@Karen W - I realise that it's a bit stark right now but I now have a blank canvas that I actually like and can work with! Am looking out for a nice oil painting for the end wall.. or perhaps I'll put up a few clipboards? Husband wants a big blackboard but I'm not so sure! Will keep on posting updates! Meanwhile my downstairs half bath has had a mini reno and I'm starting to think about redecorating my study...

You must have very expensive taste :( I’ve attached the link and think the first photo is a close up. The 2nd one is the dar Katie from universal lighting. I think it will probably be very difficult to find a traditional one without a traditional rose as per the one you like. Is this on the right track and will see if I can find anything closer? I think that was c£215 http://www.nickmailerlighting.co.uk/windfall-lighting-uk/

i like the blind and i like the idea of a soft kinda dullish pink :) And the room palette so far is dusky warm grey (sofa) , white (walls, shelfs, skirtings, ) warm earthy browns ( storage boxes, floors, floor lamp, . If i added pink would that mean everything else would be pink as in cushions and accessories or? But as for lights i was thinking something industrial idk but should they be darker woody tones or light tones, hmmm,, any thoughts out there!!? x This is the rug i have ordered :):):):) ,, Dream room I did find this room lol,, because it has the colours . Look at that wonderful doorway and gold ceiling and chaise lounge etc etc ,^^ and my flooring is just a tad darker ;) maybe the wheel industrial ceiling pendant might be a tad too industrial,, all thoughts welcome on lighting ^^ Then there is the smaller chandelier style hmm,, i need expert advice on this Maybe curtains could be a lighter colour similar to the rug ? The Living Room at the moment ,, its screaming for something ^^

