While many people are busy preparing for the holiday season and giving thought to their New Year’s resolutions, for those with a passion for interior design we are excited by the announcement of the new Pantone colour of the year. And it seems as though the Pantone 2020 colour is Classic Blue – or more specifically shade 19-4052. While this blue can be called a number of different things, one term that seems to be popular is "anti-anxiety blue". This particular classic shade of blue is known for having soothing effects, making it ideal for your home.

So, what are the ways you can incorporate the 2020 colour of the year in your home? Here are three ways to go about it:

1. Incorporate blue as a colour to a feature wall in a room

One of the most obvious and impactful ways to add the Pantone colour of the year to your home is with blue on a feature wall. If you have a room(s) in need of updating, this could be the ideal colour to go with. Of course, you still need to be mindful of the overall colour theme throughout your home, which is why it’s ideal to add blue to one wall - a feature wall- in the room, rather than paint all the walls blue.

2. Add a Pop of Colour Through Accessories

If you’re not keen on the idea of painting a whole wall in the Pantone colour of the year, you can use anti-anxiety blue as inspiration when shopping for accessories such as cushions, a throw, or vases. They will act as the perfect pop of colour in the room, and then you haven’t committed to something as long-lasting. With changing accessories, you have design versatility and can easily change the decor when it no longer matches your style or preferences.

As for what type of décor pieces to choose, things like throw pillows and blankets, area rugs, photo frames for a gallery wall effect, vases, decorative bowls, sculptures, and artwork are all great examples.

3. Bring in New Furniture

There’s also the option of purchasing new furniture for the home that features the Pantone colour of the year. It can act as a statement piece in the room and really bring life to the colour. Furniture can be moved around in a room, as well as from room to room, depending on the item you purchase, so it’s still semi-flexible.

Why Classic Blue as the 2020 Colour?

For those who are curious as to how this classic blue ended up being the 2020 Pantone colour of the year, there is actually a whole mix of criteria that the Pantone team looks at. This includes such things as lifestyle, fashion, trend forecasts, beauty, media, travel destinations, political views, street art, textures, and more. They take all of this information into account, narrow it down to one colour family, and go from there. Blue was chosen as a way to help promote connection, confidence, and calmness on a global scale. Something much needed in the current environment.

Bring a Little Blue into Your Home to make your home your sanctuary and increase a calm, soothing ambiance.

We hope each of these suggestions will help you to incorporate the 2020 Pantone colour of the year into your home with ease.

Author: Faiza Seth

Designs trends come and go. Avocado bathrooms, inflatable furniture, stencil borders and pine cladding were all popular once upon a time. Thankfully, these hideous trends are now relegated to a time taste forgot and we can quietly move on.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with working with the latest design trends, but unless you have the time and budget to redesign your home every few months, it is far better to create a timeless interior décor scheme. Timeless means it won’t go out of fashion. Instead, your home will stay tasteful and stylish for an indefinite period of time, which is more than can be said for textured ceilings and shag-pile carpet in the bathroom. To help you get started, here are ten steps to creating a timeless design theme for your home or commercial interior.

1. What’s Your Design Objective?

Think carefully about what you want to achieve. Consider your budget and whether you need to hire an interior designer. Research ideas and start collecting fabric samples, design ideas, and prices for materials. Creating a timeless theme is not a weekend project.

2. Neutral Colours

Bold, bright colours are trendy, but they invariably go out of fashion. Burnt orange, brown and purple looked great in the 70s, but would you really want that colour scheme in your home now? Stick to neutral colours. They are classy and timeless. If you feel the need to add colour, use accessories and small accent pieces.

3. Natural Materials

Natural materials such as oak, granite, stone, wool, and silk are timeless and classy. Whilst plastic and steel come and go in the interior design world, natural materials are inherently enduring, beautiful, and above all, functional.

4. A Sense of Luxury

Timeless is often synonymous with luxury, which was definitely the case in the One Hyde Park project. Here the aim was to create a sense of elegant sophistication whilst remaining practical and functional. To achieve this, use quality materials and luxurious accessories with a classic feel. This type of look will never go out of fashion.

