One of the most popular and easiest ways to transform the appearance of your home is by painting. A fresh layer of paint on your front door and fixing any peeling and cracking paint surfaces instantly adds kerb appeal.

Your hallway is the most used room in your home as well as being the most seen so it is important to keep it clear of clutter. Choose furniture that can double as storage and narrow console tables are a great feature in small hallways as they do not take up too much space.

If you are changing your stairs, make sure to consider how bright your hall is as this will determine what woodwork to choose. If you are keen to update the look of your home then the hallway is the one room where the simplest of changes can make the biggest impact.

Injecting your individual personality into a particular room can be easily done with a paint brush and some paint. Furniture up-cycling is very popular and on trend at the moment.

Choose strong accent colours such as pinks and greens on more quirky pieces to instantly make a statement. If you have a piece of furniture that you feel is old fashioned but you can not part with it, then this would be the perfect solution for you.

Now that Summer is in full swing, bring the outdoors in by using floral prints on window treatments, soft furnishings and wallpaper. Wallpaper used on one wall accompanied by a co-ordinating paint colour on the other walls, will complement the floral design as well as making your room feel bigger.

Changing your interior to suit the season is a great way to reignite your love for your home and when it comes to transforming your home for the Summer, it really is the small touches that make the biggest difference.

Karen

For Spring 2015 there is a move towards the more cooler and softer tones of the colour wheel with an eclectic mix of brighter colours, pale pastels and nature-like neutrals all taking centre stage.

Ochre is becoming more and more popular when it comes to interior design, being co-ordinated with rich velvet jewel tones to create one of this seasons hottest styles. It really is “the colour of the moment” being used in a variety of textures and styles.

Moroccan inspired prints have always been popular in both the fashion and interior world. Spring 2015 designs include strong geometric designs coming through in both wallpapers and fabrics. Statement pieces such as rugs and artwork will add the perfect finishing touch to any interior scheme.

Cobalt blue has been around for many seasons and it is not going anywhere for quite some time. It is a bold colour which can easily stand on its own but it also compliments the lighter blues in the colour family.

The deep blue tones are being introduced into home design with the use of soft furnishings and accessories. The mix of blues and patterns provide perfect accents in a room.

In my opinion Spring is one of the best times of the year. Waving goodbye to those dark, depressing evenings and welcoming the return of the longer, brighter days and hopefully warmer weather With the new Spring collections being launched, now is the time to look to the new year and a new interior.

Karen

Happy New Year to you all!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas. It is crazy to think that it is all over for another year. The endless grocery lists, fighting your way through the shops and the task of wrapping all of the presents; you almost need the next year to recover from it!

January can be such a long month for us all after the excitement of Christmas and it does not help when you have the dreaded task of taking your lovely decorations down. You do not realise how much you have got used to seeing them until you take them down and everything looks so bare! All of the sparkle of Christmas has disappeared within the space of a few hours.

As Big Ben rang in the New Year, the London skyline was set alight by so many beautiful colours giving it a definite “Wow Factor.” With the welcoming of a new year, it brings us closer to the launch of the new Spring/Summer Collections 2015. From having a sneak preview of some of these collections and looking at the trends for 2015, you too can bring that “Wow Factor” into your home. Stay tuned as I will keep you updated on all of these collections and I will post special previews as I get them.

2014 was such a fantastic year for us and we look forward to the adventures that 2015 will bring and of course sharing them all with you.

Happy 2015!!

Karen  :)

A busy weekend has passed of trade shows and craft fairs. On Thursday I visited the Grand Designs Live Show in Birmingham. The NEC is such a fantastic venue and it was showcasing everything that you could imagine for your home. There were so many different stands with stunning displays. My camera was constantly in use and I just had to share some of the photos with you. I have returned home full of new ideas and inspiration and I will definitely be returning next year!

I also participated in the annual Hillsborough Craft Fair on Saturday. It was such a well organised event by Annahilt Parish Church and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was so nice to meet all of the different crafters and to hear the lovely comments from people visiting my stand. It makes all of the hard work and time that I put into making my products so rewarding.

I have quite a few craft fairs coming up in the run up to Christmas so make sure to watch this space for dates and more information.

Karen

Thank you for taking the time to visit my new website and blog. There are some very exciting times ahead for me and I am delighted that I can share them all with you. My website gives you an insight into me and my business. I know that as an interior designer, my profession is very visual and I feel that it is important to share that side with you. On my website you will find a Gallery page with all of my latest projects. I will be updating this page on a regular basis with my future projects.

I will be regularly updating my blog with news on all of the latest fabric and wallpaper collections, interior design projects, inspirational tips and other lifestyle topics that I hope you will enjoy as much as I do.

I will also keep you up to date with any future events and workshops that I will be involved in and will post special previews of my hand made crafts and accessories. Just don’t tell anyone…it can be our little secret

If you have any questions about my work, events or interior design in general please send me a message via email address info@karenmckinleyinteriors.co.uk or my Facebook page. I would love to hear from you.

So take a look around and let me know what you think.

Karen