There are a few secrets to nailing a luxurious look and feel to your space. The one I use the most is choosing a focal point. This could include things like a feature wall, large windows, huge paintings, centre tables. A focal point allows you to use minimalistic furniture without the room being boring. Source: Divania Interiors The photo above shows an amazing feature wall. It's the first thing you see in this room. You will then notice the fire at the bottom, and the lighting, shelves, and gold accent to the right and left of the feature wall. Then you will notice the sofa's and their throw cushions. Source: Divania Interiors Again, the first thing we notice in the above room is the marble feature wall. Then the two matching side walls, the light, the ceiling, the panelling to the far right, then the coffee tables and the sofas. Source: Home-Designing Once again, the feature wall is the first thing you notice. Then the huge light subtly works it's way into your vision. Then you notice the sofa, then the dining area, then the background. These examples of feature walls all prove that as long as the wall is punchy enough to grab your attention, the rest of the room can remain minimalist without ever being boring. ______________________________________________________________________ Another focal point, which is similar to a feature wall, is a huge painting or piece of art. In this art, you can bring the inner you out. Maybe a gold and white abstract, then you can use gold ornaments, sofas with gold legs, gold wire side tables and coffee tables. Or you can choose a colourful piece of art, and pick out a main colour from the art and use the colour in small soft furnishings, such as cushions, ornaments or rugs, throws and curtains. Source: Decorilla This room has a focal point of the gold abstract art which is accentuated by gold throw cusions on a velvet sofa, and also the coffee table helps to highlight the gold focal point. Then you may notice that the rest of the room is minimalist. The armchairs or white, the curtains are white, the rug is white, the floor is a contrasting dark wood, the walls are white, and the ceiling lights and wall sconces are crystal. There is a clear side table and big windows which help with natural light, balancing the dark floor and white furniture. Source: LuxeDeco I love the above room. It has an element of symmetry with the shelving, then the sofas throw a twist on the symmetry. The point here is that the colour in the art is a deep green, which they have accentuated with green armchairs to one side and green throw cushions to the other side. The abstract rug helps underline the abstract clouds in the art, and the layered textures of the shelving drawers, coffee tables and side tables help give the room a different dimension. Source: Home-Designing I also love this room. It is mainly white, with contrasting wooden floor. The sofa is a light grey, which adds dimension with the colour difference. But my favourite part about it is the offset red painting. Then you have the added elements of red in the throw cushions and the throw blanket. These pops of colour stand out, and it's clear that the red piece of art is the focal point, and the other red elements help to balance the monochrome room out without it being too boring. ______________________________________________________________________ Coffee tables. Every living room needs one. You can also spice up a bedroom with one. Using a coffee table can also be a good focal point. Maybe a marble coffee table with wooden flooring and a wooden wall. Maybe a brass or gold coffee table with a matching light and accessories. Source: Home-Designing This room has a relatively monochrome colour palette. White sofa, white ottoman, white walls, white ceiling, white shelves, which pillars. Then in the foreground, against a plain textured grey rug is a marble coffee table. Actually, to be honest, the plant may be the first thing I noticed. Then the gold velvet throw cushions, then the coffee table. These three elements are the main elements in the room. Event the ornaments on the shelves don't stand out as much. Source: Home-Designing The bronze-gold coffee tables are the first things we notice with this room. Then the matching bar lights. The rug chosen perfectly contrasts the coffee tables making it easier to see them. The abstract of the rug is dark and light grey, and the sofa perfectly compliments the light grey in the rug. Even though there is a monochrome colour palette to this room, the focal point stands out enough to create that feeling of luxury and sophistication. ______________________________________________________________________ If you have tall ceilings with huge windows, these can be used as the focal point of a room. A well chosen palette of colours can be used to enhance the view from the window. Maybe a fir tree with a stunning deep green hue sits by the window. Inside, forest green velvet arm chairs with a white velvet sofa adorned with deep green throw cushions magnify the rich nature feel in the room. Or maybe you have a city view and accentuate this by using deep blue or black furniture with a contrasting white tiled floor and embellished with deep brown woods and brown soft accessories. Source: Home-Designing This has to be one of my favourite use of windows as a focal point. The green from the nature view outside is highlighted by the deep green sofas. Then the brown hard elements (the wall, shelves and floor) give it that nature feel whilst keeping it simple and luxurious. The pop of yellow in the throw cushions is accentuated by the yellow light above it and the small side table. These dashes of yellow-gold give it a luxurious lift. Source: Home-Designing Love, love, love that view. It's so stunning. And it's clear that this view is the focal point of the room. I mean, you can barley see the furniture. The fireplace mirrors the insane window. Long and narrow. Then the bar table to the right also mirrors the shape of the window. I bet the reflection on that glossy worktop is just *insert chef's kiss* perfect. The deep wooden brown bar along with the brown soft furnishings gives the room a different dimension. Then the plain white tiled floor and ceiling helps contrast the rest of the dark room. And those spotlights! They mirror the starts you could see on a cleat night. Source: Home-Designing Here's another example of large windows being the focal point of the room. That lonesome little fir tree is cute. Again, they have used a large fireplace to mirror the window. And again white ceiling and floor to contrast the dark furniture. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Another secret to getting that luxurious feeling in your home is to layer textures, patterns and colours. You can do this with accessories, soft furnishings, ornaments, wall décor and more. The art of layering comes down to choosing complimentary patterns, colours and textures that can contrast each other as well as match perfectly. Source: Home-Designing This room has four different layers. The rib textured grey wall, the brushed bronze panelling, the abstract grey rug and the parquet wooden flooring. These all come together as the grey and gold wall go well together, the grey rug accentuates the rib wall, and the parquet flooring pulls the other three layers together. And that's just the decorating. The sofa is also grey to match the rug and wall, the desk to the left pulls the parquet flooring and bronze panelling together. The round coffee tables, one dark and one light, helps pull the colours together whilst the shape help give the round lights a place. Source: Home-Designing This room has a cool traditional twist whilst keeping it luxurious. It also has a focal point. The large wall art at the back sets the tone of the room. Then the green sofa gives a pop of colour. The ornate legs of the green sofa match the armchairs, whilst the fabric of the armchairs give it a traditional twist. Then the ornate chandelier matches the sofas, side tables and coffee tables whilst the lamp shades match the beige colour palette and adds to the traditional twist. Source: Home-Designing This room shows the layering of colours really well. As you can see, the wall, the floor and the armchairs are white. Then the gold wall art, gold wall sconces in the background matches the gold flower pot and side table in the middle layer, which again matches the coffee table in the secondary foreground and the gold patterns on the floor. The layers of green is the clearest to see in this interior. The green sofa and plant in the background, the four green throw cushions in the secondary foreground, then the small green, what looks like an armchair, to the left of the foreground. Source: Home-Designing I'm going to add a fourth example of layering. This blue, gold, and champagne room is modern, with luxurious materials (the velvet) and has a traditional twist (the ornate wall and frame). So in the background, the light blue wall with gold ornate detailing, the blue, champagne, pink and white piece of art accentuates with it's ornate frame accentuates the wall. Then the blue and champagne ornaments and lights in the secondary background gives another 3D layer with the gold colour. Then the velvet blue sofa layered with champagne and gold throw cushions with symmetry adds layer to the secondary foreground. Then in the foreground is the matching coffee tables with the champagne colour. Lastly, the blue rug adds to the traditional twist and the blue and champagne colour mix. And don't forget the chandelier. A traditional addition with the crystal appearance for luxury. ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Lighting is important. Very important. One of those things where you don't realise how important it is until you see it's bad. Get me? Probably not. What I mean is poor lighting can ruin your entire room. But you can't see that bad lighting has this effect until you see bad lighting. For example, if you are going to use white lights, then make sure all of the lights in your room are white. The same applies if you choose yellow (or low kelvin) lights. If you have a mix of white lights and yellow lights, then it can ruin the décor of the room. And choosing yellow or white lights depends on what feel you want to give the room. If you want it to be clean and simple, then it would be best to go for white, or high kelvin lights. Source: Home-Designing With this room, it's monochromatic colour palette is enhanced by the white lights. Also, how many lights can make a difference. You will want a main light, which is the ceiling bar light, then you may want a wall sconce, then a spotlight or a highlight, such as the one in the top left corner of this room. Source: Home-Designing In this example, the abstract lights built into the feature wall are mirrored by the abstract lighting hanging from the ceiling. These are both yellow lights creating a softer feel to the room. Then there is a yellow highlight in the middle to the right of the room which shines above a cupboard helping give more contrast to the dark furniture and the white walls. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Now budget is important, but when it comes to luxury designing, it's important to invest in high quality materials and furnishings. For example velvet curtains, plush cushions, silk throws maybe. These high-end materials will make a difference to the aura of the room. Source: Home-Designing In this room, most of the sofas are a soft velvet or chenille material. This soft plush material is accompanied by button tufting on the ottoman/bench and the large sofa. The the gold frame of the wall art and the gold trim on the black table to the left matches the gold legs of the sofa. The marble floor gives another luxurious material. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Lastly, the final touches to a room can add and enhance the luxurious feel. Below are some example of high-end, quality, luxurious ornaments that can add dimension and layers to a luxury room. Visit Katharine Pooley https://katharinepooley.com/ for more luxury interior design ideas. Now, there was one thing that was common in every single room shown above. Can you figure it out? Put your thoughts in the comments below! Dolce Maggio "The best way to accomplish serious design...is to be totally and completely unqualified for the job." – Paula Scher