Accessorize your wall this festive season and give a new look to the house

 When it comes to sprucing up your home, wall paints arguably the prettiest option. The trend is more toward natural shades such as grey, green, brown, black or yellow. It gives the feel of nature inside the house. The pastel shades such as mauve, grey, peach or lavender give a very relaxing touch to the entire environment of the house are something that everyone is going for. But this festive season when everyone is busy decorating their homes and changing the entire look of their homes why not try something new with the walls.

Experiment with wall papers by doing an entire wall or just by doing something in the center of the wall to give the room an artistic look. Feature walls, especially with the bigger designs and wallpapers helps in creating an interesting, dynamic effect and in adding sense of drama to your room. For the festive season colour or paints that are bright such as red, yellow, orange or blue would be good to experiment with.

One can also experiment with stencils that have come a long way. Today there are so many amazing stencils on the market that really can turn a plain wall into something extraordinary. Stencils can be applied very subtly as a backdrop, using brighter colour tones on white, sheen and matte, or glaze instead of paint for a bolder presentation. One can also accessorize the walls with beautiful art works, wall clocks, mirrors to add some fun and element to the wall.

If the walls are pretty enough one doesn't need to do much with the other furniture in the room. Just adding a little furnishing or changing them would get you ready for the festive season and make your house look beautiful.

Get your house ready for the festive season

The festive season is nearing and people are all set to celebrate the season of lights .Every household is geared up in decorating their homes with lights, colours and rangoli. But this season why not try something new and creative then the regular diwali decoration. There are various other ways in which one can do their homes differently on a budget and not just with the usual decoration.

Traditionally people use to paint their entire home before Diwali but now one can give a new look to the house by just painting just one wall in each room with a new fresh colour. For the festive season colors such as red, orange, yellow or maroon will look best for the wall and wall papers. One can decorate the wall with beautiful art pieces and wall hangings.One can also change the covers of the furniture instead of changing the entire furniture or add a new statement sofa or table that is solid and colourful and adds life to the room. 

Along with the wall one can use colour drapes and furnishing such as cushions, curtains, table covers, pillow covers etc to decorate the house and change the look of the room instead of doing the entire furniture.  One can also do something different by changing the lightings of the house with new lights for the festive mood. One can also add a statement piece to the room like chandeliers to give an entire new look to the room without having to do much effort.

Theme Based Bathrooms

A bathroom is a space where one spends time unwinding under the shower and relaxing after a hard day’s work.  Earlier bathroom designs and style were emphasized on only utility and lightning but now various kinds of style have come up. One such is the theme based bathrooms. Themes such as aqua marine, beach theme, outdoor bathroom to name a few.

Aqua marine theme bathrooms give a very refreshing, soothing and pleasant feel as it is inspired from natural colors and textures of the sea. It is best for people who love the beach and the sea and don’t get time to be out there. This theme is gaining a lot of popularity and thus there are many accessories available that one can choose from.

Similarly, an open air bath gives the feeling of being connected to nature and also adds an exotic touch to your home. An open bath also lends a spacious look and adds value to the design aesthetics to create an atmosphere wherein one can spend quality relaxing time. Accessories such as wall tiles, floor tiles, bath tubs, sinks etc are available at Studio Creo for creating such beautiful bathroom at your home and feeling more near to the sea or beach.

Some general trends in Ceiling design :

·         Accessorize:   If you want to attract attention to your ceilings and if they are high enough; Quirky, distinctive lighting is the way to go.   Chandeliers are a classic and new led light fixtures are catching up fast as well.  They not only illuminate the room beautifully in a soft glow they also are incredibly energy efficient and powerful when needed.

·         Pastel Colours: Another design classic still relevant today is using pastel colours and keeping it simple.  A colour coordinated ceiling in light pastel hues gives the impression of space.

·         POP designs:  As always having wall-to-wall designs in POP on the ceilings is a beautiful way to add a touch of class to ceilings.  Floral and crisscrossing patterns are the flavours of the season.

·         Wood Inlays / Recessed Lighting in Ceilings: To really distinguish and provide presence to the room using the ceilings a recent trend has been to use wooden inlays in the ceilings.  Varying from Mahogany wood to lighter balsam varieties.  They provide an earthy, natural feel to the room. This practice is often paired with having recessed lighting in the ceiling behind these wooden inlays.  This practice provides an almost hotel like luxury feel to the room and is a step up from a simple false ceiling. 

