On my journey through the electronic highway this week, one image stood out (almost with a cry for help!) from the myriad on offer; and as a result this poor, unfortunate, kitchen is what I bring you as our Friday Faux Pas this week.

Normally I try and keep the criticism to a constructive level and in balance too, I usually try and find something positive to say about the image and name at least one item in the scheme that I would save or salvage.

Not this week though!  I am struggling to find anything positive at all to say about this. I’m even questioning whether the kitchen ever looked good, even it it’s hayday – if it ever had one?

I supposed I could say that the worktop space is relatively generous for the size of the kitchen and the storage space has been maximised on by the wall cupboards extending up to the ceiling, but really and truly I should send the interior design and bad taste police out to the home owning bandit that did this to this kitchen, armed with either a few gallons of paint stripper or a large skip; as I truly think that the kindest thing for this kitchen would be to put it out of it’s misery, rip it out, start again and let it rest in peace in the kitchen graveyard! I mean, we’ve all heard of ‘shabby chic,’ but there’s nothing chic about this it’s just Shabby with a capital S!

Now, I have nothing against painted kitchens, in fact I love them and I am currently considering painting my own. They can look stunning and be a highly effective way of updating tired and dated units with only a moderate investment of time and money. But please, take this as an example of how NOT TO DO IT!

Not only is the colour clash painful on the eye but the standard of painting skills and the fact that the painting has been left unfinished is unforgivable. They haven’t even removed simple fixtures like the towel rail before starting to paint and a close look will reveal that nothing has been sanded or prepared either. And how much of a health risk is a painted worktop that is going to get lots of water and food preparation hammer? I shudder to think about that.

There are paints available for most surfaces these days as manufacturers are constantly improving their production methods and finding new processes and recipes for suitable coatings for our modern day interiors and materials.

Colours as well have had a bit of a renaissance in terms of paint and there is something to suit everyone’s palette, be it bold and brave or subtle and subdued. A lot of painting and decorating firms now offer a professional kitchen painting service, so if you’re no Picasso with a paintbrush then get someone in. You’ll end up with stunning results instead of a phenomenal failure like this one.

If you do want to have a go yourself, you’ll find off the peg paints available from most DIY stores, but for a luxurious finish and a fabulous choice of modern and on-trend colours, you won’t go far wrong with Farrow & Ball or Graham & Brown paints. You’ll also find some inspirational images on their sites too.

I’ll leave you with some stunning examples of how good a painted kitchen can look, then go and pull myself together, re-focus my eyes and find the courage to go back onto the electronic highway to look for some more interior design disasters to top this one. Wish me luck!

Image source: Farrow & Ball, House to Home, Interior Dreams

It stands to reason that Indian interior design blogs are also plentiful; I’ve chosen some, but the list is not exhaustive, for you to look at and hopefully give you the inspiration you need to add beautiful jewelled tones in your home.

An Indian Summer

Image: anindiansummer

This gorgeous blog was also chosen as one of our Top 25 blogs. The images are pure eye-candy, evoking warm sunny days and of course Indian summers. WHEN THE BUG BITES provides an interesting look at renovated home in Brazil. Beautiful images of natural materials, wood-weave blinds and stunning colours. This home may not be a penthouse suite but its natural charm is somewhat alluring.

DESIGN PATAKI

Image: designpataki

The Retyrement Plan by Anu Tandon Vieira is must read post if you like creativity, up-cycling and recycling. The post explains and shows images of up-cycled tyres which have been transformed into beautiful pieces for furniture. Each is unique and you can even have them custom made if what a particular style or size of tyre.

Mochatini

Image: mochatini

This blog isn’t solely about interior design or home décor, but it’s this section I’ve focused on and was delighted to see that the blog is packed full of how tos for beginners. Great images and step by step process which anyone can follow.

ONCE UPON A TEA TIME

Image: onceuponateatime

If you love fabrics, patterns and colour then this blog is a must follow. Super imagery of beautiful fabrics, soft furnishings, accessories and interior design projects. I love this love seat – what a great way to up-cycle a sofa.

doDecals

Image: dodecals

Packed full of really interesting posts this blog provides an equal balance of text and images. Inspirational ideas for adding pops of colour to white interiors highlights the need for at least some colour in our homes.