5. Mix and Match

The easiest way to design a theme that won’t date is to mix and match different elements. Mix items of furniture from a bygone era with neutral colours, clever modern storage solutions, some modern art, and a few carefully chosen accent pieces. If your room doesn’t fit one style, it is effectively ageless.

6. Create a Focal Point

Use a stunning piece of art or a carefully selected item of vintage furniture to create a focal point for the room. Whatever you choose, make sure it is a reflection of your personality, as this will serve to create a timeless look.

7. Declutter the Space

Clutter is always bad news. Ornaments and collectibles usually reflect the current trends and era. Remove anything that ties your décor down to a specific period in time and replace it with neutral pieces, classic books, and original art.

8. Antique Charm

Modern furniture and collectibles come in and out of fashion within a few years. Scandinavian style is currently on-trend, but in 20 years' time your Billy bookcase will have become a tasteless relic. For a timeless and stylish look, use vintage and antique pieces made from quality materials such as oak.

9. Timeless Classics

Consider investing in a few designer items. Signature pieces of furniture are expensive, but they never go out of fashion, just like the design of this Kensington Private Residence.

10. Work with the Space

Contemporary or period: the important thing is to work with your space, but try to avoid sticking to one period or you will lose the sense of timelessness.

Timeless is not always easy to achieve, but if you get it right, you won’t have to redecorate for a long time.

Author: Carolina Sandri

Our homes are a reflection of our lives. The perfect home isn’t just a reflection of you it’s also a positive influence on who you are and who you aspire to be. Our perfect home adapts to our moods, it influences our creativity, our personality and our well-being. It can lift us up after a long day and help us detox from the stresses of the world.

Achieving this through design is one of our favourite challenges we work through with our clients – designing for a better quality of life. With that in mind we thought we’d look at some of our favourite ideas to promote healthy living in your home.

Creating Light

A well-lit room reminds us of the outside natural world. It figuratively and literally brightens our day. A dingy room has the opposite effect – it sedates us, drains our energy and causes fatigue. The nervous and endocrine systems of the brain are directly influenced by the amount of light you receive.

When it comes to design you might think this means we want lots of light. Whilst this is true we also need to not overdo our exposure to artificial light. Too much exposure to artificial light causes unease and stress.

When it comes to interior design natural light is the best place to start. The more natural light we receive the more serotonin our brain produces. When we plan redesigns we try and make sure that windows light up the most used areas of your home. We then supplement this with artificial lighting to create a mood and add to the feeling of daylight in your home.

Creating Ambience

When it comes to design your rooms need to feel in a way that reflects you. The first step to creating ambience is to de-clutter. Cluttered rooms increase our stress and decrease our productivity as evidenced by numerous scientific studies. We like to build in lots of discreet storage space to maximise a room’s efficiency without compromising on style.

The next step is to choose a colour scheme that reflects your own positivity. Blues, creams, pinks and whites tend to reflect lots of natural light and create an illusion of space. For a relaxing room where you want to unwind before bed dark rich colours with soft lights help the stresses of the day dissipate.

Finally we look at the actual objects and furniture. Art and sculpture create positive messages in the home, as does the personal. We like to give these objects centre focus in rooms so that positivity and healthy mind are at the forefront of your interior design.

Adding a Touch of the Natural

To positively influence your life you really have to incorporate the natural into your home.

Plants are the obvious place to start and we like to make room for vases of fresh flowers as centre pieces to highlight your home. Potted plants, trees and bonsai all work beautifully with modern and classical styles to give you an alive but stylish design.

Fish tanks and pets are a great way to continue. Low maintenance fish provide a sense of life, light and running water. All of these can help improve your healthy lifestyle as well as being great focal points for a room.

Finally, adding some natural objects to your home works with a variety of interior styles – these can be anything from shells and fossils to natural wood.

