All about the Great Outdoor Room
How lucky are we in Australia to be able to actually use an outdoor area for almost year around living? Particularly in Queensland - our outdoor entertaining area is used just as much as indoors!  Durable yet comfortable, a place that offers shelter from and a connection to the natural world: a good outdoor room has to be all of these things. Get the balance right and you’ll gain extra living space that has an easy relaxed feel. We have always considered the outdoor spaces as an extension of our home, just another room to be decorated – but you can afford to let your imagination run wild – it just seems “right” to have a little decadence in your outdoor living space!
Once you've decided exactly how you will use your outdoor space and selected furniture you must determine the colour scheme. To make your outdoor room seem like an extension of your home and aesthetically connected to the house  use the same primary colours you’ve used in the interior, but vary the intensity of colours by using brighter more dominant shades.
Why not add curtains for extra drama and luxury? Curtains look fantastic in outdoor settings when done properly, and they do not need much fabric if used as an accessory to “frame” a vista – teamed with tiebacks they look fabulous.
Finally, you should accessorise your outdoor room. Using your colour scheme as a guide, choose cushions, upholstery, table ware to provide colourful accents – team with potted plants to add more colour or use the soothing greens of backdrop planting to create a very calming feel.
 Outdoor surfaces tend to be hard and inflexible. To make your outdoor space cosier, fabrics can be used to add colour and comfort.
Outdoor fabrics are now available in a variety of colours and patterns designed to withstand sun and rain. These fabrics are especially good choices for making pillows or cushions for your outdoor furniture.
When selecting outdoor cushion inserts ensure you have specialised outdoor foam that can dry out – it needs to be porous so that water can drain through quickly so that mildew does not grow on the inserts and come through to the fabric.
How often have you opened a glossy magazine and sighed with envy at the to die for outdoor spaces and the way they are decorated – think Bali huts, gazebos with floaty white sheers, brightly coloured splashes of colour in cushions? You don’t need a private tropical island or an infinity swimming pool to get the look – just some imagination and help from us!

​By Coleen Radford
For more information go to www.springcrest.net.au

This time of the year everybody is a bit over winter and eagerly awaiting the first warm sunny days of spring!  We’ve cocooned ourselves over the chilly months, creating cosy spaces in our homes. Now it’s almost time to open up the house and embrace the outdoors again!

Bring the garden into your home with green – the new colour movement across all home wares.  If you are confident with colour, mix different shades of green with white – a simple but stunning combination!  Or, begin with a rug, and then layer your room from the floor up. Bring softness into your home with fabrics – curtains, upholstery, cushions, throws.

Sheer curtains filter the bright summer light, creating a restful ambience and look gorgeous with the gentle breeze softly billowing the hems….

Scaled up florals are ideal for bringing nature indoors. Use them also on a statement chair, ottoman or bedhead.
As always comfort is key; tactile fabrics enhance the experience. Cushions with embroidery detail provide a tactile and folksy touch.

You don’t have to completely redecorate to achieve a summery look – be selective and choose one colour that will inject new interest into your room. Repeat the colour in various shades and patterns.
Mix up the patterns in the same colour palette for an original décor, team large scale floral print curtains with a bold chevron stripe on an ottoman or cushion – the effect is Wow!

Orange is still a strong decorating colour – team with naturally warm timber tones.

Fifty shades of blue – from royal, marine and cobalt to pastel, sky and powder – blues are perennial favourites and never go out of style.  Classic blue and white works so well in Beach Hamptons style décor. For a masculine touch work the blues together with sleek, modern feature pieces in black.

My secret ingredient for redecorating has always been to have at least one piece of furniture with a provenance. It provides an intriguing talking point and anchors the room with a history that brings intangible layers to your décor, to create an inviting and welcoming home. A room with brand new everything is not relaxing and inviting. Redecorate slowly. Try moving pieces from room to room. I have a dressing table that has done duty in bedrooms, living area and a hallway!

