Month: January 2023

Medieval Design Revival

The interior design industry is also seeing a resurgence of medieval design in 2023. From rustic farmhouse-style homes to grand castles, the influence of medieval design can be seen in a variety of different interior styles.

We believe the biggest reasons for the resurgence of medieval design is the growing interest in history and nostalgia. Many people are drawn to the aesthetic of medieval design because it reminds them of a simpler time, when life was less complicated and more focused on tradition and community.

One of the most popular ways to incorporate medieval design into your home is through the use of natural materials. Wood, stone, and iron are all commonly used in medieval design, and they add a sense of warmth and authenticity to any room. These materials can be used in everything from flooring and walls to furniture and decor.

Medieval design is making a big comeback is in furniture. Many furniture designers are now creating pieces that are inspired by medieval design, using traditional techniques and materials such as wood carving and metalwork. This has led to a renewed interest in handcrafted furniture, and has helped to revive traditional crafts and skills.

Stonehenge Walnut Stool by Zanat | Curio

Contemporary Medieval Lighting: Combining the Best of Both Worlds

Medieval lighting fixtures have always been a popular choice for those looking to add a touch of history and elegance to their homes. With their intricate details and warm glow, these fixtures are perfect for creating a cosy and inviting atmosphere. However, with the advent of modern technology, it is now possible to combine the beauty of medieval lighting with the convenience and efficiency of contemporary lighting.

Sconces with Candle-like LED Lights Sconces are a staple of medieval lighting and can be found in a variety of styles and designs. Today, however, it is possible to have the same look and feel of a traditional sconce but with the added benefit of energy-efficient LED lights. These lights can be made to look like real candles, adding a touch of authenticity to the room while still providing a bright and even light source.

Chandeliers with Wrought Iron Detailing Medieval chandeliers were often made of wrought iron, a material that is both strong and lightweight. Today, modern chandeliers can be found with similar wrought iron detailing, giving them a timeless and classic look. These chandeliers can also be fitted with LED lights, making them energy-efficient and long-lasting.

Hanging Lanterns with Stained Glass Hanging lanterns were a popular choice for medieval homes and castles, providing a warm and inviting light source that could be used both indoors and outdoors. Today, you can find hanging lanterns with stained glass panels that are designed to emulate the look and feel of traditional lanterns. These lanterns can be fitted with LED lights, making them both beautiful and practical.

Wall-mounted Torch Sconces with Flickering Flame-effect Lights Finally, wall-mounted torch sconces are another great way to add a touch of medieval charm to your home. These sconces can be fitted with LED lights that mimic the flickering flame of a real torch, adding a touch of drama to any room.

Reduction The National Theatre I 2017 Wall Art by Amelia Lancaster | Curio

Another trend in medieval interior design is the use of rich, warm colours. Dark greens, deep blues, and muted reds are all commonly used in medieval design, and they add a sense of depth and richness to any room. These colours can be used in everything from paint and wallpaper to fabrics and textiles. Here are our full colour suggestions:

• Dark reds
• Browns
• Mustard yellows
• Olive greens
• Deep blues

These colours were inspired by the natural materials and textures of the medieval era, such as stone, wood, and wrought iron. They help to create a warm and cosy atmosphere, perfect for a medieval-style home.

In addition to these main colours, medieval interior design also often includes rich, metallic accents such as gold and silver. These accents help to add a touch of luxury and opulence to the space, making it feel even more authentic and true to the medieval era.

When incorporating medieval colours into your interior design, it's important to be careful not to overpower the space with too many rich and intense colours. Instead, consider using these colours as accents and pairing them with neutral colours such as cream, beige, or grey to create a well-balanced and elegant look.

Another way to incorporate medieval design into your home is through the use of traditional patterns and motifs. These can include things like heraldic crests, geometric shapes, and religious symbols. These patterns can be used in everything from wallpaper and fabrics to tile and stone.

Studioilse Touch Walnut Coffee Table by Zanat | Curio

Medieval design is expected to continue to grow in popularity in the years to come. With its focus on natural materials, warm colours, and traditional patterns, it is a perfect fit for today's world. So, if you're looking to add a touch of medieval design to your home, now is the perfect time to do it.

by Shalini Misra

What Does Your Home Scent Say About You?

The way our homes smell dictates emotional well-being and the ability to relax. There is a strong link between comfort and pleasant scents, so it makes sense that people would strive for positivity in this area. In fact, this is one of the most popular areas that homeowners spend money on over the course of a single year. So, what does your home scent say about you and why is it so important? This guide explores the answers below.

