Skirting boards have a practical job to do, concealing the gaps between floor and wall finishes and hiding uneven finishes. But they can add huge aesthetic impact too. A skirting board should add depth and continuity to your home, but unfortunately, most new homes these days are built with narrow, underwhelming trims. A wide skirting board immediately ramps up the quality factor in a room. MDF skirting is a popular and affordable option if you plan to paint your skirting board.
1. Bringing natural timber inside This home on Victoria’s Mount Martha by Bower Architecture is an elegant example of playing with form by using timber for the external surfaces as well as the ceiling – the exterior clad in tongue and groove boards and the ceiling lined with veneered panels. Note how the veneer used inside allows downlights to be installed easily without the limitations of joints in the boards.
7. Orange and blue They’re opposites on the colour wheel and paradoxically that means they go together well. If you can’t abide the thought of a vibrant tangerine and cobalt room, go quieter. This serene living area is awash in pale turquoise and soft coral; diluted versions of orange and blue that make no less of an impact for their restraint.
1. Yellow and blue Like salt and pepper or toast and jam, these hues make a perfect pair. It’s hard to find two shades of either one that don’t work together; as primary colours, they share an uncomplicated, elementary quality that keeps them in sync. Most people think of yellow and blue as traditional, and they are, but you can spin them into transitional or contemporary territory by choosing tailored lines and subtle patterns like the ones shown here.
7. Ceilings come first It’s probably common knowledge that you should paint the ceiling first, but Kowalczuk says many people in a rush to get the job done err by not completing all coats on the ceiling first. “Let the ceiling undercoat dry, then do both coats of paint on the ceiling before moving down into the room,” he says. “Next take on all of the other elements, such as the windows, architraves and skirtings, before moving on to the walls. That way you don’t have to keep cutting back in at the edges. Feature walls come last.” 4. Work with your floor colourGold Coast interior designer Sandy Cousens has often pitched in and painted interiors to achieve the look she’s after. She says one of the most common errors people make in choosing a paint colour is not taking into account the way wall colours will look against the colour of their floor. “Terracotta can bring out the peach in a white,” she explains. Cousens suggests always painting chosen samples from paint colour charts in the corners of rooms to see how they look in the shadows and alongside the floors before going full steam ahead with painting the entire room....
STEP 4: Look at the existing colours within the spaceWhen choosing a colour scheme, you have to consider the existing elements within the space. For example, a timber floor will have its own colour to consider within the scheme you are creating. The same can be said for tiles and carpet, whether existing or new.
Sheer delight If there’s one trend in curtains that’s big right now, it’s sheers. We’re not talking about Grannie’s net and lace nylons here, but rather beautiful natural fibres. From living rooms to bedrooms, whether you pair them with blockouts or parade them on their own, sheers are the high-fashion models of window treatments; beautiful, versatile and inspirational. Cascading sheer curtains out of a bulkhead or simple pelmet gives the illusion of light and space, while still providing all-important privacy. TIP: Team sheers with blockout blinds to allow for transparency and light during the day and privacy at night.
This could maybe go where there is only a small space of wall, e.g. adjacent to the window seat of on either side of the doorway (narrower shelves all around, sides and top for placing ornaments).
Also have the edges of the shelves decorative - not just a plain flat board.
Recessed design of drawer front and side wall of window seat just the width of the seat itself on both sides (making it possible to construct bookshelves on either side or both sides?)
I like the look of these white wood walls for the music room, which corresponds to the white bookshelves in the original photo (with the desk in the middle looking out towards a window with a view)
Shelves around Window Seat: curtain of window could draw right across and hide the bookshelves on one side when the curtain is open (which would be most of the time, and the books would only be revealed at night then
10. Storage, storage, everywhere! The space above and beside a doorway can be priceless. Try a custom shelving solution that keeps your books, ornaments or kitchenware happily on display.
3. Electroluminescent Produces electromagnetic radiation (usually visible light) in response to an electric current. This type of light is the most efficient, both cost wise and for the environment. LEDs are also very flexible, allowing you to choose anything between a cool and warm light (the temperature/colour of light is measured in Kelvins, which we will go into further detail below). You can even purchase LEDs that have the option to change colour and warmth via a remote!
10. We are forever fans of the hide-and-reveal type of storage. This photo showcases that beautifully, with stunning wood panels sliding to reveal handy storage space.
Another design - also does not face the bookshelves
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