Exeter Gardens
Reduction of garden maintenance while creating useful entertaining areas
Complements modern decking
Keep things cosyFor ultimate indulgence, why not design your bathroom as you would your bedroom or living room? Turn it into somewhere to relax, rather than just wash and go. Here, the designers have included soft curtains and a wooden floor in their scheme, as well as plenty of paintings displayed on a colourful wall.
Trade up your towelsFor a luxurious feeling when you emerge from the bath or shower, it’s a good idea to have some soft towels to hand. There are numerous gorgeous, inexpensive designs on the market, so it’s worth investing in a couple of sets. Don’t forget to include a bath sheet that’s large enough to wrap around you fully.
Expand a hallwayLarge mirrors are always a boon for the hallway as they instantly widen narrow proportions. If you don’t have room for a freestanding version or wall space to hang one, why not try attaching a block of mirrored tiles to the wall and let the light flood in? You can still have your console table and coat rack in front, and even fix wall lights to it, as here.Many companies cut mirrors to suit your dimensions and style. Keep the sheet frameless for a light and airy feel or get a frame or grid made for added definition.
Dabble with distressed If you’re a big fan of vintage, you’ll love this backdrop of antique mirror glass, which transforms a humble wall into a work of art.Look out for different levels of patination depending on how distressed you want your mirror to be, and use decorative studs at each intersection for an even more authentic touch. The less-than-perfect finish also means you won’t need a full-blown scrub and polish as often. Get ideas for creating a vintage-style bathroom
Make a small cloakroom feel biggerPlain mirrored glass would have the same space-boosting effect in this standalone loo, but what’s nice here is the tarnished glass also lends character to this small, functional space. If you want your foxed mirror to be a standout feature, go ultra-modern all around it. If you want it to blend in a little, consider including roughed-up surfaces nearby, such as raw wood or distressed paintwork on picture frames or a vanity unit. Here, the owners have opted to echo the mirror’s random patterns with marble floor tiles, whose veining and palette, as we already know, provide a visual partner to the mottled glass.
Add to an alcoveIf an entire wall seems a bit much, why not try panelling the inside of an alcove instead? It’s still an interesting design feature, but isn’t quite as full-on as a whole wall.
Include some decorative charmThe furniture and lighting in this gorgeous room creates an ornate, vintage feel. To get the look, hunt out modern versions of antique objects like the white chandelier and Venetian bedside table shown here. The bright blue accessories and flowers add a bold, more contemporary feel.Want the shabby chic look fast? Check out these style shortcuts
Floating vanity units Practicality is key in the bathroom and that’s why floating furniture is such a good option. A wall-hung vanity unit makes it so much easier to clean the floor underneath and boosts the feeling of space in the room. The wooden number in this scheme fits perfectly into the small area, allowing easy access to the area below and giving the room a feeling of flow.
Marvellous marbleOne material that’s been a particular favourite in the past year is marble, and we’ve seen it popping up frequently on bathroom walls, floors and basins. It adds an instant luxurious feel to a washspace and is subtle enough to go with most other finishes. Here, the vanity unit, basin and wall form a feature area of marble that tones beautifully with the warm wood and deep grey.
Strong blackDon’t fancy brass? You could plump for black fittings instead. Metal taps that have been powder-coated in a matt black finish are available from a number of bathroom retailers. The tap and shower head here complement the black elsewhere in the room and give a striking contrast to the bright white sanitaryware and marble walls.
Mistake 6: Sticking with a single light sourceA solitary pendant is the downfall of many a hall. It can leave much of the space in shadow, which will make it feel smaller than it really is, plus it doesn’t allow changes of atmosphere. The hallway here has ceiling spots that create good ambient light for the entire hall, plus a table lamp that can offer a homely glow when the owners don’t need the whole space illuminated.
A small home for a couple or single resident probably won’t need as much coat-hanging space, but don’t omit it. Here, a set of hooks positioned above the elegant radiator is a space-efficient use of the wall, and it leaves room for a seat and artwork adjacent.
Mistake 3: Leaving out shoe storageThe rest of a home will stay cleaner if shoes are removed near the door, but fail to plan in a place to put them, and scattered pairs might be the result. This hallway includes a capacious cupboard to avoid the problem. Shoe storage that goes from floor to ceiling like this doesn’t have to be deep, so it needn’t impinge much on even a narrow hallway. Sliding doors are also ideal in tight spaces, or simply leave the shoe storage open and avoid the door question entirely.