The Psychology of Scent for Homes

The way that human beings interpret and decipher scents is specifically linked to our memories. There is a physical and chemical impact on the brain when a strong scent is present. If you think for a second about a certain person that you know, there is guaranteed to be a smell that you associate with them. The same will be true in the opposite direction as well.

This concept is certainly extended to our homes. Whether you realize it or not, your home has its own brand of scent. People make their own minds up as to what this says about you, but it certainly leaves an impactful impression nonetheless. Many people are worried about how their home smells to others, and take decisive action to avoid any negative connotations. The smells with negative associations are sewage and blocked drains, strong pet odors, and cigarette smoke. The best scents are naturally in an entirely opposite category and these are things like flowers, soft and fresh linen, baked goods, and citrus vibes as well.

How to Create Scent In Your Home

The ways to create positive scents in your home are countless. That being said, there are a few common products that people lean towards and purchase the most in order to either prevent or counteract bad smells. Anyone can create a positive smell as soon as you open the front door with a strategically placed vase of flowers or a strong scented candle.

Air Fresheners

Air fresheners come in a range of styles and sizes. For this point, they are the perfumed scent sprayers that are used to freshen up an environment. These could be a plug-in device that emits a scent on a timer, or a bottle that you use manually as and when needed.

Candles and Wax Melts

Candles and wax melts are a classic way to get an instant nice smell fix into the house. You can light a scented candle in every room and the smell will be strong and last as long as the candle lasts.

PotPourri

The traditional potpourri sits at the center table in a high traffic area and emits a nice smell for anyone who walks past. It also makes the immediate area around it smell better and definitely impacts the space for a longer period.

Diffusers

Diffusers can be either electronic or not, the purpose is all the same. They are designed to diffuse a pleasant scent into the immediate area that is meant to last throughout the day supported by regular interventions. These come in a whole range of scents suited to any personality and preference, and they can be placed subtly on a statement bookshelf or similar storage units.

General Cleaning Products

A bleached floor is one of the most popular methods for eliminating lingering odors. It is also a generally highly effective cleaning product when used correctly. People also use scented and specific brands alongside their air fresheners.

The Most Common Areas of Improvement: Bad Smells of the Home

There are lots of common scents when it comes to our homes. Some are good, and others are seen as less than favorable. Here are a few key areas where bad smells might happen, and some pointers on what you can do about it.

Pets

Pets might be valued members of the family, but there is an undeniable stink that comes along with our beloved companions. They bring in mud and debris. They have strong smelling food. There is a general ‘pet’ odor that is difficult to avoid. You do have to make peace with your house smelling a certain way if you have animals.

It might be not as obvious to you, and you might even like it. However, guests coming to visit may not feel the same way. There are so many pet focused odor eliminator products that it’s difficult to know which works and which does not. It is a matter of trial and error and finding what you like vs. what has zero effect. Cleaning your carpets professionally at least once a month, alongside all the upholstery helps a lot, and having regular grooming sessions for your pet will boost the positive scent as well.

Cooking

Cooking is the classic cause of a lot of lingering smells that won’t quit. Onions, garlic, strong herbs, and spices all imbed themselves into the walls and floors and stick around. Try opening a window or cooking with an extraction fan to minimize the smell as you go along.

Moisture Build-Up

Moisture build-up on walls, windows, and more can cause dampness and other problems. This has a distinctive smell that is hard to get rid of. There are preventative products to try out, but usually, the only proper fix is to hire a contractor and sort it out structurally. You can mask the smell and take steps to counteract dampness from setting in such as opening windows and placing damp trappers around too.

Finding That Signature Scent

This can really make a difference in how you feel about your home, so don’t give up! The scent for you is definitely out there.

So, what does your home scent say about you? Well, it is all down to who is doing the smelling. For guests, the way your home smells certainly has an effect on how they see you personally as well as your wider house. For people living, it is a big source of stress and concern but when the perfect scent is found, there is definite peace and happiness that comes along too. After all, nothing beats relaxing and winding down in a room that feels comfortable and smells inviting.

by Shalini Misra

Japandi Design Trends

Japandi design trends are making their moves in the world of interior design. They fuse simplicity with functionality and any home embracing this design lifestyle will feel warm, welcoming, and well organized. So, what is Japandi? This guide will explore this question and tell you exactly how to decorate your home to get on board.

What Are the Core Concepts of Japandi?