Incorporating nature, light and mood into your designs is essential for healthy living. Decluttering, increasing natural light, colour and adding nature all positively influence your mood at home, your ability to overcome stress and your ability to feel happy at home.

Author: Carolina Sandri

Whether you are looking to breathe new life into your own designs or you have a client requesting that you produce something in a style you are unfamiliar with, learning how to incorporate design features from different cultures into your work will enable you to take your designs to the next level.

Look to Architecture

If you want to get an idea of the kind of shapes, colours, and patterns that define the look of a particular culture, you can often tell a lot by looking at their architecture. In many cases, although not all, the interior look will reflect that of the buildings themselves.

Embrace Hybrid Styles

If you want to give yourself a bit more room to experiment, you should consider choosing styles that combine multiple influences together. Below are some examples of hybrid styles from different cultures and how you can adapt your designs to embrace the best parts of them.

Moroccan Splendour

Historically, Morocco has been a cultural crossroads. Situated at the very tip of north Africa, Morocco is separated from Spain by the Gibraltar Strait. As a result of its unique location and the centuries-long tussle between Christian and Muslim armies for control of Iberia, Morocco’s interior design style is one that is influenced by a number of sources but entirely unique.

Moroccan Splendour is all about warm colours, but the emphasis is on geometry rather than colour. Pay particular attention to patterns and textures and don’t make one aspect more prominent than another. If you want to create a true Moroccan look, use a low-height coffee table with cushions around it and invite your friends.

Spanish Revival

Spanish Revival combines elements of both Mediterranean and African styles to give an appearance that is both homely and sophisticated. Spanish-style interiors lean heavily on warm colours such as reds, oranges, and yellows. Another hallmark of the style is the use of exposed brick brushed plaster and other textured surfaces.

Spanish interiors have long been among the personal favourites of the best interior designers in the world.

Scandinavian Chic

Scandinavian interior design is all about combining functionality and comfort while emphasising the natural world. Scandinavian chic has achieved mainstream success in recent years and its minimalist component has been carried over into numerous other styles.

If you want to invoke this look, keep your walls to a neutral tone while using furnishings that are soft in colour. In particular, baby blues, light pinks and yellows will all stand out without being overpowering.

Japanese Minimalism

Japanese design is built around simplicity and makes extensive use of natural materials and colours. The result is a peaceful style that is built around light wooden colours. Traditional Japanese homes make extensive use of bamboo and other woods in their construction; these woods are left to show their natural colours.

There are few other colours used in the Japanese style, but when they do appear, they are beige, brown, and other natural shades. These colours appear on non-wooden surfaces.

Once you have familiarised yourself with a few different cultures, it becomes much easier to begin mixing up your original designs. You will have new inspirations to draw on and an understanding of design principles that you would otherwise not have encountered.

Author: Faiza Seth

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is in full swing, so there is no better time than now to discuss the flower power in interior design. Many homes can be beautifully decorated, but the space inside is left barren and colourless. Furniture can add some colour and shape to a space, but often restricts interior designers to plain colour and patterns, and the square or block shapes of tables or sofas.

Adding an Extra Dimension

Using flowers as part of our interior design ideas gives us access to all the colours we can imagine, and a range of shapes and designs from flower arrangements. Flowers also bring extra dimensions to interior design that you may not previously have thought of. The scent of fresh flowers can add to a home or a room’s atmosphere, adding a fresh summer scent to a light and airy neutrally coloured room. Strong scented, deep coloured and decadent flowers like deep red roses can bring an intimate and cosy feel to a dark nook or corner space in a hallway or under the stairs.

Add Character

Flowers are particularly effective at bringing something to a space where there felt like there was nothing before. By adding a simple bouquet to a shelf in a hallway, or a table at the bottom or top of the stairs can add character to a space you might not even have thought much of before. They add freshness and class to a bathroom, especially small and cramped washrooms that may be stuck under the stairs or at the end of a hallway.