If you need any guidance with selecting fabrics for spring / summer decorating – we are here to help! Call Spring Crest on (07) 55922200

By Coleen Radford

From Babies To Young Adults

Need help to create a special place for kids? Here are some ideas to help you to achieve a look that your child can grow with.

We all want our newborn to have the perfect nursery; but how to cover all bases from baby to teenager? Unless you can afford to change the décor every couple of years; you are most likely looking to decorate with a décor your child can grow with, and use temporary decorating tricks like adding removable wall decals as their interests change. (Think love hearts, butterflies, super heroes, sports stars.)

If you want smart and timeless you can’t go wrong with a  black and white base theme.  For small windows use white Roman shades framed with black window architraves then add combinations of black and white furniture; finished off with pops of colour in scatter cushions and upholstered pieces. For a full length window use a plain neutral light coloured fabric for curtains and toning slimline pelmet.  Or use a combination of roller blinds for blocking out light teamed with full length sheer curtains.  Remember that a child’s bedroom may amass lots of toys in bright colours that will add the colourful element to a neutral décor.

This neutral room can easily be changed as your child grows…

Cover a wall with a big picture mural, vinyl decals or posters. Add décor that reflects your child’s interests or where you live.

A beach theme always looks fabulous for coastal living and suits both sexes. Blue and white is not gender specific, is easy to live with and always fresh and crisp. Add oars and bold stripes for a masculine look. For a feminine look add a chandelier light fitting – little girls and big girls love them! Then just add favourite colours in cushions and accessories.

Your teenage daughter may not want the cute pink and purple love hearts and butterflies she used to crave…how about a chic sophisticated Parisian look? A sleek Roman blind in black with some diamante bling along the lower edge, teamed with sheer black side drapes pulled back in a dramatic sweep held in place with a gorgeous tassel tieback –maybe puddle the sheer on the floor for added drama? Add a glass top desk, acrylic Louis chair, chandelier light and some French poster prints – Voila!
Prefer New York? Change the posters to the Manhattan skyline, Times Square or any other iconic Big Apple image. Add a picture of the iconic Yellow Cab and some splashes of yellow in scatter cushions.

London? Add the Union Jack as a scatter cushion, posters of a red London Bus, red telephone box…you get the idea!

When your teenage son has outgrown the Super heroes and Thomas the Tank Engine look, he needs a very cool but masculine and stylish room! Striped Roman blinds with a pelmet in a plain fabric (pick out one of the colours in the stripes) is a look that is timeless. A bedhead or headboard in a coordinated fabric finishes off the décor.
There are heaps of fabulous geometric and retro prints available too – you will be spoilt for choice!

Teenagers need their own space; and how to incorporate a study area as well as some casual living space can be a dilemma in a small bedroom.

Think about using a day bed that can double as a hang out area.  For a corner space use two simple upholstered bedhead panels attached at right angles to the walls to provide something to lean against; add some funky cushions and you have an instant chill out area.

Upholstered Bed Heads are a fantastic and very inexpensive way to make the transition between ages.  I regularly changed the bed heads in both my children’s bedrooms for a quick and easy facelift. If you keep the window coverings neutral then you can go all out on the bedhead – bright bold stripes, pretty soft dimity prints, dramatic animal prints – anything at all will go with a neutral base décor. As the fabric required is so minimal, an expensive fabric can be used without the finished product blowing your budget. If you want the room converted to a guest room, just replace with a stylish bed head and add coordinating scatter cushions.

Happy decorating!

By Coleen Radford

Your home office should be the most inspiring room in your house. When designing your own home office, see yourself as a client –it takes the emotion out and demystifies the process. As our lives get busier, home offices and study nooks are becoming essential to our homes and lifestyle. From juggling the kids’ homework schedules to balancing the budget, late night Skype sessions to social media fixes, our needs for a dedicated work space are as diverse as the spaces we call a study!

