We want to feel safe and secure in our home and the right soft furnishings cango a long way to create these feelings.
The continuing trend isto nest and we are rediscovering the methods our parents and grandparents used to make their homes energy efficient and appealing to live in.
Pelmets above windows in our older houses arebecoming very popular. These additions to window treatments are not just aesthetic, they are also very successful heat preservers.
“Backin the day” we used blanketing to create what is known today as interlining. The simple addition of this extra layer returns huge benefits in heat retention. Unlike years ago, we now have a large variety of linings, all designed to protect curtains from sunlight and us from the cold. Curtain linings are as important as underlay for carpet. The rule of thumb is: get the best you can afford! The simple addition of cushions is a quick fix for any room, adding colour and texture to black leather sofas which may seem a little naked during the winter months.
One of my favourite ways to bringa romantic atmosphere into traditional or modern bedrooms is to use a suspended four-poster bed canopy.
These are hung from the ceilingand do not have the cumbersome posts associated with traditional four-poster frames.
The fabrics can vary, but a light voile opens the room up and gives you a feeling of luxury and romance when youlie back after a hard day's work.
The previous trend of taking carpets up in favour of beautiful polished wooden floors is slowing.It is not so beautiful when you are trying to preserve heat during our winter months, and we are now covering them for a future generation to find.
When you are choosing a carpet get advice about fading: UV problems in Dunedin can be very costly and although there are sunscreen blinds to prevent this, you may not realise howdangerous sunlight is until it is too late.
For those among uswho still want to appreciate their wooden or tiled floors, rugs are becoming very affordable and do bring atmosphere and comfort intoyour room. Another plus for rugs is that they are removable in the summer, making your home seasonal and fresh.
Before you rush outto buy another new sofa or chair consider reupholstering what you already have. Older furniture has interesting shapes and can really personalise a living space.
Happy hibernating!