·         Integrated Skylights in Ceilings:  Finally a new concept, which has to be incorporated into the construction phase, is integrated skylights in the ceilings.  On the upper floors this provides a beautiful illumination with soft natural light through the ceiling.  Furthermore, It gives the room an airy feeling and provides a view unto the heavens at night.  

Tips for selecting the perfect colour for your home.

Choosing the right colour for your wall is the most important thing when doing up a home. If the colour treatment goes wrong then the entire design or look of the house goes wrong. So, one must be very sure about the paint they want to use. The shades of blue or green have always been a very popular colour every year as they are very calming and pleasant to look at. The pastel shades such as mauve, grey, peach or lavender that give a very relaxing touch to the entire environment of the house are something that everyone is going for. They are light colors and so they make the room look bright and spacious. People have also started using natural shades such as grey, green, brown, black or yellow. It gives the feel of nature inside the house. Amongst the natural colour grey is the strongest colour as it comes in so many shades and looks very serene.

One can also experiment with wall papers by doing an entire wall or just by doing something in the center of the wall to give the room an artistic look. Another way to do the wall is use lighter shades of earth tones and neutrals and add pops of colour in the wall with art work, window treatments or rugs. One can also paint an accent wall with a colour on the same paint strip but darker or lighter tone. To make the room look spacious, paint the wall with the similar shade like the floor tile. Like if the floor tiles are of brown or blue then paint the walls with lighter shade of brown or blue. It makes the room look bigger.

It is also important to choose the wall colour according to the size of the room. If a room is small and one uses bold colors then it makes the room look more small and stuffed. For this season lighter shades or pastel shades are something that one should go for.

Brighten up your Home

If you do not have the time or patience to re-do your house the best way to add something different or new is to use designer home lighting. There are a numerous high end designs available in bright colors that one can choose from only at Studio Creo from Boffi and Calligaris. The lights are very high end and minimalistic in design and if such lights are placed in the perfect spot then they can both illuminate and be a conversation starter in your home.

One can also add colourful lights in the lawn or garden to enhance the natural beauty outside. These lamps can be placed near the pool side, pond or fountain and give interesting effects. Colourful lights can also be used inside the house keeping in mind the overall look and feel of the home. One should ensure that a bright light doesn’t throw out the balance on the room and adds more beauty and charm to the room.

CALLIGARIS KERRY SOFA

The Calligaris Kerry sofa is the perfect example of Italian Ingenuity. They are simple and elegant and provide a solution to modern living spaces seeking a refreshed look .They can be endlessly customized according to ones need. They are available in different sizes and configurations and one can even choose between two to three seat cushions. Large seat, back and side cushions line Kerry’s cleanly upholstered frame, offering plush all over support with clean lines and right angles.

Any shape and sizes that one needs can be created and handcrafted. Three different feet styles are available such as chromed metal, brushed aluminum and stained solid wood. The sofas are available in different fabrics and leathers in various modern and fun colors. They are perfectly designed with simple lines, elegance and comfort to decorate a home with style.

Playing with Colours

White is always right and pure and has been the most popular colour for the walls of almost every home. But white gets too monotonous, dull and boring for all. So, there are various ways in which one can brighten up the white room by adding colourful furniture or accessories to the room and making it more fun and colourful.

One can put colourful artworks or a coloured picture frame on the white wall and add some colour to the wall. This will add energy to the room and make it more cheerful. There are varieties of colourful furniture available such as coloured sofas, chairs or cupboards that one can also place in such rooms and add life to it. Another simple way to lighten up the room is to use colourful accessories such as stools, wall mounted tables or lamps and add little colors to the white room. This season Studio Creo has a variety of colourful products to offer from every furniture category. So go grab your favourite one and add some colour to your room.

Fantoni Office Furniture

Fantoni, the maker of world class office furniture has a collection of furniture range at Studio Creo. They are contemporary and aesthetic in design with an Italian touch that will sweep your feet off with its amazing designs and wide range of colours that one can choose from.

 Fantoni office furniture allows you to experiment with different colours, designs and shapes according to ones space consumptions. They are available in different materials such as leather, wood and melamine. One can choose the materials and designs to match with the office space, company profile and people working in it. The collection includes executive tables and chairs, conference tables and chairs, conference tables, office desk and chairs, bookshelves, cafeteria tables to name a few. Every product is designed with keeping in mind comfort which is suitable for late working hours, flexibility and ease.

