Tips for Getting the Lighting Right in Your Bedrooms

Good lighting in the home is really important, and as each room is used for a different purpose there is a lot to consider.  

Lighting for the living areas - kitchens, dining rooms and sitting rooms - is frequently discussed but bedrooms don't seem to get quite as much coverage.  I find this somewhat surprising considering we spend the same amount of time in our bedrooms as we do in the rest of the house.  

So, I was very pleased when I was approached to help out with a couple of articles giving advice and tips on how to light bedrooms. The first is a guide on lighting for children's bedrooms - click here to read it.

This fun, metal lighthouse lamp has been very popular and used by a number of customers with seaside holiday homes for their children's bedrooms.

The second article gives lighting ideas for the master bedroom -  click here to read it. 

We often work to a colour theme and this photo of a Pooky lamp shows how effective blending colours can be.  Here yellows and blues work well together as does the clever use of the Ikat design on both the shade and cushion.

How to Make Your Bi-Fold Doors Look Cosy in the Winter

Bi-fold doors are wonderful for making rooms lighter and connecting you to the outside but during the winter months they can seem a little bare and cold.  I often get asked for ways to dress them so when I was recently approached to comment on the subject I was delighted to help.

To read the full article please click here

Decorating Your Home At Christmas

Decorating your home and tree at Christmas is always fun and gives everyone a chance to be creative.  We get enormous satisfaction and enjoyment from decorating the shop.  This is the window we created this year.  As you can see we've gone for rather traditional, Victorian look...

The mix of decorations we're selling range from vintage tin hearts, beautiful glass baubles to pretty hand embellished fabric birds.  The latter arrived packaged in paper - not one bit of plastic or polystyrene to be found which added to my delight in seeing them for the first time!

Candles are a must at Christmas.  They give off a gorgeous light and I love the twinkly effect they create when reflected in glass.  These mini candle lanterns look great either grouped together or strategically placed.

Foraging for natural foliage to decorate the house has become an annual tradition in my household.  .  Look around the garden and hedgerows and you're guaranteed to find all sorts of greenery that you can use.  Consider weaving ivy around the banisters on your staircase.  Using natural foliage smells and looks lovely.  You can intersperse it with baubles or ribbons then finish off with a string of LED lights.

Here is a helpful article with ideas from 12 of us interior designers about how to style a staircase at Christmas.  https://www.jacksonwoodturners.co.uk/planning-advice/styling-staircase-christmas

Another simple but hugely effective decoration are oranges studded with cloves.  It takes a few minutes to do and they look fab when group together in a bowl or vase. To add more interest you can always include some fir cones.  Here are some we did and as you can see we've made use of one of our ceramic mixing bowls!

Glass baubles placed together in a bowl is also another super fast and simple idea that is extremely effective.

I hope this blog is helpful.  Please make use of your old decorations and, if you do have to buy more, take time to choose ones that have been made ethically and from sustainable products.

Happy Decorating !!