Inspire Your Inner Designer This Summer!

Like all aesthetic choices which pertain to domestic life, interior design is very much a subjective preference. 2016 has already seen plenty of trends come and go, but with the arrival of summer, a new wave of designs grace us for consideration. Sunshine, holidays, and rejuvenation – summer is the perfect time to reconsider the way your home represents you. At Living Interiors we believe strongly in the importance of bespoke; an ethos we feel is well represented by our diverse catalogue of wallpapers, fabrics, furniture and lamps.

If you’ve found inspiration eluding you this summer, fear not, we’ve compiled some intuitive YouTube clips to help refuel your creative motor!

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·         Feeling visually refreshed? Explore the Living Interiors Online website and make your own summer vision a reality. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter so drop on by and say hi!

The Zoffany Palette

Did you know that Living Interiors have a monthly mailing list? Yes!  Every month, we’ll share the latest news, updates and sales with you directly via your e-mail inbox. It’s an old method, we know that, but hey – it works! If you’d like to receive the latest nattering from Living Interiors, simply leave your first name and e-mail address with us via the online form on our home page (just to the right!).

In other news, we’ve been thinking about our stock of Zoffanypaint stock a lot lately. It seems the people you lovely London folk have been using this fine weather as a means to freshen up your domestic paint jobs. If you’d like to take a look at our Zoffany paint available online, you can do so here:

• ·         Acrylic Eggshell
• ·         Colour Swatch Chart
• ·         Elite Emulsion
• ·         Flat Emulsion
• ·         Oil Eggshell
• ·         Sample Pots

Expect a diverse range of colours available across all paint styles – if there’s something you’re looking for but can’t spot it online, be sure to get in touch via livinginteriors@btconnect.com.

For further updates from Living Interiors please like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Incoming Springtime Trends That'll Be Huge

With spring upon us, take a look at some of the trends that will take over for this season.

Black and White

Minimalism is great. You can use it in many ways to show off your home, leading into spring there has been a rise with more muted colour palettes. Within Pinterest, black and white decor has increased by 40 percent.

Matte Finishes

Last year there was a focus on everything metallic. Now this year designers are going for the exact opposite texture. Oxidized metals, matte glazes and chalk-finish paints - they all look great with metallic objects!

Macramé

Got to love Pinterest, it helps you find the best kind of style and any new trend popping up. Macramé textiles have become way more popular than they were last year! Give it a shot incorporating this 70s trend into your home!

Marble Accents

Before you get a chance to freak out about adding a ton of marble into your home, we’re here to focus on the small touches of luxury that marble can bring. Try adding a hint of marble with candle-holders, coasters, planters and some really nice looking clocks.

Grey Hardwood Floors

People are trading their wooden wall art and monograms for a much more sophisticated grey hardwood floor, more and more are going along with the less-is-more idea these bring with them.

What do you make of these predicted trends? Let the Living Interiors team know on Facebook and Twitter.

Wonderful Wallpaper Facts

It’s Friday at last!

Of course you already know this and are likely counting down the minutes until the weekend is yours, but hey – we’re still working. For a little afternoon fun, the Living Interiors team has compiled some interesting interior design trivia that you may, or may not know. Rather than state the obvious, we’ve had a wee fish around online facts that’ll knock your socks off...

• The first documented use of wallpaper is approximately dated 200 B.C in China. The Chinese subsequently passed on much of their creative knowledge to international cultures which allowed the art of wallpaper craft to flourish in subsequent centuries.

• As for the West, the oldest preserved wallpaper in Europe dates back to 1509. These tattered relics were discovered in the Lodge of Christ’ College in Cambridge from external beams.

• Most consumables have a so called ‘golden age’ and wallpaper is no different. This came in the 1920s when a staggering 400 million rolls were believed to have been produced and sold.

• Way back in 1778, the King of France Louis XVI decided that the length of a wallpaper roll must be approximately 34 feet – he subsequently decreed it!

• America was arguably rather late to jump on the wallpaper bandwagon; it is believed the US widely adopted its use in 1739 after the Philadelphia printer ‘Plunket Fleeson’ began distribution.

• Did you know that there is a suspected link between Schelle’s Green wallpaper and Napoleons’ death? Seriously!

If you have any trivial facts you’d like to share with the Living Interiors team, please do jot them down on our Facebook and Twitter.

What’s in store for home trends in 2016?