Many people are put off by the cost of keeping fresh flowers, but these are often overestimated. The internet has led to a number of online flower delivery services offering high-quality flowers at very reasonable prices. Services such as www.freddiesflowers.com offer regular fresh flower delivery, allowing you to have fresh flowers in your home all year round without breaking the bank. They even offer tips on flower arrangement and seasonal bouquets. Flowers bought online often stay fresher for longer, going straight from the grower to your door, giving you the best of the flower’s bloom for as long a time as possible.

Colour, Texture, and Shape

Using flowers in interior design is a growing trend, and creates opportunities for colour, texture and shape that home furnishings cannot match. Even vases and posies offer a chance to add some character to a space. Using antique vases, in glass, silver or pewter, can give a space a more traditional look, and a more modern or contemporary vase can complement a minimalist, clean styled room.

Flowers are an inexpensive way to add colour, beauty and scent to our home. Thanks to a number of online flower delivery services it is now easier than ever to keep fresh flowers in our spaces all year around. Every homeowner should consider adding flowers to their home and bring a splash of colour to their bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms.

Author: Carolina Sandri

It is easy to forget how important door handles and knobs are while decorating a living space because they are so small in size compared to other major components in a modelling/remodelling project. However, paying attention to them is extremely important because aesthetically, door handles and knobs are actually what gives character to your doors, therefore, high-quality products that are in line with the interior design trends of the year are absolutely necessary. So, how does one go about choosing the right door accessories while staying updated with the latest trends in the industry? Well, that’s exactly what we will discuss next.

Let The Experts Guide You

In case you have hired or plan to hire a renowned interior decoration firm like Casa Forma, listen to what they are saying and let them help you find the door accessories for your home. The firm has years of experience in designing luxurious interiors for residential properties, so rely on them to guide you in making the right selection for each door, instead of overriding their expert opinion. Interior decorators know their job and they are always in sync with the latest trends in interior décor, so they are definitely your best bet at finding something that is trendy and fits well with your overall décor.

Did Black Ever Leave?

Everyone in the industry is saying this from late 2018: black is back in fashion for door and cabinet accessories, but the real question is, did it ever leave in the first place? Well, for a few years, other lighter colours did take over the market trend, but now black is back. While the colour isn’t as long lasting and maintenance can be a hassle, black goes with everything (particularly with timber), it’s a classy choice and a black door handle/knob will add oomph to any door in 2019 and beyond.

Try Two-Tone with a Brushed Nickel Dominate

Two-tone finishes have been around for years so that in itself is not a new trend, but when you use the brushed nickel finish instead of making chrome the dominant finish, you reverse tradition and bring your architectural choices in line with the latest trends of 2019. A practical advantage of the new design trend is that people end up touching the brushed nickel finish, which isn’t as prone to fingerprints as chrome is.

Micronized Finishes Look Super Stylish

Micronized finishes are not just a trend for 2019, but they have pretty much become a staple standard for oceanic areas with a salty and corrosive climate. They can be quite expensive though, but there is no doubt that this is one of the most premium looks that you can go for this year. However, be careful not to take the cheaper option, because micronized finishes are porous and in cheap products, the pores will become visible in time.

These should help you with making better choices while selecting your door accessories, but when in doubt, the rule of thumb is to go with timeless classic designs and listen to what the interior decorator is telling you.

Author: Carolina Sandri

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be wondering where to spend your night with your loved one. With countless restaurants to pick from in London, here are our top five favourite restaurants for Valentine’s Day.

Bob Bob Ricard

Known for its luxury English and Russian menu, Bob Bob Ricard is one of the most iconic restaurants in Soho. If glamour and sophistication are what you’re after, you have come to the right place! With a ‘Press for Champagne’ button on each table, you don’t have to move a muscle to sample some of the finest wines around. With an elegant dress code, make sure you dress to impress and immerse yourself in some fantastic décor when dining at Bob Bob Ricard.

Park Chinois

When walking through the intriguing red doors, you will find an opulent Chinese restaurant and bar, otherwise known as the Park Chinois. Situated in Mayfair, this restaurant provides bold cuisine, exquisite drinks and live entertainment to ensure your Valentine’s night is one not to forget. The restaurant can get incredibly busy at the best of times, so ensure you book well in advance to secure your spot for Valentine’s Day.

