Spring has Sprung!

Here in the Midlands the weather lately has been surprisingly good (probably tempting fate now) and despite the odd frost the ground is warming up in the beautiful sunshine.  Down country lanes, in City parks and in gardens and window boxes everything is coming out of winter hibernation.  The sight of blossom on the trees and Tulip and Daff bulbs opening up in the Spring sunshine makes me want to spend so much time outdoors!




Cheery yellow daffodils - a sign that Winter is over!

 
 
I love brightening up the rooms in my house with a bunch of freshly picked flowers popped into a small glass jar, or several branches of blossom displayed in a tall vase. 



Blossom with a cloudless blue sky!
 

I also use a lot of faux flowers, as although they are an investment initially, they are very cost-effective in the long-term and are not killed off by the wrong conditions or forgetting to water them (guilty!) and we keep having new stock in the showroom, some of which are available online, such as this beautiful orchid.

 

Orchid available from Bayswater Interiors

 

 

Now is also a good time to get thinking about some improvements to the garden too - you can certainly plant many new plants as soon as the risk of frost has passed.  I love looking at Houzz for inspiration for garden design, as well as the fabulous Sarah Raven website for fabulous planting inspiration and a wide selection of seeds, bulbs and plants.  Remember that even your vegetables can be planted in an ornamental design to add interest in the garden - the image below shows that even your cabbages can be beautiful!
 

 





Traditional Landscape by Shelburne Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers Paintbox Garden

New Year, Fresh Eyes!

Yesterday we finished the mammoth job of taking down the Christmas decorations (although I always seem to find a rogue one hiding somewhere at a later date) and the hallway in particular looks bare after the monster tree my husband picked has gone.

 

 

 

Whilst it is tempting to just put back the furniture that we moved in December to accommodate the tree, it is worth assessing if a new look could be achieved.  Whilst it might be possible to pick up the odd bargain in the sales, often just moving the items you already have around a room, or even around the house, can create a new look.

 

Mirrors and pictures are a good place to start - often we have mirrors and artwork that we no longer notice in their current position, but if you move them to a new location they make a statement again. 

 





Beach Style Powder Room by Northport Architects & Building Designers ADL III Architecture

 

Contemporary Living Room by West Midlands Interior Designers & Decorators Rendall & Wright

Cushions can also enliven a space.  Could you move cushions from a bedroom into the sitting room and vice versa?  If you have a fairly neutral colour scheme throughout the house, sometimes just changing the textures is all that is needed - swapping cotton and silk for fur and textured wool for example.

If you cannot move larger pieces of furniture due to restrictions with space, flow and windows for example, then perhaps moving the table or floor lamps will create a different atmosphere, creating pools of light in unexpected places and highlighting any architectural or decorative features in your home.

 

Transitional Living Room by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Jarlath Mellett





 

 

 

Transitional Dining Room by London Furniture & Accessories Oficina Inglesa London

 

 

 

 

It is always good during the bleak, bare months of winter to add some flowers, foliage or even fruit to your rooms - a reminder that Spring will eventually be here.  Above, the addition of red Tulips highlights the red lips on the painting and the red shoe in the glass display case below.  Glass BonBon jars full of lemons and limes look good in a kitchen, and large branches of evergreens can create a statement display on a console table.  Add some battery operated mini LED lights for a magical evening look.

 

We have a few more cold and dark months when we will be spending a lot of time indoors, so enjoy your home by refreshing the décor and seeing the things you love with fresh eyes again.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Some Colour Inspiration from the Garden

The weather today has been gorgeous - the sun has been shining, it has been lovely and warm with a slight breeze carrying the scent of those early Spring blooms on the air.  In the early evening light I have taken a stroll through the garden, taking a look at how the plants and flowers are progressing as the soil warms up with a mix of sun and rain to bring things to life.

I find the colours of the garden can be very inspirational in terms of interior colour schemes - from the vivid colours of some of the flowers, through to the more delicate variation you see on certain leaves.

The leaves of this Hosta in my garden (above) combines shades of green and white.  Used together in an interiors scheme these colours can combine to create a lovely restful feel or an energising and uplifting one depending upon the tones used.

 

Traditional Living Room by Little Rock Interior Designers & Decorators Tobi Fairley Interior Design

 

Traditional Living Room by Toronto Architects & Designers Heintzman Sanborn Architecture~Interior Design










Just in case you need more vivid colour inspiration, here are a couple of other shots from the garden - nature really does offer some excellent inspiration!  In my home there are some rooms with a backdrop of neutral and paler colours, but I cannot resist the odd bit of drama, and colour is a great way to add interest to a more subtle scheme.

  

Fingers crossed we have a sunny bank holiday and can get outside to enjoy the creations of Mother Nature!


 

Creating Lasting Design

At Bayswater Interiors we are able to create a design for your home in any number of styles, but what we specialise in is creating a timeless interior that will not go 'out of fashion' in a couple of months.  We can inject some nods to current or upcoming trends with a few well chosen pieces in 'of the moment' colours or textures, but without breaking the bank, so that when you tire of them or trends change, it is possible to update your room with little effort or expense.

Transitional Bedroom by Scottsdale Interior Designers & Decorators David Michael Miller Associates

 

Off whites and other neutral shades usually work best as a base colour, with the addition of other colours as accents, or use traditional shades of darker colours such as navy and black.  Natural materials such as stone or wood are clever choices for flooring, and are hard-wearing so will last.  The addition of rugs will reduce noise and provide comfort underfoot, and can help define specific areas in a larger space.

When choosing furniture think ultimately of the function it needs to fulfill, employ clever storage and always go for quality over quantity when making buying decisions.  Items chosen from different eras look good juxtaposed together - think inherited items, well-chosen pieces and some quirkier finds.  Remember too the importance of lighting and make the most of natural lighting, then enhance your space with a variety of additional light sources.

Traditional Living Room by Barrie Interior Designers & Decorators Staples Design Group








Ultimately though, choose things that make you feel comfortable and relaxed in your home, for those you will want to keep, and will become an integral part of your 'timeless' design.

Transitional Dining Room by Washington Architects & Designers Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc

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Beautiful lighting, cushions & decorative accessories  are available from Bayswater Interiors