Well according to some of the biggest names in homes design this year we will see changes once more to how we furnish and style our homes.

Kitchens

It’s all about the black stainless steel and cabinets that don’t match. Now for some people cabinets that don’t match will be a step too far. Imagine having a mixture of cupboard doors. Will this really be something that catches on? For many of us that like the clean matching look we are not sure just how popular this will become. It’s enough that we are saying goodbye to polished chrome in favour of black stainless steel. Another kitchen trend tipped to be big this year is unfinished, unvarnished plywood. Yep the kitchen drawers and doors made of plywood. It would certainly save a lot of money but not sure it would impress the guests?

Bathrooms

How bathrooms have changed over the years. We have gone from green and beige with flower power shower curtains to all white matching suites and tiles and now it seems we are mixing it up in the bathroom with stylish contemporary taps, rainfall showers and square basins/toilets. The bathroom has never looked so good and what better way to top it off than a statement mirror? A beautiful LED mirror can make a huge difference to not only the light available but also how the bathroom looks overall. Tiles are also bigger! Gone are the small tiles that took forever to apply. Now they are big and can be used portrait or landscape to tile the entire bathroom. Great for keeping the bathroom clean but what about when you fancy a change?

Décor

Hold on to your hats apparently we are about to liven up our living rooms with jungle prints and bold statement colours with over the top 70’s inspired accessories. The good news, if you aren’t a fan of bold and brash, is that we should be keeping it neutral in the kitchen.

Let’s be honest though we aren't all trend followers and whilst we may see these examples in glossy magazines and at exhibitions are we going to take them into our hearts and our homes?

Explore Zoffany Furniture with Living Interiors

As the Christmas season draws closer, many of us are already casting our minds to the comforts of home, family and celebration. Preparing for guests over winter can be rather daunting, especially if your home is in desperate need of a little interior rejuvenation. Sure, your kitchen may be perfectly equipped to accommodate the colossal task of Christmas dinner, but what about your living room?

After indulging in the riches of a yuletide feast, it’s not uncommon for family and friends to retire to the lounge for restful leisure. If there was ever a better time to invest in that additional armchair or sofa suite, it’s now. Living Interiors are proud to stock luxury Zoffany furniture – one of the worlds’ most widely revered leading fabric and wallpaper designers.

With Armchairs, Footstools and Sofas to choose from; it’s easy to bring the elegance and refined artistry of Zoffany into your home. With over 30 years of experience in specialist design, we have absolute faith in the Zoffany brand as well as the elegance, sophistication and consistency of their design team’s output.

Take a look at some choice picks from our online catalogue...

Tavistock Footstool

Tavistock - 2 Seat Sofa

Albany Armchair

For more updates from Living Interiors please like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

A Brief History of the Microsoft Wallpaper!

Think back to your first personal computer – what year was it and who made it?

Back in the early 1990s, the idea of owning a home computer was still considered a great luxury as people struggled to both afford a system and find a reason to bother using one. Sure, there was plenty of software on the market in the form of business programmes, games and such but the average home owner needn't worry. Then the internet happened and overnight, people were equally confused and excited by this baffling new form of networking.

One of the first Microsoft systems to beckon in the domestic web era was the Windows 3.1 but it was Windows 95 that helped the PC become almost as commonplace in the home as a Hi-Fi or VCR. One of the most resonant memories people hold of their own computers actually tends to be their desktop wallpaper – much how people remember childhood bedrooms and homes based on the interior decoration. For a little nostalgic fun, we’ve compiled a little historical tread through the last twenty or so years of Microsoft default desktop wallpapers and boot screens!

Windows 3.1 (1992)

One of the fancier pre-installed themes...

Windows 95

Very inspired...

Windows 98

What a boot screen!

Windows ME

The infamous Windows ME or ‘Mistake Edition’ as many call it...

Windows XP

Ah, Bliss!

Windows Vista

Welcome to the future! It’s very wavey.

Windows 7

Back to basics!

Windows 8

Dreamy, no?

What’s your favourite desktop? Let LivingInteriors know on Facebook and Twitter.

Top Five Bizarre Furniture Designs

While the furniture we supply at LivingInteriors definitely leans toward the more conventional side of taste, we are not averse to admiring the eccentric designs of others. A quick look on the internet reveals a ton of weird and wonderful furniture designs made for everything from serving wine glasses to... driving.

Check our top five oddball furniture designs!