China Tang

Located in London’s Dorchester Hotel, China Tang includes some of the most iconic and stunning décor, designed in mind to evoke the romanticism and wonder of the 1930s. With a whole host of contemporary Chinese art on the walls of the restaurant, China Tang is known as one of the most exclusive cocktail bars in London. With an endless list of classic cocktails to choose from, you and your loved one can make a toast that this Valentine’s Day is going to be one to remember.

Annabel’s

If you’re looking for a restaurant with an outstanding menu, with dishes being created from seasonal ingredients, you are sure to be in safe hands when dining at Annabel’s. With a team of world-class chefs on hand, you and your loved one can tuck into some of the most fantastic food in London. If a unique dining and drinking experience is what you want out of your Valentine’s meal, be sure to book a table at Annabel’s.

Clos Maggiore

Valentine’s Day and romance go hand in hand. With that in mind, what better than to dine at the world’s most romantic restaurant? Clos Maggiore is known for its fresh ingredients, unique flavours, and Provencal-inspired dishes, meaning you can try out some of the tastiest cuisines in the capital. What’s more, the menus at Clos Maggiore has been awarded three AA-rosettes since 2008, giving you plenty ofopportunity to find something you like.

Now you have an idea of what types of restaurants to go for on Valentine’s night, make sure that you book your reservation as soon as possible. You will want your night to be special and one to remember, so book early to avoid disappointment. All the restaurants listed are popular hotspots in the capital, so you are sure to have an unforgettable Valentine’s Day, no matter which one you pick.

Author: Faiza Seth

Architecture and interior design are complementary arts, and both of them are ever changing and ever evolving. Styles change throughout the years, so if you want a truly eye-catching home that will impress all who visit it, you should never allow your home décor to remain static. This doesn't have to be as time consuming or expensive as you may think, for changing the look, feel and character of a room can be as simple as changing the colour palette within it.

Creating a Harmonious Look Throughout Your Home

You should always think of your home from a holistic point of view, rather than seeing it as a series of disparate rooms. Whilst each room should have its own highlights, and its own design features that are relevant to its function, your home will look more impressive when each room shares one basic predominant colour, setting a themed palette for the property as a whole. Alternatively, two dominating colours can be used, but if you opt for this then you should always bear in mind the colour wheel. Colour wheels can be found readily on the internet, and indicate which colours look best when placed next to each other. It's something that the great artists have known for centuries, but it’s still relevant to today.

How Colour Changes a Room, and Your Mood

Changing the colour of a room can greatly change the way it looks and the way we react to it. That's because we notice the dominant colour of a room even before we typically notice the furnishings or items within it. Psychological studies have shown that the colours we see can have a great effect on our moods, and how we interact with each other and our surroundings. You can use this to create rooms that project or encourage certain emotions, so that predominantly blue rooms can have a calming influence, yellow rooms promote energy, pink reduces aggression, and green encourages creativity and mental composure. On a purely physical, rather than psychological level, rooms based upon a white palette will often look bigger and more spacious than they actually are.

Which Colour Is Right for Your Rooms?

We've seen how different colours can encourage certain emotional reactions, but other than this, how do you choose which colour palette is right for your home? It's a big decision, as you'll see the results of your choice every day, so it can help to seek expert advice from a specialist in luxury interior design such as Casa Forma. They'll know which colours are in vogue, and they'll also be able to find colour schemes that complement the furnishings within your home and the landscape surrounding it.

You don't have to go the expense of moving home, or even making physical alterations to your rooms if you want to gain a stylish new look for your property. Simply changing the colour palettes within your rooms can make a huge difference, but keep in mind how the property as a whole will look, and how it will make you and house guests feel. Fashions change in interior design and décor, so don't let your home look out of date when a fresh palette can give it a stylish new look.

Author: Carolina Sandri