Bedding, Curtains and Flooring

It's always in style, but how do you design a room "shabby chic" without it just looking shabby? When designing a room from scratch it is important to have a plan, first look at your walls and floors; could there be real wood floors waiting to be returned to their former glory under your carpet? Or is there some beautiful brickwork under your plaster? Traditional elements like this can be brought up to date with a bit of paint in a bright colour, For example try painting floorboards white and then going over them with a sander for a lived in shabby look. after all, the idea of shabby chic is to make a room look glamourous, but well loved and used.
Next look to your furniture. Can you salvage any antiques from the local charity shop or tip? Again these can be updated with paint and upholstery. Try flea markets abroad if you're feeling really adventurous to find classic antique beds and dressers.
Finally you need to look at the detail. A vase of not-too-groomed flowers, a vintage painting or dinnerware, antique door knobs, these can all add another element to your room. Remember the key to making the shabby effect work is by having an excellent finish; sand back your paintwork, but don't have it dripping onto your floors; salvage an antique, but a good quality piece and repair it. You can find an excellent resource of antique inspired homeware at http://www.anthropologie.eu/uk/page/home.

DO Adorn with fresh flowers and produce. It provides decoration without being ostentatious and clashing with the theme.
DON'T source too much furniture. Traditional kitchens are about plenty of space and an airy bright feel.
DO source some renovated old furniture and paint it in bright pastel colours.
DON'T use too much chrome! It will stand out against the rest of the kitchen too much.
DO consider buying an AGA, they're beautiful, classic, will heat your whole home and are a great method of traditional country baking!
DON'T let things look too worn and weary. Your furniture and flooring is supposed to look aged, but should be well maintained with paint and other accessories should look new and shiny!
DO display vintage plates, and colourful glassware in a cabinet. It's the small features which provide interest!

Firstly you need to buy your stencils, a good resource is Henny Donovan Motifs where you can find birds, flowers and traditional art motifs for you walls. You may need to cut the stencil out yourself. Alternatively you can draw or print your own design for an individual touch, simply buy some A1 card, and use a craft knife to create your deign.
Next you need to chose a base colour, try very bold blocks of colour and try and go for a colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel to your stencil to make it stand out. Make sure you leave your base colour to dry ideally overnight, as this will create the smoothest lines and boldest colour when you paint your stencil. Also ensure that you know where your design will be placed. Use a tape measure and spirit level to get the design placed perfectly as when your design is painted on an angle it wil be very noticeable.
When you are ready to apply your stencil, use plenty of masking tape to stick it down flat to the wall; any kinks in the stencil will cause the paint to drip. A quick way to apply the paint is to use spray paint, however you can use a small brush for little designs or a roller for larger ones. Take care not to apply too much paint as it could seep behind the stencil or make the finished design look sloppy. Remove the stencil straight away when you are finished to avoid it sticking to the paint, but be very careful not to smudge your work.

I recommend everyone have a look at these stunning chests at Instyle Decor, painted solid wood, adorned with a hand-cut polished mosaic of mother of pearl. Each piece is hand created, just for you and takes hours of craftsman's work. Great addition to a Moroccan room, or a great centerpiece for a plain white room.
http://instyle-decor.com/nightstands.html

Bedding is important when it comes to finishing off the style of your bedroom. However, do remember that a black duvet covers doesn't mean doom and gloom - give your bedroom a chic and modern look. When deciding that you would like a set of bedding in this colour then neutral colours in the rest of the room is the best idea. Have your walls in light but warm tones and keep your furniture to pale colours. In this way you will be adding colour to your room when having bedding that is black in colour.
This colour of bedding is actually very popular these days and if decorated correctly your bedroom will still look warm and inviting but will also give that retro look that everyone wants. If you want to be "green" and keep your carbon footprint down ensure that you choose bedding that is made from organic cotton or; if you happen to be handy with a sewing machine try recycling materials that you already have. To keep that modern look make sure that the bedding you choose is soft and comfortable to the touch. Fabrics such as plush velvet, micro fibre or satin are great choices.
Try combining graphic prints and solid colours when decorating the walls in your bedroom this will also add to the retro feel of the whole room. If you are want a look that is that bit more subtle then add texture to the wall decorations in your room. If you are stuck for ideas on how to create the perfect look then try following in the footsteps of some of the more popular five star hotels. They employ experts in the field of bedroom design and know exactly what type of fabrics to use when decorating a room. They always tend to use clean lines and luxurious materials to give the overall effect of a room that is not dull but warm and inviting.
Having a black duvet cover doesn't mean doom and gloom - give your bedroom a chic and modern look through the summer months as well. Make sure that you take advantage of the extra light that can be enjoyed at this time of year and your bedroom will still look inviting yet will give the overall impression of space.

