Opal House for Target

20 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Shopping, The Home

Tags

bedding, Canyon Sunrise, decorative items, design, furniture, Indochic, interior design, Mallorca, opalhouse, pillows, rugs, target, the home

Target launched another brand recently and not only is it pretty inspiring, but its super affordable and stylish as well. Opalhouse includes bold colors, textured pieces and a huge focus on details. With the brand’s 70s feel it definitely has a sense of nostalgia. However, the furniture is quite modern and the decorative elements are rich in many ways. I think it’s a nice blend of old and new, perfect if you want to bring life and warmth into your home.

Here are some photos of the new brand and its collections, along with some of my favorite pieces. Enjoy!

A favorite from the Indochic collection

My loves from the Canyon Sunrise collection

My top picks from the Mallorca collection

Creating a Flexible & Adaptable Room Theme

10 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

furniture, home, interior design, Lamps, Matt Chappell, OKA Direct, pillows, scatter cushions

If you spend a large amount of your free time in a particular room, there is a chance that at some point you have felt less than enthused about its décor. Becoming bored with one’s surroundings is not uncommon; in fact it is an entirely natural response. There are, however, several easy ways of ensuring your décor remains fresh, exciting and invigorating. These methods do not demand extensive redecoration nor do they possess a hefty price tag. Below is a video that outlines three ways to create different looks in the same room in an easy and affordable way.

Flexibility is about having the ability to provide change without a significant impact on the current situation. This means multiple small alterations instead of a significant reshuffle of a room.

Items such as scatter cushions and small ornaments are ideal for creating adaptability and the ability to create a multi design room. Instead of having a stockpile of different cushions that take up storage space, it pays to have a reserve of different cushion covers that can be used to create several alternative styles. When used in conjunction with similarly styled curtains or throws, one may alternate a room’s theme on a whim.

Photo Credit: West Elm

Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Lighting is another easy way to increase the interest and function of a room. With the thoughtful implementation of task and accent lighting one can dramatically alter the usability and aesthetic impact of certain areas of a room. This can be achieved, for example, by adding a tall lamp to a dark corner of a room in order to relieve the sense of dreariness as well as provide useful illumination for activities such as reading.

Photo Credit: World Market

Photo Credit: Crate & Barrel

This is not the variety of pursuit that rewards the timid decorator in the sense that one must experiment and make mistakes in order to find what truly works in a particular room. No one room is exactly the same just as no one person’s tastes are alike. In the end, if you feel a sense of reinvigoration when you finish your decorating then you have achieved your goal.

{This article was written on behalf of OKA Direct by Matt Chappell. Matt regularly blogs about interior design and furniture, recently his main interest has been traditional furniture construction techniques.}

Top Tips for Beautiful, Comfortable Living Areas for Less

04 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Leo Parker

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bed Sheets, bedroom, color, comfortable living, cushions, decorating, Explore a Theme, Focal Point, furniture, Headboards, interior design, Knick-knacks, living room, paint, pillows, rugs, Statement Lighting, swivel uk, throws

Give your living space a whole new lease of life with these easy and inspiring ideas.

Statement Lighting
Create dramatic, contemporary interiors using statement lighting. Lighting is the key to creating the right ambience and mood in a room. Opt for a large floor lamp to illuminate your living space, pulling everything together and giving the eye a focal point.

This super chic Arco Lamp replica, based on Achille Castiglioni’s iconic piece takes its inspiration from street lamps and the long stem enables the lamp to project light up to 8 feet from its sturdy marble base. A fantastic example of affordable designer lighting.

Create a Focal Point
Make one wall a feature. This rule can apply to almost all rooms in your home but works extremely well in the bedroom. By painting one wall a vibrant color and the other white, this creates a focal point in the room. Add to your focal point with some well-chosen designer furniture.

Place your bed up against this wall to create a modern and stylish look. Alternatively use wallpaper to exaggerate space, making it lighter and brighter, due to its reflective qualities.

Bed Sheets
For a modern, fuss-free and sophisticated bedroom opt for crisp white bed linen as your bed is the focal part of the room – an easy way to update a drab interior. Add cushions, plenty of pillows and throws for a more lavish look.

Lick of Paint
To create a calm and relaxing boudoir, try your hand at home decorating using soft pastel colors to achieve this effect. This creative process can be very therapeutic so will set the tone for the room from the beginning.

Headboards
If you are not enamored by traditional wooden headboards, a fresh take on this would be to make your own. A painting or photo collage is a great alternative and will create a bespoke, modern mood in no time.

Knick-knacks
Surround yourself with things that make you happy – old photos, books, inspirational objects to create a really homey feel. Not only will it make for a more cheerful living space but will feed into your subconscious which in turn will lead to a happier you.

Rugs
Add a bohemian element to your home with a rug. Bright colors, bold patterns and interesting textures are great for injecting a new lease of life into a living area.

Explore a Theme
Explore different themes and tie together a room by adopting this theme throughout the whole area. An example of this would be a quirky, retro sixties vibe. Mix bold geometric wallpaper with funky details with an Eero Aarnio Ball Chair replica for a cool look.

Written by Leo Parker

How to Redecorate on a Budget

14 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Sarah Atkinson, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bedding, bedroom, budget, charity, color, color schemes, decorating, duvet covers, furniture, interior design, Linens Direct, painting, pillows, redecorating

There are many ways to bring a new lease of life to your home without breaking the bank. If you’ve been considering redecorating but are wary of the costs involved, these tips will give you plenty of inspiration to help you achieve a new look on a budget.

Add some color to the walls
A lick of paint is one of cheapest yet most effective ways to bring a room up to date. You might want to consider creating a bold statement wall, painting an entire room with a vibrant, intense shade or using several colors to incorporate a stylish two-tone theme. As you can pick up tins of paint cheaply from your local DIY store, you can regularly update your home without spending too much.

Update your bedding
Redecorating doesn’t have to involve buying new furniture. If you want to bring a fresh feel to your bedroom, try choosing some new duvet covers and pillowcases. They’re available at reasonable prices from online retailers such as Linens Direct, meaning that you can easily embrace the latest trends or change your color schemes. You’ll be surprised at just how different your bedroom can look after making such a simple change.

Give existing furniture a make-over
There’s no need to throw out your existing furniture. Try giving your existing pieces a make-over by having them reupholstered with a new material. This could change a boring old armchair into a statement piece, with very little investment. If you’re looking for something a little less permanent, buy a few colored throws and experiment with different looks according to your mood.

Visit your local charity shop
You may find that you can pick up plenty of bargains at a charity shop that will help you to transform your home. Look out for items such as pictures, mirrors and photo frames that have been previously loved but could look fantastic in your living space. You might decide that they need a coat of paint or varnish to make them look new again, or you could pick up some pieces that look stylishly vintage just the way they are.

With so many ways to update your home on a shoestring, it’s not surprising that more and more people are choosing to get creative rather than splashing the cash. By trying just a few of these ideas, your house will be looking brand new for a price you never thought possible.

Written by Sarah Atkinson