It seems that gran and her knitting needles aren’t so uncool and old fashioned after all, with the  appearance and growing popularity of knitted fashion clothing and accessories making their way into the market,  it’s no surprise this “woolly” trend has found its way into interiors inspiring the overall design and feel of our homes. Many would consider knitting and crochet an art that had moved on with the times, but how wrong we were as there are many contemporary and upcoming designers rekindling the craft and creating some inspiring homely interiors accessories and furnishings that are sure to astonish you and take you back.

Source: Busy Being Fabulous

There is nothing more warming and cosy than the feel of a cable knit jumper on a cold or rainy day, however what could be even better if it’s scaled ten times as big and spread across your king size in the form of a neutral cream throw cover. This knit bedding accompanied with matching yarn throw pillows is a fresh, clean and comforting addition to the overall design of this bedroom making the room appear much more open , spacious and brighter which is sure to brighten your mood to. If it’s dreary outside it’s safe to say wrapped up in a blanket like this you’re sure to be warm and dry inside.

Source: Of Cats and Crafts

Looking much more broadly at this craft of knit one purl two, many creative designers have taken this traditional technique and distinctively created fresh, modern and innovative interpretations of home furnishings to style and embellish your home. The variations in knit styles, textures and patterns with the use of some very neutral and calming colour palettes such as grey, beige and creams have clearly been features used within the sofa, cushions and miniature stool seen in the living room setting above.

In keeping with the overall theme and feel of the room these woolly furnishings clearly have charm, individuality and characteristics of their own that complement the slightly weathered and shabby cottage décor of this living space. After a long day potentially knitting something like this yourself if you’re feeling ambitious enough it’s safe to say you’d want to indulge in its fine qualities, collapse and give your knitting needles a well-deserved rest.

Source: Adorable Decor

The possibilities and uses for knit, crotchet or stitch in your home are endless and I bet right now you’re eager to give it ago for yourself. If you are the creative type then there would be nothing more rewarding and satisfying than creating your own knit project to include in different parts of your home it can be anything from throw pillows, rugs, curtains, bed covers, lampshades and so much more. Though it may take a while if you’re lucky enough you can recruit your gran for extra help, although be sure to pay her in plenty of cups of tea as I’m sure her times not cheap but it will be certainly time well spent.

Today’s contemporary dining rooms are spacious and make good use of natural materials, particularly wood.

Image: tiquetikidz79

We see the use of wood and white as colour combinations in many contemporary homes and this beautiful dining room is no exception. A large table with wood and white chairs ooze style and luxury.

Image: kdamorim

With a view such as this who wouldn’t want to eat their meals at the table? Okay, we few of us have this luxury however, the concept can be used to ignite the imagination and position our dining room furniture so that we too have a beautiful vista.

Image: themaisonette

Highlighting the use of natural wood and white is seen once again in this gorgeous contemporary dining room. Take a look at the lighting, don’t you think that has to be recycling at its best?

Image: infoteli

Looking for a more relaxed and causal dining area – mixing a table with a comfortable corner sofa provides the best of both worlds.

Image: westbro

Another example of the impact white and wood can make. The table may be relatively plain but the ergonomically designed chairs are a feast for the eyes.

Image: onarchitecturesite

Chunky, bold furniture suits modern and contemporary dining rooms to a tee. The use of dark wood on a light wooden floor provides an equal balance which is gentle on the eye.

Image: swimbus

Bright orange and lime green may not be the normal colour combinations, however they are perfect for modern kid’s and are non-gender specific making them even more realistic and achievable.

Image: homesdir

Contemporary doesn’t always mean plain, themed rooms can also look amazing when you tie-in contrasting colours with neutral tones.

Image: homecreat

Tangerine Tango may have been last year’s Pantone colour of the year but you don’t have to completely redecorate to be on-trend this year. Add a matt mid blue or a soft grey and the room will retain its chic style.

Image: digsdigs

Blue and green are fabulous colour combinations which can be non-gender specific. Using a deep gun metal grey as the wall colour aloows the bed unit take centre stage.