DOOR 2000

Door 2000 gives you a journey of styles, finishes, designs and materials to explore beautiful door for the modern home. They are a high quality Italian door and have a variety of collections such as the Vela, 2000, Stikla, America, Planet to name a few that one can choose from.

Vela doors: They are the pursuits of finest finishes, materials and designs along the linear designs. The vela collection is truly brimming and stylish. The door has its own personality and originality and is very elegant to look at. The doors are available in various finishes, fibers and glosses to suit every home.

2000 collection: The 2000 collection has a variety of stylized collection that interprets every style with specific features that are always different and simple. They have inserts and sectors, functionality and value which leads to a stylish gateway to the world of interior décor. The doors are box in shape and are available in various finishes and glosses.

CALLIGARIS OUTDOOR CHAIR

Calligaris outdoor chairs are very attractive in design and are best suited for the modern environment: home, terrace or cafe. They are available in various finishes and colors that one can choose from such as black, white, orange, light green, fuchsia, grey or taupe.

The hero chair is an outdoor chair which is entirely made of polypropylene and is 100% recyclable. The surface of the chair is slightly textured that is rough to touch, it is light but sturdy and is best suitable for outdoor use in the garden, terrace or balcony. The feet of the chair are highly resistant and are interchangeable. They are designed with roundish holes that make it suitable for modern environment. This chair is available in various colors and finishes and one can choose the preferred combination they like.

 Area 51 model is another outdoor chair that is entirely made of polypropylene. It is a mono block chair that is slightly textured and rough to touch. Similarly like the hero chair, Area 51 is lightweight but study and has highly resistant feet that are interchangeable. It has a hole in the seat that facilitates drainage of water.

MAB BEDROOMS

MAB, a luxury Italian brand manufactures and supplies top quality home furnitures especially bedrooms. They also focus on providing high-quality, safe and versatile products for children’s bedrooms. There are two categories of children’s bedrooms in MAB- Fly Team & Mela.

Fly Team- The fly team bedrooms are designed in a way to provide a safe environment for children while they sleep, play or study in a carefree way. Unique accessories and modularity have been used to design these bedrooms which allow easy customization. There are a wide range of colors and different sizes one can choose from for their children.

Mela- Mela bedrooms are designed with a very safe and child-friendly environment where a child feels joy and happiness. The designs are very modern and have a good space organization with special range of accessories to make the bedrooms look beautiful. It is a place where a child can study, rest and play.

DITRE SOFAS

The Ditre Italia range is divided into 6 product lines: Design, Modern and Classic sofas, leder, Convertible sofas and Upholstered Beds, offering a total of over 65 models. Ditre products represent “Made in Italy” designs that have a value in every detail of their models. The ditre ranges of sofas are stylish, classy yet comfortable for a luxury and stylish living.

Collin Sofa- Collin is a striking and versatile sofa that is elegantly provocative and aristocratic. They are available in fabric, microfiber and eco leather versions and have a gun metal finish in its bottom profile. Although this product appears to offer generous dimensions, it has a depth of only 98cm. It gives the home a modern a simple yet sometimes a provocative look. High class is expressed with a touch of irony and is ideal for new dandies and the latest generation of aristocrats. A round footstool and an armchair complete the range.

FOSTER I- A simple product that has been given an elegant appeal, eco-chic, namely, country-rebel style. This sofa has various crafted shapes, proportions and details in fine materials. Metal feet is available in three finishes namely, chrome, chrome nickel or oxidized iron. It also has an eco leather trim between the cushions in fabric or fabric between the cushions in leather. 

MIDJ CHAIRS

MIDJ, an Italian luxury furniture and home decor brand synonymous to excellent design with great functionality offers stylish, proportionate colorful, comfortable, beautiful and everlasting designs in chairs, armchairs and stools. Their creations are simple example of innovation and vitality perfect for luxury living. MIDJ has a brand reputation for its aesthetic appeal, technological properties and functionality.

The Soffio chair of MIDJ has steel frame and is upholstered in leather or leather fiber regenerated. The chair breath adapts to different solutions for modern living, vacation or offices. Breath is nice, very comfortable, ergonomic, characterized by opening the back which allows for comfortable use.