• Human Furniture

Not literal human flesh - that would be ghastly. Instead we have a finely carved pair of stiletto heels holding up a circular table top with indentations to hold your wine glasses. It’s an ace design and one which could easily be carried around at a whacky dinner party!

• Edd China Breezy Sofa Car

Remember this? Clever chap that Edd.

• Slither Into Your Seat

If you happen to have a strange adoration of snakes and scorpions then you’ll be in good company with these intriguing chairs.

•   Tiger Sofa

No thanks.

•  The Infamous Cheeseburger Bed

This cheeseburger bed has made quite the name for itself over the years and despite being home made it ended up changing hands online several times.

Got a personal favourite you'd like to share with us on Facebook and Twitter? Let Living Interiors know!

Weird and Wonderful Wallpaper

Wallpaper is an essential part of contemporary interior design but it wasn’t always considered as such. In fact, the BBC ran a rather informative three part series titled ‘The Story ofWallpaper’ back in 2013 as part of its ‘Fabric of Britain’ feature on BBC4. Unfortunately it seems to be currently unavailable on iPlayer but if you happen to come by it, Living Interiors recommend taking a look.

Today, wallpaper often makes up a core focus of our homes, leading us to consistently chop and change design to keep up with the changing tides of style. With individualism at the fore, many people have let loose on their walls with a bold sense of the weird and wonderful. We’ve scoured the net for some of the strangest wallpaper designs set to stone... check them out below...

·         Set Nature Free

Astonishingly, a green wall is actually a thing and can really help purify the oxygen levels in your home. Your wallpaper will literally be a vertical garden in itself but as you can imagine, maintenance would be key. Here’s an image taken from a shop designed by Korean architectural auteurs Mass Studies.

Source: http://www.massstudies.com/

·         Bananas!

Potassium junkies, Andy Warhol and scratch and sniff fans rejoice! For only a few hundred dollars you can live in a domestic banana smelling jungle!

Source: http://www.flavorpaper.com/wallpaper/detail_in_cat/52/88/B-A-N-A-N-A-S

·         What Sharpie’s Were Made For

This might be the single most economically striking work of wallpaper art we’ve seen yet. For $10, Charlie Kratzer from South Lexington, Kentucky illustrated a plethora of vivid images across his basement walls to create a truly singular interior atmosphere. Check out this news story here and marvel at his work!

·         Piero Fornasetti Montage

This marvellous montage of Fornasetti images makes for a wonderful testament to the late Italian painter, sculptor and decorator. Visually appeasing for casual onlookers and art aficionados alike.  

Source: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/471189179734513890/

·         Can You Feel the Force?

... of this surprisingly tasteful Star Wars wallpaper?

Source: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/471189179734195483/

What’s your favourite oddball wallpaper? Let Living Interiors know on Facebook and Twitter.

Wallpaper Television... Surely Not?

Think back to your first television, or maybe the first widescreen set you welcomed into your living room. Bulky, heavy and let’s face it, probably not all that attractive but those days are long behind us (well, save for the odd few who refuse to upgrade). Modern flat screen models offer a seamless integration into your living aesthetic, often pinned to the wall or hidden behind an elaborate cover to mask their presence. Still, imagine if your television was a chimerical part of your actual wallpaper? Sounds like science fiction nonsense, right...

LG say otherwise, in fact, they’re so confident in their technology that they premièred a proof-of-concept prototype of their *hopefully* upcoming bendy wallpaper television which measures in less than 1 mm thick. Seriously, this beautiful OLED display weighs 1.9kg and is thinner than the width of your fingernail, better yet; it’s held up by magnets and can blend in perfectly with your wall display.

Prefer a bit of heft to your viewing?

The easiest way to understand this concept is to consider fridge magnets, except instead of sticking your TV to your fridge – you’ll be provided with a magnetic mat which sticks to your wall to mount the television on.

The OLED format display is hot stuff in the tech world and indicates a broad opportunity for televisual experimentation. Living Interiors are particularly excited about this development because it’s another bold step in reclaiming the living room from technological clutter. The television is no longer a huge eye sore taking away the attention from the beautiful wallpaper and carpet design you've put so much effort into. If the TV is disguised, what’s the problem? Bring on the future...

For regular updates from Living Interiors, Belgravia please like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Cult of the Portland Airport Carpet

The things people manage to elevate to cult status never ceases to amaze but there was something truly charming about the whole Portland International Airport carpet affair.

