10 Top Tips to Remember When Decorating on a Budget

1. It has been said many times before that PAINT is the cheapest, fastest way to dramatically change a room in just a few hours!

2. Create a theme or an ambiance…even if it’s just a  colour scheme or maybe one you found in a magazine, that would be a good way to start a place and plan.

3. Re-arrange…move things around until you find a pleasing arrangement that works for you, it could be your furniture or your bookshelves!

4. Use what you have! There are so many items around the home that can be repurposed…learn to look at things in creative ways and see if they might meet a decorating need and remember it’s about recycling.

5. Start with larger areas first such as walls, windows, and floors. That will make the fastest impact on the room, and you will see an almost instant transformation.

6. Disguise! If you can’t afford to replace it, disguise it! Cover a sofa, lay a rag rug over that stained carpet, or use fabric to screen an unpleasant view.

7. Find materials in creative places. Use fabric from sheets and quilts, use yard sales to locate furniture to be painted to match your décor, and visit your pound shop on a regular basis for picture frames and candles.

8. Add personality! Inject yourself and your family in to your home with personal items like…photos, vacation finds, or football match tickets in a frame all bring interest and life to your rooms.

9. Look for inspiration. There is no shame looking through books and magazines for the look you desire,that is what they are there for. Adapting their scheme to your budget plan! Let the pictures inspire your creativity, and borrow ideas you love!

10. Start now! Today, make a plan, pick a paint colour, sew a pillow, make some curtains . . . Your home won’t change if you don’t start something, so don’t put it off another minute, and little by little, the decorator in you will transform your house to a home!

Have fun with your projects and remember we are here to answer any questions you may have regarding home improvement, interior design, space planning, soft furnishings or choosing colours for your home.

Enjoy!

ANDREAFAY is an interior designer based in Muswell Hill, North London. Andrea writes about interior design trends and  home improvements.

A Warm Christmas Gift for you or for you to share with that special someone.

The winter nights can be long, lonesome, dark and cold and even if you have someone to share the evenings with it still can feel the chill.

The best solution for that is to get real warm, comfy and cosy with our luxury faux fur throws. We have the best faux fur around to keep you all snugged up this holiday season.

Affordable luxuries!

How lovely to just lay by the fireside or heater with a warm throw over you while you get into a real juicy book.

Many different colours and furs to lust over.

Warm, soft and so so cosy.

ANDREAFAY is an interior designer in North London, England, UK. I write on interior design and whats new and HOT in interior design, travel and lifestyles.

I can be contacted anytime if you have a question or simply just wanna talk about any related subject.

Thanks for reading my blogs and remember to follow me and leave a message anytime.

Ciao,

Andrea

Blinds, Shades and Curtains

Are you redecorating or have you recently purchased a home and now find yourself in the market for new window treatments? If so, you will have a decision to make between blinds, shades, and curtains, each offering something unique. The choice would depend on a number of factors starting with personal taste and style. However, the size, shape, and type of window, décor of the room, and even architectural features would also be contributors. In this blog, I wanted to provide you with some tips for buying blinds, shades, and curtains to make the buying process more enjoyable and successful.

4 Factors

If you plan to work with a professional decorator then much of the guesswork is eliminated but if you want to choose the window treatment yourself and actually hang them, you need to do a little research so you go through the appropriate steps. In either case, remind yourself that light control, privacy, functionality, and style are the four primary factors looked at when buying new window treatments,. Therefore, we suggest you consider these four factors so you can put them in order of importance. Once this is done, you would finally choose between blinds, shades, or curtains.

Privacy

Above all, privacy should be a big deal. After all, you do not want just anyone peeking into your child’s bedroom.. For this, make sure windows in bedrooms and bathrooms are the most protected from peeping toms. The types of window treatments that offer the best type of privacy include a fabric or roller shade, and backed curtains. With shades, the material is from vinyl, mostly opaque although other colors are available.

Curtains

On the other hand, you could choose traditional style curtains. However, for privacy, new curtains means choosing something with a backing and teaching other members of the family to keep the curtains drawn at appropriate times, such as taking a shower or bath, dressing in the bedroom, and so on.