Portfonio is another beautiful, elegant, small and convenient chair of MIDJ. Its structure is in chrome or painted white. The seats are of leather, faux leather or fabric. It is best suitable for residential and contract.

Calligaris Extendable Table

Calligaris extendable tables are sleek and stylish in design with clean lines that suits best for modern home furniture. It is designed in such a way that each end of the table can be extended independently and can accommodate an entire family comfortable. Thus it works for both, nuclear and joint family.

These dining tables are available in rectangular, oval and round shape. They are available in various materials such as wood, glass, metal, ceramic etc. Beautiful craftsmanship with extraordinary designs and contrasting materials are used to make these extendable tables. Such is the Parentesi extendable table that is made up of two contrasting material- its top is made from wood with strong metal which gives it a minimalistic look. This wooden extendable table has two removable side extensions that can be individually removed and can accommodate 12 people comfortably.

Another such design is the Moving extendable dining table which comes with an automatic extending mechanism and safety lock with legs following the length of the table when extended. Wood or metal is used for the legs which remain in the corner thus giving comfort to everyone who is seated. Their top is available in glass and ceramic in two colors and the rest is available in six different colors.

Various other designs are available with different materials and colors that suits perfect for an urban home.

Recent trends in the workplace environment to be focussed on workplace as an area of innovation:

§  Make way for the incredible shrinking workstation
Individual workstation square footage is being slashed dramatically—in some cases, to less than half the traditional size—in part to allow organizations to devote more space for meetings and informal interaction

§  Say goodbye to high partitions, hello to open office
Workstations are not only shrinking, they are becoming more open. Partitions are either being junked completely, or their height is being lowered to foster greater employee interaction. Some organizations are even getting rid of private offices, or at least reducing their number significantly

§  Manage noise and privacy
An open office environment has one major drawback: lack of acoustical privacy. With office workers sitting together more snugly, and smaller partitions (or none at all) separating them, noise levels can raise, sometimes making it harder to concentrate. Therefore employees should keep in mind that being loud is not a good idea in an Open Office lay out

§  Program in more team rooms, not necessarily more conference rooms.
Conference rooms appear oversized especially when you have three or four people meeting in 10- or 12-seat rooms. That wasted space is money not spent well. Better to offer team rooms of varying capacity for groups of different size.

§  Allow for an appropriate amount of flexible space.
Many traditional procedures and tasks are becoming obsolete; new high-tech operations have to be generated from scratch. As work groups grow and shrink in response, the workspace may need to be adjusted accordingly

Tips to keep the house cool this summer

As the summer heat swells up, we can only blame the scorching heat on the global warming effect, deforestation, pollution and the like.  The heat will be raising the bars up, up, and away in the coming weeks. It is time to get a handle on making your home feel cooler. Here are some interesting tips to keep your home cool this summer.

Paint it a cool color. No, it has nothing to do with the "hot" design colors for the season. One can paint their room with a formulated reflective paint or just colour it white in order to keep the roof and the ceilings cool during summer.  According to a survey the color green makes you feel up to ten degrees cooler than in a room of any other color.  I’ll also recommend going with more of a blue based green, since blue has soothing affects as well. Also use white everywhere. White helps refract light, which means that the heat bounces off and goes back into the atmosphere. White blinds and white draperies will all help with this.  White because it makes things crisp and fresh looking. Soft pastels with bright hues will help create colourful summer equilibrium. Artwork and accent cushions are ways to create vibrancy in a room.

Dress Up the windows: Its summer time & ditch those transparent curtains that allow the sunlight to peek in to your house. Install solid shades or curtains over the windows in the room that are capable of blocking out all the sunlight. One can also opt for honeycomb shades, plantation shutters or drapes in a cool blue or green with a triple-lining.  Honeycomb shades and plantation shutters help to prevent heat from entering into the homes through the windows. Draperies can be used in combination with some shades. Alternatively, a window film can also be used on the glass panel to block heat. They are also an easy solution to have a cooler home. Use light coloured blinds or window shades as they tend to be more effective, since they reflect the heat back outside. Keep the windows covered whenever there is direct sunlight entering the room.