For those unaware, the ‘PDX’ Carpet is quite possibly the most recognisable airport carpet of all time, building a strong emotional resonance with travellers since it was laid down in 1987. For many it signified adventure while for others it meant the familiar sight and smell of home.  Sadly in 2013, the carpet was finally stripped and laid to rest but for many its legacy lives on in the form of remnant cuts, tattoos and a bizarre range of merchandise.

The carpet is rather dated by today’s standards but it maintains a sense of late 80s charm with its dark blue lines, red and purple dots and light blueish-green floor colouring. As a means of farewell to the cult carpet, Portland Airport held a massive PDX Carpet festival within the airport as a global farewell. Over 40,000 people came together took ‘foot selfies’ of the carpet, which you can explore here. That bizarre merchandise we mentioned? Just take a look here; people seriously loved this naff old rug.

What’s the closest emotional bond you hold with a carpet or rug? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

The 2000 Year Old Pazyryk Rug

Whether your aesthetic preference lays in tradition or modernism, there’s something universally alluring about the history of design. Persian rugs for instance laid the foundation for modern carpet design and carry a lot of historical weight both socially and artistically. One of the oldest Persian rugs to maintain its original condition is the 2000 year old Pazyryk rug which resides in St. Petersbury’s Hermitage Museum.

This beautiful work of antique weaving was left completely untouched in a Pazyryk burial mound located Serbia’s Altai Krai Mountain’s for two millennia. Excavated in 1949 by Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko, the rug drew significant attention for its elegant design and it’s West Asian BC origins. An exact date that the rug would have been crafted is unclear but the quality of its preservation is really quite profound.

The design itself is rather fascinating with a series of griffins weaved into the border followed by another border inward depicting 24 fallow deer walking in single file. When the rug was discovered, it was situated next to a female mummy wearing an Indian silk tunic raising further questions about the rugs’ exact origins. Respected textile expert Ulrich Schurmann believes the rug is of Armenian descent while the Persians have stated it’s an artefact from the Achaemenid Empire. Regardless, the area of its discovery is well documented as a trading hotspot between China and Central Asia, so who knows where it may or may not have been?

It’s a beautiful piece of history and one that shows how deeply rooted our contemporary approaches lay in classic Persian design.

For more from Living Interiors please like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Industry News Bulletin

Here are some articles that Living Interiors have found this month:

Lots to choose in paint or wallpaper

If you are planning to decorate, choosing between paint and wallpaper will probably be the decision that has the most impact. Factors such as the size of the room, the use of the room and the light will affect your decision, but there are some pros and cons to that apply to either paint or paper. Painting walls is easier than wallpapering them but paint can chip and marks show up easily on a one-colour expanse.

http://www.bordermail.com.au

Wallpapers to Decorate Kids Bedroom

Using wallpapers to decorate rooms is becoming more popular and admiring these days. Wallpapers can be considered as an easy way to make your room look more trendy and stylish. Decorating your kid's room with wallpaper will be one of the best ideas for you to make their look room more lively and dynamic. There are a wide variety of wallpapers for your kid's bedroom in the market. Make sure that you are selecting wallpapers for your kid's bedroom by taking their Interest and opinion into account.

http://www.boldsky.com

Tired Victorian terrace becomes ultra-stylish family home

Secondly, there are the interior finishes, which display Miranda’s acute sense of colour and fabric. Choosing elegant, muted tones from Farrow & Ball ranging from greys to duck-egg blue, offset with similarly subtle fabric-textured wallpapers, all the rooms blend elegance with comfort, with highlight colours provided by silk cushions, glassware, and paintings.  Personal touches include the huge Bampton Design sofa that can take five sprawling boys at once, and the sliding cover for the vast television, “because I hate to see a big TV in a room if you’re not watching it”. Attention to detail includes different fittings — all from CP Hart — in each bathroom, from a plain Duravit basin downstairs to the curvy, rather deco glass-topped double basin in the master bathroom.

http://www.homesandproperty.co.uk

Restored Queen Anne home opens its doors for Sacramento tour

Now, the house feels like it’s always been this way — a gentile Sacramento beauty. A morning glory-style Edison phonograph, an heirloom passed down through Lathe’s family, greets visitors to the parlor along with several vintage photos of the couple’s two families. Gorgeous wallpapers — reproductions of Victorian originals — decorate the walls. In a corner stands an ornately carved fireplace mantel, one of the few original features rescued from the old home. It didn’t burn because it had been taken by a disgruntled former tenant who later sold it to Lathe.

http://www.sacbee.com

This Industry News Bulletin was brought to you by Living Interiors

New Albemarle Wallpaper collection from Cole & Son

Named after an infamous bohemian private members club opening in London in 1874, just a year before Cole & Son was founded, the collection evokes the glamorous and poetic area of the 18th and 19th Century. Each of the nine designs references a cultural icon or gem of the time.

