Kimberly Jackson, from New Jersey’s most prestigious online newspaper The Star-Ledger, has selected her favourite pieces of interior design advice and tips for the upcoming year that’ll help houses both sides of the pond to look a little more refreshed.
Apparently, the colour of 2012 will be “Tangerine Tango”, though this isn’t to say that every wall in the west will be covered in garish orange. Instead, the idea is to go natural – if tangerine doesn’t appeal to you, then get outside and find some effective light and colour combinations which you can take inspiration from.
Another suggestion that seems to incorporate several of the tips Jackson offers is to free your interiors of unwanted clutter, belongings and furniture. Minimalism isn’t necessarily going to define the next 12 months – it’s more that houses that feel cleaner, more organised and which make efficient use of space will be far more popular.
There are several ways to do this. First off, “lighten up”; in other words, get rid of everything you feel isn’t a necessity within your home, but which you may be holding onto ‘just in case’.
Secondly, have a re-think about those rooms which you don’t go in a lot, and see how you can re-model them so as to become more inhabitable, leaving you to use up every last inch of your home.
Next up, rearrange the furniture and adorn your walls with elegant shelving or storing cabinets. Both of these will give your rooms a re-invigorated look, as well as freeing up space by allowing you to conveniently store away any stray belongings.
Finally, improve your lighting. Rather than install heavy, cumbersome curtains, go for blinds or window shutters that are practical as well as being stylish, and which allow you to let in as much or as little light as possible.
Thomas Sanderson has a great range of window blinds and shutters. Shutters in its Laura Ashley collection are ideal for modern homes characterised by elegance and simplicity, which shutters provide in abundance anyway.
The company’s window blinds, meanwhile, come in varied styles so whether you’re keen to give tangerine a go or prefer something a little more subtle for your interiors, your newly de-cluttered home will be well lit as well as smartly laid out in 2012.