coat of paint or new window treatments can go a long way. Another affordable option is to add some architectural interest to the rooms in your home with cornice, crown moulding and trim.
An entrance to remember
When welcoming guests into your home you want to make a big impression - a "wow" moment - something that they will remember long after they have left, and possibly even want to duplicate in their own home!
Decor Designer - Tobi Fairley
Inspired by her wonderful rooms, Tobi Fairley show us just how easy it is to incorporate colour in a way that is fresh and inviting - and perfect for summer decorating.
Decorate hallways and passages
There are many homes out there that suffer from hallways and passages that are long, thin, narrow, short or square. They are the least thought of design element and all too often seem to be a problem area when it comes to decorating.
Designing your own interiors
We all want to have a beautifully decorated home and on home design TV shows, interior designers seem to wave a magic wand and ... hey presto! However, behind the scenes is not as magical as it looks, with staff and helpers running around trying to get everything organised so that it looks picture perfect and gorgeous to look at, but not ideal to live in.
Light or dark floors?
Light or dark flooring provides completely different looks and you should consider carefully before selecting the right or wrong flooring for a home. While dark flooring offers a dramatic contrast with light interiors, these floors show the dirt, while a light flooring may not be your cup of tea.
Give your home a designer look
We've all seen those home and design shows on the TV and I'm sure that many of you have wondered how to duplicate the look in your own home. Interior designers have a way of effortlessly creating beautiful environments on design, but in actual fact they have learned by experience.
What colour should I paint the ceiling?
The most obvious answer is white, but does every ceiling have to be white. Can you not paint the ceiling in other colours, or add a texture finish?
Decorating open plan living spaces
I often receive decor enquiries from homeowners that are unhappy with their combined living spaces but have no idea where to start to make the spaces flow and work together. Here's hoping that this article will provide tips and guide you in decorating two or more combined areas.
Repair and restore secondhand bargain
I love browsing through second hand shops. It's a fun way to find furniture and decor accessories that you wouldn't find in your local shopping mall. Buying second hand furniture is also the perfect way to find affordable bargains for decorating a home, whether indoors or outdoors.
International design trends
Let's take a glimpse at trends happening around the world to see the latest in international decorating and design.
Designing a home for a family
Leading architects are starting to see not just in design in itself, but reflective also in music and culture, that people are trying to be more optimistic. We see this in colour trends, where colours have moved from a neutral, earthy palette to more invigorating, vibrant colours.
Common mistakes to avoid
Many homeowners jump right in and start slapping on the paint, but think carefully before you proceed. There are things to do and not to do when decorating and furnishing a home...
Turn a house into a home
When renovating a house into a home, those that have previously tackled this type of project know how even the simplest home project seems to take on a life of its own. Before we know it, we’ve spent twice as much time (and goodness knows how much more money) redoing a room we thought just needed repainting.
Transform bad features into good design elements
Chances are that sooner or later there are going to be a few likes and dislikes when buying a new home. While some are easily fixed, others can be disguised or transformed into a feature to transform a bad feature into good design.
Organic touches for a home
Nothing adds more glamour or warmth than the use of natural materials in a home; the rich earth tones of natural stone, the endless possibilities for using concrete, or the glimmer or copper and stainless steel.
Elements of coastal style
Soft sand under your feet, the blue cloudless sky and azure blue sea. All those blissful days spent at the beach basking under the warmth of the sun, the salt water lapping at your feet as you walk over the hot white sands. This style of coastal decor is reflected in the purity of seaside beauty, as you can see in the clean, simple lines and designs ...
Know the different upholstery fabrics
When upholstering furniture for a home a good basic knowledge of the various types of upholstery fabrics is a must.
Add some glamour
Glamour. It speaks to us of precious metals, exotic woods, custom furnishings, and fabrics plucked directly off the Silk Road. It’s opulence. It’s elegance. But surprisingly, it’s also within reach.
Using colour to your advantage
With a few tricks of the trade you can use colour to your advantage when decorating spaces that are too small, too high, too cold, etc.
Decorating a rental home
Not everyone lives in a home of their own. And it's not that people who rent don’t want to have a space to call their own, or even that they don’t have the budget; it's that they don’t know what they can do to decorate, especially if your lease contract specifically disallows any form of painting or installations.