Work in layers when designing a space. Think architecturally first: choices for walls and floors and windows. If using an existing space think about window coverings before you mentally position the furniture. Do you want the desk under the window? Do you have a view you want to face? Then work your way down to the tiniest detail. Prevent a mishmash looking space by sticking to a colour and pattern palette.

Don’t forget to dress the windows! This decision should be made when considering the lighting. You don’t want glare from outside bouncing on your computer screen, nor into your eyes if you face the window.

The best window covering is one that diffuses direct light and allows you to control the natural light as the sun moves. Plantation Shutters or Venetian Blinds are an excellent choice as the light can be controlled by tilting the blades. If the window is long, consider covering only the lower half and allowing natural light to spill in from the top. Roman blinds look smart and sleek, and are a way of introducing colour, pattern and texture to the décor. The fabric can also be coordinated back to other soft furnishing elements in the room such as scatter cushions, or an upholstered piece of furniture.

Tip: Create a room scheme using Pinterest or a mood board as your facilitator before you start buying. The key aspects to any home office design should also include: Storage and Organisation. If everything in your home office has its own place, work life automatically becomes more streamlined.

It's a simple way to make sure everything is systemised and looking beautiful. Consider adding extra cabinetry, file draws or bookshelves.

Technology. This is an integral part of the home office. Using things such as cable covers, cable trays and printer trays will allow your technology to work seamlessly in your space. Making your home office as wireless as possible is the priority in any modern workspace. Lighting. Both ambient and task lighting are necessary for functional and aesthetics uses. Consider a mixture of overhead light, table lamps and adequate natural light.

Personality (colour). Personal preference will dictate how much of your personality you choose to inject in your office space.

Some may prefer clean and simple spaces, while others like to incorporate a splash of colour and character. The influence of colour in a home office can't be ignored. Shades of blue create a feeling of calm; the vibrancy of red can feel quite dramatic; while yellow tones are happy and signify communication.

If you’re in an environment where having a strong sense of balance is the most important, green might just be the colour that makes you the most productive. Whites - White is good to use in a small space, since it gives an airy quality.

Using white in a room of blues and greens makes the room feel more open and spacious.

Interestingly, it is not a colour itself that affects your behaviour, it’s how intense a colour is that affects how you respond to it. What defines whether a colour is stimulating or soothing is not the colour, it’s the intensity. A strong bright colour will stimulate, and a colour with low saturation will soothe. Still can’t decide where to start with colour? A very cool decorating trick is to start with whiteboard paint. It looks as fresh and crisp as regular interior paint; with the added advantage of being able to write on it, erase and write again. A whole wall of whiteboard paint goes with everything....

By Coleen Radford

Used cleverly, fabric walls can add a mysterious element to your home décor. Fabric is a great way to discreetly divide a room space without building a wall; or buying a specific piece of furniture to visually achieve the illusion of two spaces within one. It is also a very clever decorating tool for small spaces.

Firstly, decide what you want to visually achieve. Do you want to still see through your fabric wall, have light filter through the fabric? If so, then you need to select a sheer fabric. Depending on the sheerness of the fabric will determine how much fullness, gathering or pleating you need. Or, do you want a solid fabric that is not transparent? Next, how are you going to attach the fabric? Top fixed to the ceiling; or if using the fabric on an internal glass wall or window it could be face fitted to the window frame.

What type of track do you want your fabric panels / curtains to hang from? S Fold or Ripple Fold track top fixed to the ceiling has a discreet barely there look – the eye is not drawn to the track, but rather to the fabric. Or maybe you prefer a bold metal eyelet heading along the top of the fabric? In some situations the track can be hidden altogether – think using the fabric as a “door” on a closet or cupboard. 

Now I am going to give you some ideas to get you thinking outside the solid décor square - start thinking how to use fabric differently and creatively!