Japandi is an intriguing mixture of Japanese and Scandanavian design features blended to create a modern fusion. Heavily inspired by wabi-sabi from Japan and hygge from Scandanavia, the two concepts blend pleasantly with seemingly zero disruption. Wabi-sabi centers around peace while hygge is all about happiness and smooth sailing so the two come together harmoniously to create a wonderful theme. The main concepts are easy to understand.

1. Neutrality: Staying neutral is an integral part of fully embracing Japandi style design in the home. Earth tones like beige, natural woods, and creams/whites are heavily present.
2. Modernity: Japandi embraces modern themes and furniture. This is also true for all the accents and accessories too.
3. Natural Materials: Think wicker, wood, wool, cotton, or weave. The theme is only complete if the materials and furniture are kept natural.
4. Minimalistic: Speaking of accessories, there is no space for too many. The idea is to keep things minimalistic, using the furniture and color schemes to provide warmth and comfort.
5. Peace: There should always be an overarching sense of peace achieved through all of the above qualities.
6. Uniqueness: Japandi loves bold, unique pieces and schemes that embrace subtle personality and stay, for the most part, low-key. The blend of two contrasting concepts is unique, after all.
7. Splashes of Boldness: There is, however, space for boldness in some respects. Whether it is a striking pattern on a throw pillow or a particularly unusual stool, boldness is welcome in small doses to tie everything together.

The Colour Theme

There is no strict rule when it comes to picking a color; however, there are guidelines if you are wanting to do it right. Neutrality as a concept has already been established. This means all the tones and vibes in the room should center around nature and nothing should feel too bold or eye-catching. There is no space for neon shades or super bright white, for instance, but there is plenty of room for warm grays, beiges, creams, ocean colors, and so on.

The Material Choices

The material choices for Japandi encompass everything that has already been discussed. There are lots of woods, rough textures, cotton, and rattan to explore which lead the charge in deciding on furniture and accessories. Thankfully, there is a lot of choice in these categories so even if you’ve never considered a rattan chair before, this could be the perfect time to embrace such stylings.

The Shapes and Styles

When it comes to picking out the perfect shapes and styles, there are a few different paths you can take. Japandi embraces lots of curves, wood, stains, roughness, neatness, and definition. Finding assets that embrace this is the first step, and it’s good to be guided by bravery to bring together the two styles as well. It works really well, otherwise, Japandi would not be gaining so much interest. The blend of Japanese boldness with Scandanavian modernity is something to strive for here and opens the door for a lot of opportunities when it comes to selecting all of those key features.

A Complete Declutter to Support the Minimal

The most important thing to remember is that a room inspired by a Japandi theme must feel well-treated in all respects. There should be minimal (if any at all) clutter, which is accentuated by carefully chosen colors and feature pieces.

The walls are to remain mainly decoration free, with the odd exception if there is a well-suited piece of art to hang somewhere subtle. The floor ought to be clear of unnecessary sculptures or similar, instead free to embrace an aptly chosen rug and even a few stools if you want extra seating or practical tables. Storage is essential, and it is always better to create it internally wherever possible in order to avoid detracting from the exterior signature design.

Plants are encouraged and welcomed and work well with both sides of the design vision too. To fully embrace Japandi, there has to be some carefully selected indoor plants to optimize the interior space.

Eclectic Patterns and Texture

Everything in a Japandi living space is calm and collected. There are neutral colors, tones, and infusions all over that create a beautiful space that protects mindfulness and nurtures well-being. However, there is room for a creative flair as well. So the main space and features are low-key, but the accents don’t necessarily have to be. As long as nothing in there is too distracting or outspoken, there is plenty of space in this concept for embracing the more traditional Japanese liking for patterns. These patterns are connected with simplistic pieces like cushions to create the ultimate effect and perfectly blend the two cultures.

Japandi Lighting Concepts

Given that Japandi is so intensely under the radar, the lighting has to fit in with this concept too. Warm and subtle is the best way to stay in sync with the wider arrangement. Don’t be afraid to embrace something a little bolder, as this is the perfect arena to add in those splashes of braveness and install some unique features. Tall lamps in corners keep the whole space from feeling cluttered and emanating a glow, and that is the main goal. For overhead lights, try an understated, unimposing shade around the bulb to detract from the brightness, and take it a step further by using only low-level bulbs as well.