Fabric or Roller Shade

Now, for a fabric or roller type shade, these are very affordable and if cared for properly, will last for years. The fabric is also opaque whereas fabric shades can be constructed using literally any colour or type of fabric imaginable. In this situation, the final choices goes back to personal preference and the inside style of the home.

Curtains and Drapes

For curtains and drapes, we strongly recommend you add a backing or buy the curtains that way. In addition to providing better privacy, this means better ability to block out daily light, which is great for people who sleep days and work nights. If you prefer something that is airy and contemporary, you can certainly go that route but to address the privacy and light issues, you would also need to couple the curtains with some type of shade.

Type and Style

The type of blinds, shades, or curtains you choose for your home will make a huge difference in the way your home looks and feels. Sometimes, people choose just one but other times, blinds and shades are coupled with curtains. In this article, we wanted to provide you with some options that you might consider specific to light control, style, and safety, two things people are look for when buying new blinds, shades, and curtains.

Other Privacy Concerns

First, privacy is one of the most important considerations coupled with style. Today, privacy has become a major issue and with the right blinds, shades, or curtains, you can keep the inside of your home off limits. Some of the best choices offering opaque covering include roller or fabric shades, lined curtains, cellular and pleated shades, and blinds. With shades, most are made from opaque material, which is great for both privacy and keeping the hot sun out. The key to success with shades is to make sure the fit is exact.

For lined curtains, you benefit not just from privacy but also from the outdoor elements. In other words, lined curtains block out hot UV rays from the sun, wind, and even cold air. Therefore, you can go to bed knowing your home has an added layer of protection while helping reduce the amount of money spent on utility bills. In addition, lined curtains can be used alone or with shades or blinds, meaning you can enhance the inside while receiving benefits for the outside as well.

Mini-blinds

Now, mini blinds have been and continue to be a very popular choice of window treatment. The nice thing here is that mini blinds are relatively inexpensive and they work amazingly well. For this, you could choose white shutters made from vinyl to go with draperies or if you want something as a stand-alone solution, beautiful wood blinds. Just as with shades, the key to blinds working is to make sure you have an exact fit so there are no small gaps.

Cellular and Pleated Shades

Cellular and pleated shades are another excellent solution for window treatments. In this case, you could use the shades alone or with sheers or curtains. Shades are also an affordable option and with so many incredible choices now available, you are sure to find a number of styles you like. In addition to the privacy factor, cellular shades are also a great insulator. Now, if you want the best option for blocking out unwanted light, we suggest you choose a type of darkening shade. These shades are made from special material specific to fighting UV rays. You will enjoy a cooler or warmer home while also protecting your furniture, artwork, carpeting, and other furnishings from fading due to the UV rays and dampness.

ANDREAFAY is an interior design company based in Muswell Hill, North London. ANDREAFAY writes on home improvements, Travel and whats HOT in the world of design.

1.   The closer something is to your body, the better it should be. This includes headboards and

                                                                 fine sheets.

2.   Surround yourself with quality, not clutter. Buy it once, and buy it right!

3.   Every room should have something living like flowers, plants or even a goldfish.

4.    Honour your life and make it beautiful by adding beautiful accessories in your surroundings.

5.    Every house should have something that sparkles, add bling to your live and live the life you love.

                                                 Enjoy every moment, its yours!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Read more…

Well designed window dressings do more than just cover windows. At ANDREAFAY form and function  are also important. Great design is beautiful to live with, provides variable light control, insulates rooms against heat and cold, protects your furnishings from damaging UV rays, and even absorbs sound from the outside and improve the acoustics in your room.

Window treatments like curtains, blinds and shutters also help to finish the deco in a room while providing privacy.

Our interior design studio in Muswell Hill has made window dressings for the contract market, show home and individuals, (commercial and residential) and we welcome ALL as we take pride and work with passion to ensure a happy and satisfied customer.

ANDREAFAY interior design is based in North London, England and takes commissions nation wide.

Please feel free to contact us regarding all your window needs.

We want you to follow our blogs and leave comments.

Cheers,

Andrea