As a homes and interiors public relations agency, we read a lot of articles on the latest news, trends and products for the home. This week, we’ve put together a round-up of the most inspirational articles we’ve read throughout the month.
Our write up includes articles from interiors publications Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful and YourHomeStyle.
Image: deVOL
Homes & Gardens – Black and white room ideas – 12 inspiring two-tone schemes
Black and white interiors can stand out and make a real statement, as well as making a room feel elegant and classy. Monochrome interior designs can be tricky to master though, as it’s all about balancing the two tones for different mood effects, whether that be to create a neutral base to make colourful furniture and décor stand out, or to design a room with a dark, dramatic feel. This article by Homes & Gardens has some tips and ideas on transforming your space with the two-toned scheme, while making it match the vibe that you want your room to have.
Dark tones can be tricky to master in a living room, though they are perfect for creating a less energetic, cosy environment to relax in if balanced right. If you don’t want wall-to-wall dark tones, then try a black feature wall instead to create a focal point. If all black walls are what you’re after, then balance the darker shades out with a white sofa and plenty of mixed textures to create a homely atmosphere. If your living room is quite small, then consider investing in a statement rug to make the space look more interesting.
Image: Crown
Remember that, in any room, it’s important to plan how much of each tone you want to include in the space. Consider that white will reflect light and make the room feel brighter and more spacious, whereas black will draw in the walls and absorb light. You can use mirrors to reflect light and give the illusion of a larger space and greys to soften the contrast of the two tones for a more comfortable atmosphere.
If you’re looking for a place to experiment with bold black and white looks, then the hallway is perfect as it’s the first space that people will see when entering your home, though they likely won’t spend much time there. In a hallway, you can be daring with a black and white tiled floor to make an exciting first impression. Bathrooms are another transient room where you can afford to go big with high contrasting black and whites. Accompany the two tones with bits of gold to make the room pop and match this with veined marble counter tops for a luxurious feel.
Image: Sarah Cuttle
Gardening has multiple benefits; having a beautiful garden to relax and socialise in during the summer is just one, but did you know that it can also be good for your mental and physical health too? We loved this article by House Beautiful which takes inspiration from the gardens presented at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival to offer up some tips on designing a garden that can improve your wellbeing.
Having a garden that boosts your wellbeing often involves tapping into the five main senses. Scent is a powerful sense as whether you can smell a good or bad odour can impact your mood and make you want to leave or stay in a space. Try to pick out flowers that have a pleasant scent, the smell of roses in particular is known to be calming and even have anti-depressant properties. House Beautiful recommends that you place this sweet-smelling flower near a seating area or the entrance to the garden.
Create something in your garden which will prompt people to stop for a moment. You could include a path with multiple turn points to slow people down in their journey or have a secluded seating corner. You could even include an ornament along the path that could encourage people to pause to take a look at it.
A seating area is a benefit to any garden and is great for boosting the wellbeing of your outdoor space as it encourages you to sit down and enjoy your surroundings. This can be anything from a bench to a bean bag area. Seating areas can also be used to increase the socialising opportunity in your garden. Especially after the pandemic, our gardens can be a hub for gatherings during the warmer months, and a pleasant seating area can make your outdoor space more prepared for this.
Most people want their garden to have privacy as it can make you feel safer and in turn boost your wellbeing. You can increase the seclusion of your garden by using natural dividers such as tall hedges and trees, or if you have wired fencing then plant some climbers to help fill in the gaps.
Tapping into the five senses again, sound in your garden can also be important for improving its wellbeing, and this is especially the case if you live in a built-up area and want some calming noises to distract you from the bustling life outside your home. Hang bells or chimes for small twinkling noises or include running water with a gentle trickle for a more natural, soothing noise.
You can also make your garden more wildlife friendly. Plant pollinating-friendly flowers to encourage birds and bees to flock to your space, you could even set up some seating facing these plants so you can watch nature at its work.
Image: Farrow & Ball
YourHomeStyle – Barbiecore aesthetic – how to get the look in your home decor
Barbiecore was a term coined back in 2020 to describe interiors that follow a theme based on the iconic children’s doll, though it has recently resurfaced as a design trend due to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie. Barbiecore is all about turning your space into your very own Barbie’s Dreamhouse. It’s a retro blend of bright 1950s and 1980s looks revolving around an unsurprising primary colour: pink!
Barbiecore can be difficult to master, especially with how vibrant the colour pink is. This article by YourHomeStyle takes a dive into Barbiecore to explain how to follow the trend and also make it look stylish.
The colour palette in Barbiecore isn’t solely pink but will usually revolve around this colour. Although Barbie is usually associated with hot pink, you don’t have to use this shade in particular to match Barbiecore. You could dabble in softer shades such as pastels and bubblegum pinks, sometimes layering these tones to prevent the colour from becoming too overwhelming.
Matching the retro vibes of Barbiecore, your pink tones could be partnered with neon colours and bold patterns. The idea is to abandon more mature colours, such as beige and grey, and instead make a space that is vibrant, exciting and, most importantly, ‘girly’. In other words, Barbiecore interiors should stand out, and they’re not for the faint hearted.
That being said, pink can quickly become too intense, so YourHomeStyle recommends including pops of it around the room rather filling the space with the colour if it looks too much. Turquoise, electric blue, purple and yellow are alternative colours that will complement pink well.
Don’t forget, Barbiecore isn’t just about pink, you’ll also need to tap into those 1950s and 1980s shapes and textures to take on the trend. Think curves and waves with glossy lacquer, retro-style appliances are a must too!
Image: Emma Parkes
We’d love to know which article you found most inspiring and if you’ll take any tips away from our roundup. Let us know in the comments!
Ends
Jess
29th July 2022
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