Image: erdexon

How cute! Pandas placed in a kid’s room with white and dark green are perfect for young boys or girls. Loving the handles on the wardrobe and drawers, they make this a really ‘happy room’.

Image: kidsproblem

Its Friday once again, so its time for another look into the fashion disasters and interior design failures that can sometimes cause headaches and nausea. This week’s image is totally rediculously!

Now I often refer to the fact that fashion follows interiors and interiors follows fashion, but… wearing your living room is just… wrong, wrong, wrong!

I must stress that I wish no personal offence to the lady in this picture, whoever she is, and I think if we’re honest with ourselves we can all find an item or two of bad taste in our homes that we’ve allowed ourselves to indulge in – a guilty pleasure if you like – but I think this is a little overboard. In fact if I’m brutally honest, it’s the height of bad taste.

In fairness, I give credit to the lady for being what I can only describe as, bold, daring, brave and extremely individual with her style of interior decoration – it would definitely take someone of stronger character than me to live with this, so hats off to her!

There are no doubt some luxuriously expensive, stylish and probably even unique, bespoke, pieces in this image, as the lady looks like she is of affluent standing, but there is such an eclectic mix of styles, items and patterns embodied in the overwhelming overdose of red that it’s hard to actually define anything with any clarity.

Red is actually one of my favourite colours and a gorgeous colour for living rooms, but one of the two colours (the other being black), that I often find it hard to persuade people to use in any volume in their interiors.

Red and black are both strong, powerful colours and therefore  for anyone who is cautious about colour, they are often viewed as risky colours which could result in an interior design disaster. Red is, after all, the colour of danger!

I have often had to work hard to persuade a client to use red in any volume in an interior scheme, but usually with outstanding  effective and eye catching results, if you get the balance just right.

Undoubtedly one of the strongest colours in the colour spectrum, red has a lot going for it. It is passionate, explosive, expressive and forward. It is associated with vitality, excitement and physical power and reputed to embody depth and wisdom, assertion and strength; and thus, seldom fails to deliver the ‘wow’ factor (except in the case of our image of course which, needless to say, I won’t be using as an example for my clients).

Because it is a colour that flatters the skin, it can make an excellent backdrop in rooms that are used for social functions. It is a colour that advances and can appear to make the walls of a room draw in. Deeper reds in particular can create an atmosphere of restrained opulence, so use it to create a cosy intimate atmosphere in a dining room for example.

Vibrant, bright reds are energetic and stimulating and therefore, guaranteed to keep the conversations going in the living room. But, whilst sensational for the living room, reds are not reputed to be restful colours (indeed, Vincent Van Gogh considered red to be maddening) and unless they are used in calculated moderation as accent colours, are not best suited to bedrooms or children’s rooms.

Nothing breaks up the intensity of red quite like white does, so for a less intense feel, team it with white. Equally as effective though, as a grounding colour for red, is beige. The two work wonderfully well together as they are opposites. Red is hot and fiery and beige is cool and calming; and this combination does actually work well for bedrooms and children’s rooms.

I’ll leave you with a lovely example of how modern, fresh and inviting red can look when teamed with bright white and a juicy citrus shade such as chartreuse green.

The images are from a collection aptly named Zest. Take a look at all the images and some vibrant red curtains, cushions and home wares on our Spring feature page

Lovehome design blog

New funky graphic wallpaper

Patterns are back on-trend with a vengeance and Lovehome step back into to the 1970s and share some wonderful patterned wallpapers. This post certainly jobs memories for those of us who remember the 1970s, it also shows us why the Retro look is becoming increasingly popular. From fabulous wallpapers to patterned fabrics going Retro is a great interior design style to adopt.

Shelterness

How To Make Colorful DIY Summer Sandals

Just loving these trendy Summer flip-flops – okay they’re not exactly interior design but as you use fabric to make them there is a loose connection! Perfect for using any lengths of lightweight fabric you have and if you don’t have any remnants there’s plenty of fabulous fabrics available.