Is sustainable design possible?
There seems to be a conflict in decorating and staying true to sustainable values. On the one hand, you want to stay green and do what’s good for the earth. But somehow, that doesn’t seem to go along with buying drapes and a new rug. Can you decorate without hurting the environment? Our answer: yes, with a little thought.
Interior design for small spaces
Whether it's a matter of personal choice, or due to limited budget, there are many homeowners who occupy small spaces. Here are some brilliant ideas that I have come across for decorating small spaces.
Are you timeless or trendy?
Timeless design, not keeping up with the latest trends, makes for sustainable design that need not change from year to year. But does timeless mean tradition? Can you be timeless but cool and funky at the same time? And what is timeless, anyway?
One room - 3 different looks with colour
Southern Living transformed one room using paint colour and accessories to give three completely different looks, showing just how much difference colour can make to any room in a home...
Love the home you live in
Today, I was thinking about ways I have found over the years to be happy at home, even when it was far from ideal. Because, let's be honest, a home is a place to set down your roots, raise a family and grow old.
Add a splash of black!
One of my favourite colour schemes is black and white. Just like upscale social events, black and white interiors are elegant, timeless and oh so stunning! They are also great for spaces where you want to emphasise clean, sophisticated lines.
Elegant coffered ceilings
Coffered ceilings are among the most elegant and stately of ceiling designs. Plus, they are more customizable than you may realise and help insulate against sound and noise pollution. This type of ceiling is amazingly attractive in any part of the home, especially dining and living rooms.
Designing with colour
I know it's still winter, but here's a touch of spring colour to liven the spirit and get those creative juices flowing and the paintbrushes ready. Now is the perfect time to think about decorating not only the exterior of a home - but the interior as well.
Elements of traditional design
When decorating a traditional home where the emphasis is on creating a classic look, combine a muted decorating scheme with elements that transform rooms from plain to downright interesting.
Mix it up
Whilst matching furniture on display looks great in a store - or even in a magazine - don't be tempted to do the same at home, unless you specifically want monochromatic minimalistic only-one-colour interiors.
Lessons in design styles
Check out these stunning living room design styles that range from contemporary to traditional.
Adding texture to design
Believe me, if you’d have told me a week ago I’d be making pillows out of bath mats and accent rugs, I’d have laughed uncontrollably, then buried my head in shame and embarrassment under a real pillow for days! But sometimes, inspiration comes from the strangest sources ...
Designing with white
White is by far the most popular colour for interior decorating. Why? Is it because it is the colour of joy, hope, innocence and cleanliness.Or that it represents purity, optimism and enlightenment. Regardless of what’s in fashion, no colour is more universally favoured.
What is a focal point?
Want to bring your decorating scheme together? Heard designers banging on about focal points and wondering what it means? Here, we reveal all and show you how.
Adding tablescapes
While you may be hard pressed to locate the precise definition of 'tablescape' in a dictionary, when in the context of home decor a tablescape refers to all of the decorating elements that you amass on a table to create a vignette (arrangement).
How eclectic are you?
Many of today's furniture stores offer an all-in-one shopping experience where you can coordinate any room in the home in modern, traditional, and even shabby chic. But what if you prefer a more personal, eclectic look for your home?
Creating a feature wall
For day-to-day living - and certainly if you need to sell your home – neutral walls just make sense. But sometimes sensible just feels a bit, well, plain. If you want to make more of a statement, a feature wall may be the answer. Just choose your focal point, add a stronger, more vibrant colour and, for minimum effort, you really can have maximum impact.
Using feng shui in interior design
Transform your life with feng shui changes to your home! Choose the area to improve and see what decorating fixes enhance the chi of your space.
Need help to decorate your home?
Decorating paralysis can happen to the best of us. The main symptom: the inability to tackle and finish a design project in your home.
Elements of design help with style sense
Sometimes it seems as if what constitutes good design is purely subjective. One home may reflect a look that is French Provencal, while another will tend more towards ultra modern.
Adding architectural detail
Here are some ideas If you're restoring an older home to its original condition, or thinking about improving your home by adding architectural details and trim.
 

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