A painted pattern wood floor can look truly unique. And best of all it's extremely simple to do. All you need is a sander, some spray paint and a stencil.
First step is to make sure you have a wood floor, some homes have carpet placed on top of concrete floor rather than floor boards, you will probably need to sand these down, or if you already have a wooden floor you will need to sand off any varnish. When this is complete give your floor a really good wash to ensure there is no dust or dirt that can ruin your paintwork.
At this stage you can either buy a stencil, you you can design your own; you can even use an old lace or crochet table cloth to create a lace effect on your floor. Tape down your stencil tightly to ensure the paint cannot bleed through, and then spray your stencil onto the floor. Use two coats, one not long after the other, and then remove your stencil. if you leave the stencil for too long it might stick to your floor. When you have finished your entire design you can lock it in with a coat of varnish to ensure your furniture does not chip your new paint. And voila! You now have a gorgeous graphic painted floor.

The keys to designing rooms for teen boys is to think modern, minimalism, and storage. Whether he's into sports, gaming or reading, these hobbies tend to come with a lot of things, and they need to be conveniently within reach, but don't worry, storage and style is not a dream, and best of all it's affordable. First thing to do is to decide on a colour sceme, neutral and natural tones tend to work well; using colours such as pale blue and moss green, you can then accent this colour sceme with storage in bold black or white. A great place to look for storage is Ikea, as you can design storage to wrap around a small space, or encompass a bed. Ikea also allows you to build in what modules you need, providing as much wardrobe space, shelving, or drawers as you need. It can even fit around a television or computer, and hide away wires from gaming consoles.
If your teenager is not really interested in interior design, but you still want the room to look smart, the best way to add accents of design is by using small elements like lighting, bedding and rugs. You can find a range of stylish but inexpensive bedding sets at Argos, where you can pick a design that looks good, but still appeals to boys who might not want anything too fussy.

If your son or daughter worries that they'll end up in a dull and dreary room when they move away for uni, look no further than getting some custom homemade bedding from Dorm Suite Dorm. They offer a service where you can choose your own selection of exciting and pretty fabrics, and they will make up bedding to fir your dorm room bed. They market themselves as unique, fun and sophisticated, and when you see their designs it's no wonder why; the bright colours will bring fun to the dullest of rooms.
But they don't just offer bedding- you can select animal print blinds with quirky bows, pillows and accessories to make the whole room tie into the same theme. You can even pick designs for guys too, from a specially selected range of fabric.

If you're looking to add a romantic or passionate edge to your bedroom then you must consider red and black bedding for a bit of extra spice. Whether you're single and looking or in a loving relationship, there doesn't need to be an excuse for adding a passionate edge to your bedroom environment.
Once you've opted for this particular colour scheme you need to think about the materials you'd like your bedding to be made from. For an extra spicy edgy, you could consider silk sheets. Now in the past, silk sheets were very expensive and only seen in the homes of those living in the lap of luxury but now you can get them for a great price. There is absolutely no reason you can't enjoy the luxurious feel of silk on your bed. If silk isn't what you want, then consider high quality cotton bedding in the shades of passion. There are a huge range of patterns and styles out there so you can pick the ones to suit the mood and ambience you want to create.
To add a bit of passion to your bedroom you can't go wrong with dressing your bed in the colour of passion and matching it with mysterious black. These two shades are ideal for a romantic and sensuous feel to any room and you can't fail but enjoy the atmosphere created by them.
Red and black bedding is an excellent way of adding a bit of spice to your bedroom and is a really great way of jazzing up your décor.