Baudelaire

The print references the fashion for gilding with ornamental gold leaf and other precious metals. The elegant pattern of feather plumes is designed as a panel and features burnished metallics on a range of neutral grounds.

Chatterton

Featuring decorative fern leaves and exotic fruits printed in cool chalky hues of white and stone on coloured grounds. The print is based on an old archive design, re-colour and re-invented for the contemporary interiors.

Wyndham

Cast in moody fashion tones of slate grey, peacock blue, old gold, carmine and pearly grey. Wydnham was inspired by the decorative mouldings and gilding on display in the London theatre of the same name..

Albery

A modern twist on the trend for antique decorative glass, using ornamental elements from the archives to create a bevelled mirror design. Printed on a foil backing, this design comes in six subtle reflective shades of edged silver, rusted bronze, faded blues and amethyst.

Aldwych

An updated rococo style design from the archives, named after the famous London crescent and theatre. Features elaborate leafy scrolls and is printed using highlights of textured glitter, in dramatic charcoals, gods, crimson, jade and ultramarine.

Blake

A classic surface printed damask layered over subtly patterned grounds of deep red, rich gold teal, graphite and pewter.

Byron

An elegant damask featuring gilded peacocks in precious mineral hues of emerald, copper, teal, pewter and graphite. Inspired by the Victorian love of ornamental birds, the print is opulent and exotic.

Piccadillly

A humorous take on the blue and white tile, Piccadilly creates a striking pattern of intricately decorated tiles in traditional colours of blues, turquoises, yellows and black.

Coleridge

A popular archive design, re-coloured in chalky ground shades of stone, white, ochre and camel, with highlights of china blue, leafy green and sooty charcoal. A graceful arrangement of leaves and budding flowers, makes up this very handsome wallpaper.

Find these and other Cole & Son wallpapers, on our website – www.livinginteriors.uk.com

New collections from Zoffany:
From its exclusive beginnings supplying historic wall coverings for private commissions to its current standing as an internationally renowned fabric and wallpaper house, Zoffany retains its commitment to the principles of quality, elegance and heritage. With its extensive range of wallpapers, fabrics, trimmings, paint, carpets and furniture, Zoffany continues to create fresh and innovative designs that offer a beautiful and sophisticated aesthetic for both contemporary and classic interiors…        

Akita Vinyl Wallpapers
These Akita, vinyl wallpapers combine visually stunning aesthetics with high durability and exceptional quality. The bespoke embossing applied to the wallpapers is an essential element in enhancing the printed designs, reflecting and refracting the light to create a striking three – dimensional effect.   They are manufactured in rolls of size 10.05m long x 68.6 cms wide.     

Akita Weaves
Akita Weaves are woven in Silky Trevira CS and have a beautiful drape as well as being fire retardent and washable. The five designs are suitable for contract and domestic interior furnishings, curtains, bedcovers and cushions.   They are manufactured in varying widths, of between 132cms and 144cms...                                                                                                                        
Arden Wallpapers and Fabrics
Zoffany, in association with the artist Melissa White, introduces Arden, the most comprehensive collection to date of designs inspired by the Elizabethan style of the late 16th century.

Poesy Wallpapers
The Poesy Wallpaper Collection is inspired by a unique and rare Dominoe Paper Collection housed in the Zoffany Archive. These were often used as linings for deed boxes, trunks, end papers for books, outer decoration for boxes, or the inner covering of musical instrument cases and the patterning of playing cards. With origins in France, Italy, England and Germany, the Dominoe Papers in the Archive date from the early to late 18th century.                                                      

Poesy embroideries
There are eight designs in the collection ranging from simple star motifs to heavily embroidered trails. Each is coloured in a soft useable palette. The small scale of the designs makes them ideal for bedrooms where they can be used together or in living rooms as coordinates to larger patterns or plains.          
                                                                                                  
Find these and other Zoffany wallpapers, fabric, furniture and paint on our website – www.livinginteriors.uk.com
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