Japandi is a mix of Japanese design and Scandanavian influence. The two cultures have blended together to create a unique take on what a home should look like, and it is a fairly intuitive style to embrace. The key idea that is channeled within is that peaceful features with minimal clutter will create an environment that supports well-being and feels healing on a natural level. This trend is definitely one to watch.

by Shalini Misra

How to Refresh Your Home for 2023

Is there a better excuse for a home refresh than the New Year? When a new year comes around, people often feel inspired to revamp areas in their houses to feel fresh and reinvigorated to start the year off positively. There are lots of ways you can do this, and the following post explores the best ideas for breathing new life into any house.

Move with the Seasons

The easiest way to keep your home in style and refreshed is to move with the seasons. This could be as big or as small as you like from a new paint job all over to simply switching up the accents and accessories. The next season upon us is the spring, and there is no time like the present to jump on board and explore what that means for your home. Find some relevant floral arrangements to put out on a statement hallway table, or discover spring scents from candles and more to bring it all together. Spring is all about new life, and that is a great vibe to channel for this project.

Explore Statement Wall Décor

When was the last time you changed what’s on your walls? Never mind the paint, although wallpaper and paint are certainly important, it’s what you hang on them that ties everything together. The room does not feel complete until it has at least a few things hanging about to catch the eye. Statement wall décor is anything from artwork to a beautiful mirror display. It does not have to be garish; it can indeed be as subtle as what suits your personal style pallette. As long as it’s there, that’s what is truly important.

Discover a New Layout

Moving on from the walls, how about switching up the whole layout of a key room? Something so small as moving your couch to a different position can make the entire space feel like a new room. It can open up space that you didn’t realize was there, and bring you out of that funk that you’re stuck in by opening up some potential. Plus, swapping the layout is a good opportunity to bring in some new pieces and do a deep clean as well.

Try a Complete Colour Change

The color of any area can dictate your mood. The two are closely intertwined, and there are positive colors that bring warmth and foster happiness vs. ones that make you feel cold and even depressed. So, if you are searching for a way to refresh your home after the year has finished, changing your color scheme might be the perfect solution for the whole house. If you were feeling brave enough, you could even paint the exterior too.

Focus On Storage

One of the most simple ways to make a space feel refreshed and renewed is to focus on decluttering messes and increasing storage. Remove all the mess, decide to get the house in order, and look for some storage channels that you didn’t have previously. Having everything tidy, ordered and where it should be is an irreplaceable feeling. It will change the vibe of any area and is a good place to fill in the blanks that might have made your room feel unfinished before. Start by doing the following:

• Take out all the rubbish
• Focus on things that you have to keep vs. things you don’t need at all
• If something does not have a place, find one for it instead of accepting the mess
• Consider investing in a new storage unit that fits in with your décor theme
• Rechannel your energy into making space and clearing areas so that it is easier to relax

Upcycle and Revamp Furniture

Alternatively, there is always the option of upcycling your current furniture to make it feel ready for a new year of possibilities. Upcycling can be done on anything from a table to a curtain rail, and everything in between. There are no rules, and this is a space where you can really tap into your creative side and let your personality shine through as well.  You could do anything from the list below:

1. Change the upholstery on your main couch or seating.
2. Strip back a wooden table and try some vibrant paint or pattern.
3. Repurpose an old set of drawers or cupboard into something entirely different.

Treat Yourself

A big part of freshening up your home is to do with how it impacts your mood and emotional well-being. That is why it’s important to treat yourself throughout the process so you can create the ultimate den of peace with positive vibes.

Focus On What’s Already There

When it comes to a revamp, not everyone has a huge budget to play with. For people with a smaller fund, it helps to get more creative with your approach. A good way to do this is to use what is already there in the background. You’ll be amazed at what you find when you go actively seeking. Old mirrors can play a new part as a main feature in a hallway, or old furniture can be made into a notice panel area. There are a million ideas here if you are fancying a more bespoke project to bring old bits and bobs back to life as well.

Tips for a Smooth Revamp

With any project, it is important to know how to stay on track. There are thankfully a million ways you can do this from vision boards to trial runs. Never lose sight of your goal, and do take inspiration from creative designers that are inspired by daily life. If you are not sure where to start, think small and build from there. Sometimes, the trick is just starting and seeing where it takes you. It might take a bit of research and some experimenting to get things perfect, but the time and effort you put into the planning will make it all worth it in the end.

Refreshing your home for 2023 is an easy task. With all the options at your fingertips, you are spoilt for choice. Pick any area and get started — it doesn’t matter if it’s a new coat of paint or a complete mix-up, as even the smallest changes can make the biggest difference to how you feel and how it looks.

by Shalini Misra