Elle DECOR

Trend Alert: The Glamour of India

Travel to India with elle DECOR. This superb post embraces all of the gorgeous colours, styles and patterns inspired by India. Few words, but plenty of fabulous images elle DECOR provides us with snippets to get the interior design creative juices flowing.

Rooms of Inspiration

Dining Room with Skylights

This stunning dining room makes you green with envy. It’s not everyday you come across such a feast for the eyes. There may only be one image on this post but it doesn’t divulge from the awe it inspires. The soft coral curtains are simply beautiful.

Annechovie

FURNITURE FETISH

This post shows how the trend for pattern is being found everywhere, including on furniture. This is a piece of furniture that’s a bit like Marmite, you either love it or loathe it – but you have to agree it certainly is eye-catching.

This list compiles some of the most amazing tree houses around, and the best part about it? They’re just for grown-ups but appeal to the big kid in all of us.

Image source: infoteli

Imagine waking up and looking out of the windows of this tree house! The lakeside views from that balcony must be utterly enviable!

Image source: freespiritspheres

This is possibly a contender for the ‘weirdest tree house’ award. A wooden sphere suspended from surrounding trees with ropes and wires, it has a nest-like quality. It’s definitely a cool place to (rubbish joke alert!)… ‘hang out’

Image source: blueforest

The turreted style of this tree house makes it look like something straight out of a harry potter movie, and that interior is gorgeous!

Image source: pacificenvironments

This illuminated orb, isn’t just a tree house, it’s actually a tree top restaurant! You can just imagine how amazing it would be having some good food, with an amazing view of the surrounding woodland, and the way it glows gives the whole forest a festive feel.

Image source: blueforest

This cottage inspired tree house looks like something out of a Beatrix potter illustration. The Georgian style windows and rustic tiling make this adorable little home blend in with its woodland surroundings perfectly.

Image source: rivendell

This almost goes beyond tree house and has become a luxury floating woodland retreat.

Image source: top-interior-design

It may not be attached to a tree, but this super cool, ultra modern, high up hideaway definitely gets a place in the top ten!

Image source: rivendellvillage

With the size of the top window, I can only imagine the view from this enormous two story tree house!

Image source: buzztrends

This mountainous tree house hotel is incredibly beautiful! A perfect retreat for anyone who wants a change from the more everyday city hotels.

If you’re anything like me, seeing all of these amazing tree house creations will have, in some way, rekindled the dream of owning your own tree house/fort/castle/misc childhood fantasy building and better yet you can go wild with the interior. Instead of the toy box, you could have your own cocktail bar. Or how about your own tree top bedroom, so you can stare out at the stars and be at one with nature with all the creature comforts of home, no sleeping bags required!

Suzie Newton is a blog contributor, part time photographer and a lifelong homes and interiors enthusiast, with a past, present and future in property development.

You can follow Suzie and her other posts on Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+

One great way to avoid, or lessen the frequency, of the continuous up-date cycle is to choose a theme that for the most part can be up-dated with new soft furnishing and accessories.

Image: apcconcept

A child of any age will adore going to sleep in a racing car bed. This stunning theme is perfect for youngsters, tweens and teens, although the size of the bed may have to be altered to accommodate tall teens.

Image: docslate

This superb theme is quite literally out of this world. It’s non-gender specific and perfect for kid’s who love star gazing, black holes and travelling through space via wormholes.

Image: pinterest

A pleasant change from the usual run-of-the-mill bedroom themes. This charming wild west theme is great for girls and boys who like playing cowboys and Indians. With a whimsical approach this theme can be adapted to suit the age of any youngester.

Image: amazinginteriordesign

Princess themes reign when it comes to the most popular themes for little girls. This beautiful theme is simply adorable. Although the size of the bed will need to be changed within a few years the concept can be used right into teenage years.

Image: babble

This tree house is the perfect get-away for kids. They’ll adore climbing into bed, however, it’s a little intriguing to see how the bed linen is changed; maybe this tree house is for playing rather than sleeping – it’ll be very difficult not letting a child camp out in their tree house.

Image: homenhome

Another princess theme, this time one that can be used for many years by up-dating the colour of the bedding and changing the wall mural. Pink and green are winning colour combinations for girls of all ages.