Alternatively, try panelling. Putting up wall panels in a hall is another way to help keep it in top condition. Panels can be up to dado height like these, or full height. It’s easy to find panelling online in designs to complement the age of a period home, or to bring character to something newer. Simple tongue-and-groove is a winner in country (or country-look) homes, and vertical boards can suit contemporary spaces.A beginner’s guide to installing wall panelling
Living Room glazing
Slimline metal frames
Glazing. Slimline frames.
Point out a peninsulaSiting the lighting strategically can really change the mood of a kitchen between day and night-time. Here, a bright room that’s pretty neutral but packed with natural textures by day will blush with warmth in the evening, when the lights under the breakfast bar hit the wooden stools and floor beneath them. Add to that the soft glow thrown upwards by the light from the pendants over the wooden breakfast bar and the warming, welcoming effect is doubled.
Introduce depthWhen designing a galley kitchen, do attempt to challenge the repetitiveness of the cabinetry. Here, lighting beneath the wall-hung units brightens the worktop and splashback, making the room feel wider. At the same time, the ceiling downlights are positioned perfectly, just lipping the cabinetry, so that not only is the texture of the wood highlighted, but the chance of a cook’s shadow on the worktop is reduced.
Break up monotonyContemporary, flat-fronted cabinetry is so easy to live with, but without a change in pace, it can be somewhat featureless – which is where under-cabinet lighting can come in. Here, the island is cleverly divided by a wood-veneered niche, under-lit along its length to provide focus and warmth. Top-lighting the floor-to-ceiling cupboards behind does a similar, sameness-defying job.
Highlight textureThe main event in this kitchen is, without doubt, the central island. And its defining feature is the gorgeous gold finish on the drawer fronts. The trouble with leaving them unlit is that indirect daylight will simply make the metallic finish look dull, while overhead lighting won’t touch it at all. The solution? Under-worktop lighting that makes it lustrous all day – and all evening.
Emphasise a nicheFloor-to-ceiling cabinetry is best punctuated and in this scheme, under-cabinet lighting over the hob does the job effectively. The tricks the lighting performs within the shelving unit mustn’t be minimised, either: it boosts the impression of the niche’s depth, shows off the accessories displayed and gives off an intimate, dining-ready glow.
Play up the positivesUnder-cabinet lighting shouldn’t be limited to traditional downlights beneath wall-hung cupboards. In fact, if you have floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, that’s not even an option. So get creative and put them where they’ll really count. Here, they lighten (in every sense) the impact of a sizeable, chunky, but good-looking kitchen island.
Slim framed patio doors
From the inky velvet curtains to the shadowy botanic-print wallpaper and sleek black floor, this room really goes for it. And the result is anything but gloomy. Rather, it’s become elegant, striking and full of interest, thanks to plants, pink and green accents – in the wallpaper and armchairs – and a huge, light-boosting mirror, keep the black from being overbearing.If you recently watched the BBC adaptation of Howards End, you’ll recognise a nod to the Edwardian era of the house in here: it’s elegant yet inviting and a little bit boho. And what an inviting combination – we’d be quite happy to be in that window chair right now, with a nice cup of tea and a classic novel for the afternoon.See more of this stylish, inky bedroomWhich is your favourite of these rooms and why? Let us know in the Comments section.Read more:7 Genius Tips From The Year’s Most Popular Open-plan StoriesYou Need to See This Year’s Most Popular Houzz Tour7 Genius Tips From The Year’s Most Popular Hallway StoriesYou Need to See 2017’s Most Popular Kitchen Tour
And – ta-da! – the winner, at number 1, is…This glamorous top floor bedroom is another design by Karen Knox of Making Spaces. We love a good before and after and so, it would seem, do you.
Slim framed rear doors
At number 3…The creative transformation of this Leeds loft into a Scandi-tinged retreat is down to Karen Knox of Making Spaces, who also lives here.The bedroom is at the top of a 1960s semi, and just some of the standout features include an exposed brick wall, industrial-style lighting with exposed metal conduits, huge windows and a striking poplar plywood floor. “I’ve always loved plywood,” says Knox. “I really didn’t want carpet in the loft and I felt proper floorboards would look too posh.”
Bright colours
Rug softens wooden floor. Note positioning.
Lighting a garden feature (summerhouse area in our case)
Curtain in bathroom softens it
Extractor
Modern, clean lines
Internal glazed doors
Zinc!
Marble bathroom tiles
Feature lighting
Tree lights
Width of garden highlighted
Ability to see garden at night
Or white
Tiles and wall paint
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