Dividing a bedroom so the sleeping area (bed) is visually separated from study / sitting area. Think parents retreat or studio bedroom. Great solution to darken the sleeping area from the living area if one partner prefers to sit up and the other to sleep! I have seen this concept used in hotel rooms – makes for happy room sharing.

Use sheer fabric as a door in a kid’s bedroom to cover the closet. This is a neat trick in a small room as a solid door can be very heavy looking. And for girls, they just love opening the fabric panels to reveal the entire contents of their wardrobe rather than having sliding doors that partly cover the clothing or doors that stick out and take up too much space.

Hide all the TV and electronic equipment in a living area that doubles as the media room. A solid fabric is best, and can look stunning when closed and covering the media area. It creates an instant tidy and elegant sitting area!

Section your dining area from the living area. This creates two intimate spaces, or open the fabric panels and have one big space – gives you lots of options depending on the size and style of your gathering.

Create an instant private entry area from your front door. This is terrific trick to give your living area some privacy. I have seen this done many times, one of the most visually stunning ways to create mysteriousness to your home if a sheer fabric is used. Visitors can’t quite see into your home, but they are intrigued and want to!

Keep the warmth in winter confined to a small space. We have often used fabric as doors between rooms. This is a clever trick if you have a large space that is heated by a fireplace. During winter it keeps that space snug and cosy and adds drama if the right fabric is chosen. I have seen this idea used in homes that have long deep verandahs – enclose the draughty space in winter and in summer tie the fabric panels back and let the breeze through!

Are you thinking outside the solid square yet?

By Coleen Radford

Banding is a designer trick we use to add drama without detracting from the room. This designer detail crosses all décor genres, and looks equally at home in minimal and modern décor, Shabby Chic or Hampton’s beach style.

When your décor calls for a little something special, add banding to your curtains along the leading edges -- the vertical edges where curtains meet. This is an ideal place for a permanent pop of colour or change of texture.

Banding your curtains on the leading and return edges of curtain panels provides contrast and helps define the architecture of your windows. Using contrasting colours and fabrics when banding curtain panels is a great way to give your curtains a dramatic, two-toned effect.

Banding is also very effective when used horizontally – either along the lower edge or across the top. Bands can be solid, accented colours or patterns.

There’s no rule against mixing your fabrics. In fact, when you mix fabrics, you can add texture or sheen to an otherwise bland design. If the drapery in a young girl’s room, for example, is grey fabric, a hot-pink or white border may be just the thing to perk up the space. Or if the living room’s dark curtains feel a bit too weighty, lighten then with a cream band.

When choosing solid bands for patterned curtains or vice versa, pull a colour from the pattern.

For example, if your drapery has a vibrant orange and blue ikat print on a white background, use orange banding along the curtains’ inner edges for high impact or blue bands for a mellower touch. Mixing patterns can be a design no-no, but not when done correctly. As long as the prints vary -- polka dots against stripes, large flowers alongside tiny posies -- the look can be interesting, bold and aesthetically pleasing.

Your curtain bands can be any width. Choose the width by factors such as how the fabric hangs when the curtains are gathered or open.

Banding can be skilfully used to tie a room décor together. For example, use a banding that is the same colour as a piece of furniture – this will anchor the space. Or, have the banding in a pattern that ties back with scatter cushions.

Banding looks particularly stunning on Roman blinds – it is a good way to add drama and interest to an otherwise small window, or to make a very wide Roman blind look less bland if a plain colour with no pattern is the main fabric.

I love Roman blinds trimmed with banding along the lower edge. We use this trick in girl’s rooms - and then add a bit of bling such as coloured beading or pom poms. For young girls rooms a pretty two tone stripe such as pink and green with a polka dot band is gorgeous! For a teenager, try a black Roman trimmed with silver and then add clear drop beads along lower edge – the effect looks like a chandelier.

For a boy’s room, a navy Roman blind trimmed in white is smart and masculine. This look crosses many age groups and is not limited to child’s décor.

Happy Banding! By Coleen Radford