Close everything. Closing the drapes and blinds during the afternoon hours would be a wise option. Whether the air conditioner is on or off, keep windows and doors shut if the temperature outside is more than normal temperature. Whenever the outside air is hotter than the inside air, opening a window invites heat to creep in. During the hours from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Earth is exposed to the most direct sunlight, causing the atmosphere to heat up and radiate heat. Closing drapes and blinds during these hours will help to deflect some of the sunlight from the room you wish to cool.

Relaxing fabrics for home: Fabrics like cotton and linen are most summer friendly and popular. Sheer curtains and blinds add a breezy and summer feel to a home. For soft furnishings, use of linen cottons and fabrics that breathe in neutral tones or even diluted coloured tones is highly recommended and one can opt for shades like white, off whites, mint green, light brown, light blue, coral etc. With the right combination of colors and fabrics in curtains, blinds etc, you can make your house look cooler and also increase its fashion statement.

Plant shade trees: Exercise your green thumb by planting shade trees around the house.  Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units, but not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses less electricity. Casting shadows on the south western exposure of the home using large deciduous trees, like oaks, sycamores and elms. These trees are ideal for the summer as they have large-shaped leaves to block out the heat. Another effective idea is to grow some climbing vines over the hottest part of your house. Vines also add beauty to the home when grown on wires kept at a little distance from the wall. This will allow them to take a beautiful shape on the wall.

Fix bamboo chicks – Kitchen is the hottest region of your home during summers while cooking or baking, therefore it becomes important to keep it cool. You can simply prevent the sun's heat from getting inside the kitchen by just hanging bamboo blinds on the outside of the window to keep the kitchen temperature cool. The best part is that bamboo blinds or chicks last for really long and block the heat to large extent. No wonder these chicks, the oldest means to keep the house cool still remain a favoured choice of many. Chicks are now available in various colours and designs to suit your needs and the décor of your house.

Usage of efficient lights:  Nobody loves to have those sharp illuminating incandescent bulbs in summers. Therefore, swap the bulbs with compact fluorescents all over your home as CFLs can emit up to 75 percent less heat. It will help you save an ample amount of electricity and money for buying bulbs. The usage of bulbs results in the production of excessive heat in the room as they use four times more electricity than other lights.

Natural ventilation: Make most out of your window by letting your room breathe in the fresh air at night. Open the windows during the late hours of the day. Ventilate your home on cooler days or at night to reduce any hot air that has snuck indoors. Open windows in all rooms of the house and place window fans facing out on the downwind side of your home. Make sure all interior doors are open to keep the air moving. Various apartments in India have balconies and elaborate terraces and corridors, keeping your doors and windows open at night will result in cooling your home in a natural way. Also ventilating your rooms at night is a healthy habit.

Use Appliances Wisely: Give your appliances the afternoon off. Use dryers and dishwashers that generate heat into the room at a later time in the evening. Air dry your dishes instead of using the dishwasher's heater. Also it’s advisable to update your insulation from time to time to avoid unnecessary heating. Many newer homes are required to follow certain thickness codes for insulation, but older designs may need an update. Replacing insulation in older homes will definitely reduce the heat indoors.

Install ceiling fans in the room and make sure they are on when your air conditioner is running. A ceiling fan can be a great investment for your home. This one appliance can make a room feel 6 or 7 degrees cooler, and even the most power-hungry fan in less cost for a month to use if you keep it for 12 hours a day.  Also set up a fan in the room itself, like a standing fan, to continue the circulation at the bottom level of the room.  

How to decorate a bare wall using scrap (material we generally discard)

Decorating one’s bare wall using scrap can be very interesting and for some very personal too. Displaying a rotating exhibit of one’s favorite postcards, prints and pictures is something most of us do. However, to make it more interesting one can also hang shoe box lids covered in fabric. Fabrics these days come in fun patterns and one can decide their interior design look instantly. From creating a modern touch to traditional, fabrics open a whole new world for us to play with. Color themes on bare walls is also something that can add to the interiors of any space. Foam letters, spray paint, scrap book paper, and mis-matched frames are a few other options. Mis-matched frames can be used to create family trees on bare walls too. Further, fabric remnants, canvases and a staple gun are all you need to create an affordable artwork. Infact with canvases, you can either put stickers or tape in different styles to create your own piece and hang it on your bare wall. Putting up a bulletin with a few notes from loved ones is also something that will make it more personal for you.